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$OUGLAS 9EO
4HE HISTORY OF THE SERPENT IN &RANCE HAS BEEN DOCUMENTED BY "EVAN 0ALMER AND OTHERS YET QUESTIONS AWAITING FURTHER RESEARCH REMAIN )N PARTICULAR DEBATE OVER THE HOLDING AND PLAYING POSITIONS OF THE INSTRUMENT RAGES IF SUCH A WORD CAN BE USED TO DESCRIBE ONGOING DISCUSSIONS OF AN ARGUABLY SMALL CADRE OF PLAYERS AND SCHOLARS &ROM ITS INVENTION CA BY #ANON %DM£ 'UILLAUME OF !UXERRE THE SERPENT lRST UTILIZED TO ACCOMPANY CHANT IN THE CHURCH WAS HELD IN A VERTICAL POSITION WITH THE PLAYER USUALLY STANDING )N THIS POSI TION THE HANDS OF THE PLAYER BOTH ARE hPALM DOWN v WITH HOLES AND CORRESPONDING TO THE ND RD AND TH lNGERS OF THE LEFT HAND AND HOLES AND CORRESPONDING TO THE SAME lNGERS OF THE RIGHT HAND !BB£ ,UNEL SERPENTIST AT .OTRE $AME DE 0ARIS lRST PROPOSED AN ALTERNATIVE COUNTERINTUITIVE AND MORE HORIZONTAL HAND POSITION WITH THE RIGHT HAND BEING HELD hPALM UP v WHEREBY FOR THE RIGHT HAND lNGERS WOULD CORRESPOND WITH HOLES AND (ERMENGE IN HIS -£THODE PROPOSED A FURTHER VARIATION ON THE HORIZONTAL POSITION 4HERE APPEARS TO BE LITTLE ARGUMENT AMONG PLAYERS AND SCHOLARS THAT MILITARY SERPENTS BOTH THOSE MADE IN %NGLAND AND THOSE FROM THE CONTINENT WERE CONSTRUCTED TO BE PLAYED IN THE HORIZONTAL POSITION 4HE DRILLING OF HOLES ON EXTANT HISTORICAL EXAMPLES OF MILITARY SERPENTS TENDS TO SUPPORT THIS VIEW ALTHOUGH IT IS TRADITION ALONE THAT ATTRIBUTES THIS PLAYING POSITION TO +ING 'EORGE ))) #HURCH SERPENTS ARE ANOTHER MATTER HISTORICAL SPECIMENS HELD AND PLAYED BY THE AUTHOR ALL HAVE lNGER HOLES THAT CLEARLY SUPPORT THE hPALM DOWNv POSITION (OWEVER WHILE MOST PLAYERS WHO PLAY hPALM UPv PREFER TO HAVE THE lNGER HOLES OF THE RIGHT HAND DRILLED DIFFERENTLY THAN THOSE FOR A hPALM DOWNv INSTRUMENT A SERPENT CONSTRUCTED FOR THE hPALM DOWNv POSITION CAN BE PLAYED hPALM UPv ALBEIT WITH SOME CONTORTION OF THE RIGHT HAND THE DRILLING OF lNGER HOLES DOES NOT TELL THE WHOLE STORY AS TO PREFERRED PLAYING POSITION OF THE SERPENTIST 7HILE MANY MODERN CHURCH SERPENTISTS IN %NGLAND HOLD THE CHURCH SERPENTS hPALM UP v CONTEMPORARY &RENCH PLAYERS OF THE CHURCH SERPENT SEEM TO PREFER hPALM DOWNv )N THE INTEREST OF FULL DISCLOSURE MY PREFERENCE IS FOR hPALM DOWNv WHEN PLAYING BOTH MY MODERN -ONK 7ORKSHOP CHURCH SERPENT AND MY HISTORIC CHURCH SERPENT BY "AUDOUIN CA 7ITH SUCH A DIVERSITY OF PREFERENCE EXHIBITED BY MODERN PLAYERSA DIVERSITY THAT MAY SIMPLY BE ATTRIBUTED TO PERSONAL COMFORT RATHER THAN HISTORICAL PRECEDENTICONOGRAPHICAL EVIDENCE MAY BE HELPFUL IN OBSERVING THE PLAYING POSITION AND POSTURE HABITS OF HISTORICAL CHURCH SERPENTISTS IN &RANCE ()34/2)# "2!33 3/#)%49 */52.!,
