Septuagesima Gradual and Tract
  • JulieCollJulieColl
    Posts: 2,465
    Just wondering if anyone else is having fun with the Gradual and Tract this week. They're both really lovely and worth a little extra effort. Jacques Perriere's notes are very helpful.

    I'm esp. delighted with this motif which occurs 4 X in the De Profundis:

    image

    It wouldn't take much to turn this into a jazz rhythm.
    Thanked by 1gregp
  • Jacques PerrièreJacques Perrière
    Posts: 139
    Hello Julie,
    For these 3 clivis, this year I was thinking of expressing the first and third, releasing the intensity on the second one, then expressing and holding the double top C.
    Of course without exaggerating the whole, keeping it gentle. Avoid the temptation of accelerating along the 3 clivis. Smooth the repetitiveness; sing the notes, let them fly but show them that you are in charge (hold your horses!).
    For this tract the Graduale Triplex page 673 (at Missae pro defunctis) gives the neumes from Laon 239 and St Gall 359. They are pretty much a succession of 3 simple clivis. The talented singer will make the difference.

    You said the pattern is repeated a few times so if you do not pass it right the first time you can do better on the following ones. A bit like a triple axel in ice skating. :-)
    You could eventually express them differently each time but it demands a good coordination with your cantors...

    True, this is a lovely mode 8 tract. Though I suppose people will have different ways of expressing it.

    ______________________________
    Oh yeah the Gradual is lovely too. With the amazing top BE-FDB followed by D-ECA...
    Thanked by 1gregp
  • JulieCollJulieColl
    Posts: 2,465
    Thanks so much for the great advice on that passage and we'll try not to speed through the clivises (and land on our collective arsis!). : ) Loved the triple axel analogy! (We've been glued to the figure skating competitions all week.)
Add a Comment