In the back of St Dunstan's Plainsong Psalter there is a table of all the eight tones + peregrinus and their various cadences, which in the case of several of the tones includes the addition of cadences peculiar to York, Gisburn, Worcester, Peterborough, and several others. One might suppose that there are similar variations that are/were peculiar to local uses and monastic houses on the continent as well as England. The table in this psalter also includes a number of 'irregular tones'. For those unfamiliar with this book, it is well worth having and is available from the Lancelot Andrewes Press. It is a complete Coverdale psalter pointed for singing in all the various tones, plus canticles and other items. (Square notes, too.)

Some one gave me a book (a very old, water-damaged, moldy book, which he is now photocopying and putting in a binder for me), with accompaniments for the psalm-tones. It is mensuralist, and I think was published around 1880 or so. It includes the 8 tones + Peregrinus with all of the Variant mediants and conclusions; this includes variants from the Parisian tradition and some others -- including the 'Ton Royale' variant of mode VI. When I get it, I'll see if I can scan it and post it here.

@smvanroode,

Do you have tones II*, IV*, C, D, and E? I'm trying to make a small booklet of common tones for my Schola. Thanks.

@MJO,

Thanks for the info. I've had the St. Dunstan's on my Amazon wishlist, but just haven't been able to get it yet.

@Salieri,

That would be much appreciated.


Thanks to all of you for the information and help!

Cool, thanks!

more of a newbie question: why the 2 clefs? Isn't one good enough? :)

Seriously though, what's the purpose?

huh? I thought chant pitch is relative, making transpositions pointless.

Or is it something like the gospel tone, where changing the clef can switch from the solemn to simple tone....

Yes, the two clefs are for transposition, but you're all over-complicating it.

Depends on where the clef used for the antiphon... For example, in the case of Mode D, some set you up (based on the Euouae given) for the clef on the top line (psalmtone incipit starting on SO), others set you up (again based on the Euouae given) for the clef on the second line (psalmtone incipit starting on RE).

You'll notice in either case the intervals between the pitches of the psalmtone would be the same. Ben, this is the principle of transposition in chant - taken out of context of an antiphon, RE DO RE MI RE, sounds exacatly the same as SO FA SO LA SO.

This carries through to the terminations. Mode D d ends on RE (when reading using the lower clef), while Mode D g ends on SO (when reading using the upper clef), and so on for the other two terminations. Again, D d and D g sound the same, but are different relative to the antiphon.

Make sense?

And not to belabor the point, but with an eye toward providing helpful information for lurkers:

It's also important to remember that while many may be most accustomed to hearing psalmtones employed as a vehicle of delivery for the Propers of the Mass, this is a fairly recent development. Their original purpose was to provide a vehicle for chanting psalms or canticles under antiphons of the Divine Office. The solemn psalmtones serve the same purpose for the Mass. A psalmtone without an antiphon seems to me to historically have been a pretty novel idea (except for special 'in directum' psalmtones which serve that purpose in situations where no antiphon is employed).

While not an unworthy employ of their use, it is not without some musical difficulty that psalmtones be employed to replace an antiphon of the same mode, for example, the common practice of setting, say, an Introit to a psalmtone. While the psalmtones of a given mode complement the antiphons of that mode, I would argue in some cases the musical effect is completely different. Compare the effect of a Mode I antiphon (ending on RE, sounding minor), with most of the Mode I psalmtones, which almost never end on RE. A very common termination, Mode I f, ends on FA and sounds major - likely much different from the final cadence of the antiphon it would be replacing.

I'm not decrying the practice of substituting psalmtones as some terrible musical occrence - especially if thats all you or your group can pull off well for a Missa Cantata - just pointing out that its not inherent to the development of psalmtones.

This book from the French Oratory contains, besides some cool litanies, 4 unique psalm tones.

Interesting. It worked when I tested it. I'll try it again.

Yes, it's fine now; thanks for checking.