&IGURE #HARLES 7ILDS #HOIR OF THE #ATHEDRAL OF !MIENS 9%/
)N ) CAME INTO POSSESSION OF A HAND COLORED ENGRAVING DEPICTING THE CHOIR AND ALTAR DURING HIGH -ASS IN A 'OTHIC STYLE CHURCH 4HE SINGLE PAGE APPEARED TO BE AN INTACT LEAF FROM A FOLIO MOUNTED ON STIFF PAPER &IGURE 4HE PRINT MEASURES CM X CM AND IS MOUNTED ON A BACKING MEASURING CM X CM ! THIN LINE DRAWN ON THE BACKING SERVING AS A BORDER IN INK APPEARS CM OUT FROM THE PRINT /F PARTICULAR INTEREST IS THE FACT THAT TWO SERPENTISTS PLAYING hPALM DOWNv ARE SHOWN IN THE ENGRAVING ONE ON EACH SIDE OF THE CHOIR4HIS IS THE ONLY DRAWING OF WHICH ) AM AWARE THAT SHOWS TWO SERPENTISTS PLAYING IN A CHOIR 4HE ENSUING SEARCH TO IDENTIFY THE ARTIST AND THE CHURCH DEPICTED WAS FRAUGHT WITH FRUSTRATIONS AND DIFlCULTIES AS WELL AS UNEXPECTED DISCOVERIES AND PLEASURES WITH SIGNIlCANT IMPLICATIONS REGARDING MUSICAL LIFE IN CHURCHES IN &RANCE
4HE #ATHEDRAL OF .OTRE $AME D!MIENS 4HE MOST DISTINCTIVE FEATURES OF THE CHURCH PICTURED IN THE ENGRAVING ARE THE UNIQUE HIGH ALTAR WITH A DISTINCTIVE GLORY AND THE ELABORATELY CARVED CHOIR STALLS ! SURVEY OF BOOKS ON &RENCH 'OTHIC ARCHITECTURE IN THE "OSTON 0UBLIC ,IBRARY LED TO IDENTIlCATION OF THE CHURCH AS THE #ATHEDRAL OF .OTRE $AME D!MIENS &RANCE 4HE INTRODUCTION OF #HRISTIANITY TO !MIENS WHICH BECAME THE CAPITAL OF 0ICARDY 0ICARDIE CAME IN THE FOURTH CENTURY WITH 3AINT &IRMIN &IRMINUS AS THE lRST BISHOP (IS MARTYRDOM DURING THE RULE OF %MPEROR $IOCLETION RESULTED IN HIS BEING BURIED OUTSIDE THE CITY WALLS "Y THE MID FOURTH CENTURY A BASILICA WAS BUILT TO PROTECT 3AINT &IRMINS BURIAL ALTHOUGH IT WAS DESTROYED DURING THE PERSECUTION OF #HRISTIANS SHORTLY THEREAFTER )N THE SEVENTH CENTURY 3AINT (ONOR£ DISCOV ERED THE GRAVE OF &IRMIN AND OTHER MARTYRS AND HAD THEIR BONES REMOVED TO A NEW LOCATION WITHIN THE CITY WALLS WHERE A CATHEDRAL WAS CONSTRUCTED TO HOUSE THE RELICS 4HE CATHEDRAL SUFFERED DEVASTATING lRES IN AND %VEN BEFORE THE lRE OF PLANS WERE FORMING IN !MIENS TO BUILD A NEW CATHEDRAL )N 7ALLON DE 3ARTON #ANON OF 0ICQUIGNY BROUGHT TO !MIENS WHAT HE BELIEVED TO BE THE HEAD OF *OHN THE "APTIST WHICH HE OBTAINED DURING THE &OURTH #RUSADE $ESIRING A CATHEDRAL OF