C’est ainsi que le jour même de mon entrée à Solesmes, j’eus la surprise de constater qu’à trois reprises, le
chœur modifiait une note dans l’introït Gaudeamus. Celui qui avait introduit cette modification n’avait jamais
eu besoin de la justifier, et ses successeurs encore moins !
It was thus that the day even of my entrance at Solesmes, I was surprised to notice that three times, the choir changed a note in the introit "Gaudeamus." The one who had introduced this change had never needed to justify it, and his successors still less.
Sur les mots diem festum celebrantes les groupes sol-fa-fa étaient chantés sol-mi-fa. La modification avait été introduite par dom Gajard au début du XXe siècle : à une époque où on ne savait pas faire chanter les neumes unissoniques, la rythmique de Solesmes rendait le passage particulièrement peu festif. Jamais inscrite dans les livres de chœur, la correction était passée dans la tradition orale. Elle devait rester dans l’usage jusqu’en 2003.
In the words diem festum celebrantes the groups sol-fa-fa étaient chantés sol-mi-fa. The modification had been introduced by Dom Gajard at the beginning of the 20th century; at a time where they did not know to have the neumes on the same scale degree sung(1), the rhythm of Solesmes rendered the passage especially not very festive. Never written in the choir books, the correction was passed down in the oral tradition. It had to have remained in the usage [of the abbey] until 2003.(2)
But I also don’t think that it’s a normal thing to do; we don’t do it in modern music either. Most don’t! Indeed you even mentioned that you write in the notes — totally unlike Solesmes.
Once one recognizes that the Solesmes style for all its merits is rife with rhythmical assumption
and that it even contains transcription/interpretation errors as to some of the notes themselves
And even so, I don't agree that in modern ensemble and solo music people don't make minor changes to a composition as they see fit.
he had a useful rhythmic theory that is no less true, and certainly no more false, than any other attempt to universalize rhythm
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