What is the difference between "Simple Tone" , "Solemn Tone" and "Monastic Tone" ?
  • resorcino
    Posts: 1
    Hello friends!

    I am a new user of this forum. First of all, I'd like to say that I am from Spain, so sorry for my bad English!. I am writing a paper from my parish journal about sacred music. I have a doubt with the antiphon "Salve Regina": What is the difference between "Simple Tone" , "Solemn Tone" and "Monastic Tone" ? If you have more information about this antiphon, I'll be very grateful for learning more about it.

    Thank you very much in advance, and again sorry for my bad English.
  • BGP
    Posts: 215
    Hello resorcino welcome,
    The text is the same for all of them only the music is different.

    By "Solemn tone" is the solemn version found in the Roman office books it can heard here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaZmNrbQY1Y

    The "monastic" tone is also "solemn" and is from the Monastic office books, it can be heard here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5p_U8J0iRQ

    both of these are very similar and ancient (12th century I think?) there is also a Dominican form and Carthusian form all very similar assumed to be developed from the original melody.

    The 'simple tone' is a more recent composition, it can be heard here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1B91RUv2lI8

    musical notation for all three can be found in the parish book of chant beginning on page 116 here http://musicasacra.com/pdf/pbc-web.pdf
  • BachLover2BachLover2
    Posts: 330
    my impression is that for the more 'high ranking' feast days, the solemn tones were preferred
  • JamJam
    Posts: 636
    building off your point, BachLover, I think Sunday counts as a "high-ranking" feast day worthy of the solemn-tone. When I used to chant Vespers with Catholic friends (in Latin, except the psalms in English with psalm tones), we would use the simple tone Salve Regina on weekdays and solemn tone on Sundays.
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