SUFlCIENT MAJESTY TO HOUSE THE NEW RELIC AS WELL AS THE BONES OF 3AINT &IRMIN "ISHOP %VRARD DE &OUILLOY OVERSAW THE BEGINNING OF CONSTRUCTION OF THE PRESENT CATHEDRAL IN WHICH WAS DESIGNED BY 2OBERT DE ,USARCHES ,UZARCHES AFTER "ISHOP %VRARDS DEATH 4HOMASDE#ORMONTA£DHISSON 2ENAUD CONTINUEDOVERSEEING CONSTRUCTION 7ORK PROCEEDED AT SUCH A RAPID PACE THAT IN THE NAVE WAS COMPLETED AND THE #ATHEDRAL COULD BE USED FOR WORSHIP ,ACK OF FUNDS INTERRUPTED CONSTRUCTION FROM AFTER WHICH TIME WORK RESUMED THE MAIN STRUCTURE WAS COMPETED BY 4HE SIDE CHAPELS WERE CONSTRUCTED BETWEEN AND THE FA½ADE AND SOUTH TOWER IN AND THE NORTH TOWER IN THE EARLY lFTEENTH CENTURY .OTRE $AME D!MIENS IS THE LARGEST 'OTHIC #ATHEDRAL IN &RANCE AND REPRESENTS THE PINNACLE OF HIGH 'OTHIC ARCHITECTURE IN THAT COUNTRY !MONG ITS PRINCIPAL GLORIES ARE THE MAGNIlCENTLY CARVED CHOIR STALLS WHICH WERE CARVED BETWEEN AND SEE BELOW 4HE HIGH ALTAR AND UNIQUE GLORY WITH CLOUDS AND SCULPTURE OF ANGELS DATE FROM THE EIGH TEENTH CENTURY SEE &IGURE ()34/2)# "2!33 3/#)%49 */52.!,
&IGURE #ONTEMPORARY VIEW OF THE CHOIR HIGH ALTAR AND GLORY AT .OTRE $AME D!MIENS 0HOTO BY $OUGLAS 9EO
4HE PRINT (AVING IDENTIlED THE SUBJECT OF THE ENGRAVING AS THE HIGH ALTAR AND CHOIR OF !MIENS AT TENTION TURNED TO DETERMINING THE ARTIST AND DATE OF THE PRINT -ARJORIE #OHN OF (ARVARD 5NIVERSITYS &OGG !RT -USEUM WAS CERTAIN AFTER EXAMINING THE PRINT THAT IT DATED FROM THE EARLY NINETEENTH CENTURY WAS %NGLISH AND WAS A HAND COLORED AQUATINT WATERCOLOR ENGRAVING ! SIGNIlCANT DISCOVERY CAME AFTER MANY MONTHS WHEN ) PURCHASED A USED COPY OF 4 &RANCIS "UMPUS 4HE #ATHEDRALS OF &RANCE "UMPUS BOOK CONTAINS A DETAILED DESCRIP TION OF SEVERAL DOZEN &RENCH CATHEDRALS AS WELL AS REPRODUCTIONS OF ETCHINGS AND DRAWINGS BY VARIOUS ARTISTS AND COLOR PLATES BY ( -ARSHALL /NE CAN ONLY IMAGINE THE SHOCK AND SURPRISE WHICH ENSUED WHEN BETWEEN PAGES AND A BLACK AND WHITE PLATE WAS FOUND THAT REPRODUCED IN MINIATURE THE PRINT IN QUESTION WITH THE CAPTION h!MIENS #ATHEDRAL 4HE #HOIR $URING (IGH -ASS &ROM A DRAWING BY 7ILD v
4HE ARTIST -ARJORIE #OHN SEEMED CERTAIN THAT THE h7ILDv IN QUESTION WAS #HARLES 7ILD AN ARCHITECTURAL WATERCOLORIST WHO PROVIDED MANY IMAGES FOR PORTFOLIOS OF VIEWS OF GOTHIC CHURCHES AND BUILDINGS IN "RITAIN AND ON THE #ONTINENT "ORN IN ,ONDON HE WAS PERHAPS BEST KNOWN FOR A SERIES OF SIX WORKS ON %NGLISH CATHEDRALS #ANTERBURY 9ORK #HESTER 9%/
