Gregorian symbol
  • rjawad
    Posts: 14
    Does anyone know what this 'h' symbol is? In the second picture it is upsidedown.
    Thanked by 1JonathanLC
  • mahrt
    Posts: 517
    I presume it is a liquescent note; in your examples, it comes at positions where such notes would be desirable.
    Thanked by 4CHGiffen M. Jackson Osborn madorganist Cantus67
  • rjawad
    Posts: 14
    I think you are right. I see that word thrown around. What does it mean in this case? Both examples are in treble clef, by the way. Below is another example where the symbol occurs above no note.
    Screen Shot 2019-11-15 at 9.45.11 AM.png
    870 x 598 - 716K
  • madorganist
    Posts: 906
    Liquescent notes are fundamentally reminders of good diction/phonation. In the example you posted where the symbol is reversed, notice that the second note is higher than the first, so it is considered ascending rather than descending, as in the other examples.
    Go here:
    http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10765b.htm
    ctrl+F and search for liq, which will take you to the pertinent section
    Then do the same in this article:
    https://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/uploads/FileUpload/10/6fb87040ab599517f709f0af311841.pdf
    That article goes into augmentative versus diminutive liquescence. In the oldest manuscripts, the same symbol is used for augmentative liquescence on a syllabic (single-note) neume and for diminutive liquescence at the end of a multi-note neume.
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • rjawad
    Posts: 14
    Thank you very much. Those links are helpful.
    It's strange to me that these small details in pronunciation were included in 11th century music. For me, it would be nice to hear a professional sing a phrase with and without this 'liquescent' symbol.
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