Dextera Domini and transposed verses
  • Andrew_Malton
    Posts: 1,187
    By “transposition” I mean writing a melody with the final of its mode in an atypical place on the staff. I see a common example in mode II melodies written with the final on la instead of re, and with a C clef instead of an F clef. Transposing might reduce the number of accidentals or ledger lines.

    In Ott’s 1935 Offertoriale (for example) sometimes the Response (Antiphon) is written transposed (as it appears in the Graduals) but the Verses are written untransposed. Thursday’s Dextera Domini is an example.

    Since the mode is the same, what makes sense to me is to sing these with the same finalis pitch, so that la on the C clef and re on the F clef are the same pitch.

    However, in Ott’s edition there's a custos when the clef changes, and taking it literally produces 1/ a change in finalis pitch, and 2/ an overall range of two octaves.

    What's going on? If 1/and 2/ are correct, fine. But it seems wrong to me.
  • Andrew_Malton
    Posts: 1,187
    Example.
    Screenshot_20220413-110333.png
    720 x 823 - 257K
  • Royce Nickel
    Posts: 72
    I agree with you that something seems wrong about that custos in Ott. It may be a typo. Anton Stingl's edition has the custos placed so that the finalis pitch is preserved, going from antiphon to verse. http://www.gregor-und-taube.de/Materialien/Offertoriale/E.03-Of.-Dextera-Domini.pdf

    Another problem in Ott is the indication of "Non móriar" as the respond after the verses. The manuscripts (Laon, Einsiedeln, Bamberg) all indicate "Dextera."
    Thanked by 2Andrew_Malton tomjaw
  • Andrew_Malton
    Posts: 1,187
    Not a typo because in the few other places this happens in Ott the same thing is done. I think it's a non-standard (and unhelpful) use of the custos.
    Thanked by 1tomjaw
  • madorganist
    Posts: 906
    Mode 2 with a final on la/A in the Vatican edition, a.k.a. mode 2a or mode 10. In the Offertoriale Triplex, Fischer wrote in F next to the top line of the staff and C in the middle space for the first four lines, with the custos before verse 1 lowered a fourth. I believe this gives the same range as the Gregor & Taube and Cantatorium editions, a twelfth from sol to re. Many MSS notate this chant with an F clef and the final on D/re, as it ought to be for mode 2. Montpellier, however, only gives a range of a ninth, C to L, with the second verse lowered a fifth, which is apparently what the Vatican edition and Ott followed.
    Thanked by 1Andrew_Malton
  • Richard MixRichard Mix
    Posts: 2,799
    Depending on where one places the custos to return from the verse, this could be an interesting spiral…
    Thanked by 2Andrew_Malton tomjaw
  • madorganist
    Posts: 906
    Another problem in Ott is the indication of "Non móriar" as the respond after the verses. The manuscripts (Laon, Einsiedeln, Bamberg) all indicate "Dextera."
    Not all. Montpellier has "Non moriar," more evidence that it was the likely source for both the Vatican edition and Ott's Offertoriale.
    Thanked by 1tomjaw
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