,ICHlELD ,INCOLN 7ORCESTER WHICH APPEARED BETWEEN AND 7ILD BECAME A FULL MEMBER OF THE h/LD 7ATERCOLOURv 3OCIETY IN AND SERVED AS THE 3OCIETYS TREASURER IN AND LATER AS SECRETARY &URTHER RESEARCH YIELDED INFORMATION ABOUT A VOLUME OF 7ILDS 4WELVE 3ELECT %XAMPLES OF THE %CCLESIASTICAL !RCHITECTURE OF THE -IDDLE !GES #HIEmY IN &RANCE CA CONTAINING TWELVE AQUATINT PRINTS OF EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR VIEWS OF EIGHT CATHEDRALS INCLUDING THREE OF !MIENS ! SINGLE COPY OF THE FOLIO EXISTS IN THE 5NITED 3TATES AT (ARVARD 5NIVERSITYS (OUGHTON ,IBRARY 4HE (OUGHTON ,IBRARYS COPY OF 7ILDS 4WELVE 3ELECT %XAMPLES OF THE %CCLESIASTICAL !RCHITECTURE OF THE -IDDLE !GES #HIEmY IN &RANCE lNDS THE TWELVE PRINTS BOUND IN A HALF PURPLE MOROCCO GREEN CLOTH PORTFOLIO CASE4HE COVER IS STAMPED WITH THE TITLE 7ILDS &OREIGN #ATHEDRALS .O TITLE PAGE OR TEXT IS INCLUDED ALTHOUGH WHEN THE VOLUME WAS DEPOSITED AT THE (OUGHTON ,IBRARY IN THE BOOK WAS POSITIVELY IDENTIlED AS 7ILDS 4WELVE 3ELECT %XAMPLES BY COMPARISON TO THE CONTENTS LISTED IN A NUMBER OF CATALOGS AND SOURCE BOOKS ON ENGRAVINGS AND WATERCOLORS 4HE ENGRAVING IN QUESTION IS NUMBER IN 7ILDS FOLIO #HOIR OF THE #ATHEDRAL OF !MIENS AND BOTH MY COPY AND THE COPY IN THE (OUGHTON ,IBRARY ARE IDENTICAL IN SIZE CLARITY OF ENGRAVING AND AQUATINT
&IGURE $ETAIL OF SERPENT PLAYER IN NORTH CHOIR FROM 7ILDS #HOIR OF THE #ATHEDRAL OF !MIENS ()34/2)# "2!33 3/#)%49 */52.!,
&IGURE $ETAIL OF SERPENT PLAYER IN SOUTH CHOIR FROM 7ILDS #HOIR OF THE #ATHEDRAL OF !MIENS
4HE SERPENTISTS !N EXAMINATION OF THE TWO SERPENT PLAYERS IN 7ILDS ENGRAVING OF THE h#HOIR OF THE #A THEDRAL OF !MIENSv REVEALS SEVERAL DETAILS &IRST BOTH PLAYERS ARE SHOWN TO BE HOLDING THEIR SERPENTS IN THE hPALM DOWNv POSITION "EFORE DRAWING ANY CONCLUSIONS AS TO THE ACCURACY OF 7ILDS DEPICTION OF THE SERPENTISTS THE AUTHOR CAREFULLY COMPARED IMAGES IN THE PRINT WITH THE ACTUAL ARCHITECTURE AND FURNISHINGS OF !MIENS #ATHEDRAL 7ILDS ATTENTION TO DETAIL WAS FOUND TO BE REMARKABLE EVEN DUPLICATING THE EXACT NUMBER OF PANELS OF GLASS IN THE WINDOWS AND RAYS OF hLIGHTv FROM THE GLORY BEHIND THE HIGH ALTAR 7HILE ONE CAN ONLY OFFER CONJECTURE AS TO WHETHER 7ILD DREW HIS PREPARATORY SKETCHES FOR THE ENGRAVING DURING AN ACTUAL SERVICE OR LATER RECONSTRUCTED THE SCENE FROM MEMORY THE DETAILS OF THE ARCHITECTURE ALTAR GLORY AND CHOIR STALLS GIVE CONlDENCE THAT HIS DEPICTION OF THE PEOPLE SHOWN IN THE ENGRAVING IS ACCURATE AS WELL 4HE SERPENT PLAYER ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE CHOIR DETAIL IN &IGURE IS PLAYING HIS INSTRUMENT WHILE THE SERPENTIST ON THE SOUTH SIDE DETAIL IN &IGURE IS NOT 9%/
