The first neume is liquescent? what the heck!
  • Ralph BednarzRalph Bednarz
    Posts: 489
    It starts on a Liquescent! and its the word "I." Look at the first neume of the Easter (Kelly)
    introit.I Has Not Seen this before.
    The long "i" sound is a diphthong. How do you sing this? Is this notation an accurate map on how to maneuver through those sounds? ah to ee. I would understand this on "pope" or "oink" or "ate."
    There are many other expressive neumes here which makes me think this demands a lively interpretation.
  • RobertRobert
    Posts: 343
    Not a liquescent...it starts with a "torculus initio debilis". See Cardine's Gregorian Semiology for a full explanation, but in a nutshell, just don't emphasize the first note of the torculus at all, treat it as a passing note.
  • Adam Bartlett
    Posts: 533
    Think of the 'torculus initio debilis' as a clivis with a quick and light note before it. The most important movement is toward the second, top note, as in a clivis. It's interesting looking at the notations in the Graduale Triplex that often when the Vatican Edition has a clivis the early manuscripts had a torculus initio debilis. This speaks very strongly, I think, of how quick and light this first note was. Later in the tradition it was omitted altogether and what was sung was just the second two notes!
  • incantuincantu
    Posts: 989
    I was just looking at an example of this today in the Communion for Pentecost at ubi erant. The Vatican edition renders the first as a clivis and the second (long form) as a torculus. I imagine a short rest before "ubi" so that the second not begins the rhythmic grouping, and I borrow time from the otherwise normal syllabic value of the first syllable of "erant" for the second.
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