How do I use the vertical episema?
  • Priestboi
    Posts: 155
    Hi all!

    I am currently translating the short hymns and antiphons as practice for the propers to the Afrikaans language and am a bit puzzled about how to use the vertical episema. Any advice on this?

    Also the neums at "bid vir ons sondaars" needs attention. How would you render this?
    Thanked by 4CHGiffen M. Jackson Osborn Elmar janetgorbitz
  • M. Jackson Osborn
    Posts: 8,368
    I really like your Afrikaans adaptation.
    What you did with the 'ave' is particularly interesting.
    What a beautiful language!
    As for the 'vertical episema', I think that you should treat it as if it didn't exist -
    because it doesn't.

    I also think that your solution to 'bid vir ons sondaars' is tasteful, considering that one would want to preserve the chant melos as much verbatim as possible. The only thing I might change would be to drop the podatus on 'ons' in favour of a mere punctum on re. But, it really sings well the way you have it. Very graceful work!

    And, I agree with Elmar's suggestion below about the climaci on 'bid' and 'son'. I rather think that the way you have these notated is not exactly kosher.
    Thanked by 1Priestboi
  • CHGiffenCHGiffen
    Posts: 5,150
    Very nice indeed! I was surprised by your handling of "Wees ge-groet" for "Ave" and would probably have opted for "Wees(f) ge(c)groet(d) Ma(d)......." but this is not to say that I don't like your innovation!

    For "Hei-lige", I think I would have the second syllable "-li" stay on La (same pitch as "Hei-". But, again, there is nothing wrong with your way of doing it.

    There are other things I might have done, but this is your work, and it is quite singable. Congratulations!
    Thanked by 1Priestboi
  • Elmar
    Posts: 500
    Pragtig!
    Die drie dalende note van "bid" en "son-" sou ek met 'n climacus skryf, en daar sit 'n streep agter "sondaars" wat daar nie hoort.
    (The three descending notes of "bid" and "son-" I would write with a climacus, and there is a hyphen too many after "sondaars".)
    Thanked by 1Priestboi
  • incantuincantu
    Posts: 989
    The vertical episema is used in certain Solesmes editions to indicate expressive lengthening of the middle note of the salicus. This is only because the horizontal episema would be difficult to fit over the middle note of this three-note neume. Unfortunately, this renders the episema in question indistinguishable from the sign used to mark the ictus or beginning of a rhythmic group, which does not per se indicate lengthening.

    Of course the general consensus of international chant scholars is that the middle note of the salicus would not have been treated as the longest or most important note of the group according to the earliest known performance practice. (Hence the comment above that the vertical episema "does not exist"). However, if one wishes to adhere slavishly to the method associated with those older Solesmes editions, one ought to include the vertical episema on the salicus (and not on the scandicus).
    Thanked by 4M. Jackson Osborn Priestboi CHGiffen Salieri
  • M. Jackson Osborn
    Posts: 8,368
    I have to say it:
    Sensitive and graceful work such as this yet again puts a lie to the old shibboleth that chant and Latin are inseparable. This is truly and exquisitely beautiful.
    Thanked by 4Adam Wood Priestboi CHGiffen Salieri
  • Arthur Connick
    Posts: 494
    I would consider leaving the vertical episema on the La after Re in "María" on the first line if your intention is that La be sung expressively. Otherwise I would omit any such markings unless you intend to encourage a particular neo-Solesmes style performance practice.
    Thanked by 2Salieri Priestboi
  • SalieriSalieri
    Posts: 3,177
    There should be something to denote the lengthening of the 'La', because that figure (re-la-te(or ti), is rendered always as a pes for the first two notes, and the virga for the third (cf. Intr. "Gaudeamus", et cet.), there is a neumatic break (coupure) between the second and third notes which would indicate a lengthening of 'La'.

    Note pg. 33 of this.
    Thanked by 1Priestboi
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