Old Roman Kyrie at the Paschal Vigil
  • ClemensRomanusClemensRomanus
    Posts: 1,023
    I'd like to transcribe the Kyrie found at http://www.e-codices.unifr.ch/en/cb/0074/79r/medium from the Paschal Vigil, but I don't know how. Can anyone point me in the right direction on how to read these neumes, or can anyone who knows how to read this transcribe it for me? Any help at all would be extraordinarily appreciated. Thanks.
  • MarkThompson
    Posts: 768
    I'm purely curious: without being able to read it, what makes you want it so badly?
  • ClemensRomanusClemensRomanus
    Posts: 1,023
    Just started getting into Old Roman chant and I was just wanted to study it and know what it sounds like.
  • Jeffrey CogginsJeffrey Coggins
    Posts: 360
    Do these particular ancient neumes provide enough information to transcribe into either Gregorian or modern notation? I've always believed that Gregorian notation was the first kind of notation which provides enough accurate information to read and sing from.
  • MarkThompson
    Posts: 768
    Oh, okay, I was just wondering if there was something special about this one little Kyrie hidden away in this old manuscript.
  • ClemensRomanusClemensRomanus
    Posts: 1,023
    Nah, I just find the musical structures intriguing. As to whether or not there is enough information to transcribe, I have no idea. I've never read this type of notation before. All I know is that I've seen transcriptions of several Vatican graduals and antiphonaries of Old Roman chant, and I just wondered if someone here knew how to transcribe it.
  • ClemensRomanusClemensRomanus
    Posts: 1,023
    So, does anyone know how to read/transcribe this notation? If not, can anyone point me in the right direction? I'm hoping to study the structure of this Kyrie so I can compose a setting of the ordinary based on it. Thank you and God bless you all.
  • MarkThompson
    Posts: 768
    But that's what I'm curious about, Clemens (I like to pry): if you can't read this Kyrie and don't know how it goes, how can you possibly know you want to write a whole ordinary on it? What's the lure of this particular one?
  • ClemensRomanusClemensRomanus
    Posts: 1,023
    Mark, you can call me Gerry (I chose my username from 1 Clem). Well, for the last few months, I've been searching for something to inspire me, and when I saw this Kyrie, it's ascending lines just jumped out at me. Though I don't know what mode it's in, it looks fascinating, and I know I could finally use my composition degree for something worthwhile. Perhaps I'll just use it's contour. Still, if anyone knows about medieval music and could transcribe this for me, I would be eternally appreciative.
  • MarkThompson
    Posts: 768
    Thanks for the explanation, Gerry. If I could give you any help, I would! Best of luck to you -- maybe someone will make you a little present of it for your feast day on the 23rd, Clemens.
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