4HE CHOIR STALLS 4HE CHOIR STALLS OF !MIENS #ATHEDRAL &IGURE ARE AMONG THE MOST UNIQUE AND RICHLY CARVED IN THE WORLD #ONSTRUCTED OF WHITE OAK BETWEEN AND THE PRINCIPAL CRAFTSMEN WERE *EAN 4URPIN !RNOULD "OULIN !LEXANDRE (UET AND !NTOINE !VERNIER WHO LABORED WITH ASSISTANCE OF MANY OTHERS TO CARVE OVER GROUPS AND SINGLE lGURES COMPRISING A STAGGERING lGURES IN ALL /RIGINALLY NUMBERING THERE ARE TODAY ONLY STALLS 3CENES FROM THE "IBLE AND FROM EVERYDAY LIFE ADORN THE STALLS AND THE FOLDING SEATS hMISERICORDEv AGAINST WHICH CHORISTERS AND OTHERS COULD LEAN WHILE STANDING THROUGH LONG SERVICES !BOVE THE STALLS IS ELABORATELY CARVED DECORATIVE WORK SEE BELOW AND THE MOST INTRICATE CARVING IS RESERVED FOR THRONES FOR THE +ING AND FOR THE $EAN OF THE #HAPTER EACH CAPPED WITH TOWERS OVER TEN METERS HIGH 4HE STALLS ARE FOUND ON ALL THREE SIDES OF THE CHOIR IN A DOUBLE ROW )N THE MIDDLE OF THE ROW OF LOWER STALLS ON THE NORTH AND SOUTH SIDES IS AN AISLE THE WIDTH OF A SINGLE STALL ALLOWING ACCESS TO THE UPPER STALLS &IGURE 7ILDS ENGRAVING SHOWS THE SERPENT PLAYERS STANDING IN THE LOWER CHOIR STALLS WEST OF THE AISLE LEADING TO THE UPPER CHOIR
&IGURE 4HE CHOIR STALLS OF .OTRE $AME D!MIENS LOOKING TO THE WEST LATE NINETEENTH CENTURY VIEW 0HOTO OF UNKNOWN ORIGIN ()34/2)# "2!33 3/#)%49 */52.!,
&IGURE $ETAIL OF SOUTH CHOIR STALLS .OTRE $AME D!MIENS 0HOTO BY $OUGLAS 9EO
4HE GRAFlTI )N A CONVERSATION IN 0ARIS WITH &RENCH SERPENTIST -ICHEL 'ODARD ) LEARNED THAT THERE WERE CHOIR STALLS IN !MIENS THAT CONTAINED HAND CARVED GRAFlTI 5PON EXAMINATION SIX STALLS WERE FOUND TO HAVE SIGNIlCANT GRAFlTI MOSTLY NAMES OF PEOPLE AND VARIOUS DATES &IGURE (OWEVER THE STALL IN THE SOUTH CHOIR WHERE 7ILD SHOWED A SERPENT PLAYER STANDING CONTAINS A SPECTACULAR lND NOT ONLY ARE NAMES AND DATES ENGRAVED BUT TWO SMALL CARVINGS OF SERPENTS ARE FOUND AS WELL DETAIL &IGURE !N EXAMINATION OF &IGURE SHOWS SEVERAL IDENTIlABLE NAMES AND DATES #ENTRAL TO THE GRAFlTI ON THE BACK OF THE STALL IS THE NAME h. "ARBIERv WITH ANOTHER NAME h, #REPIN v CARVED ABOVE h"ARBIERv )MMEDIATELY BELOW h"ARBIERv IS AN INTRICATE CARVING CM HIGH OF A SERPENT INCLUDING MOUTHPIECE 4O THE RIGHT AND BELOW h"ARBIERv CAN BE FOUND THE DATE hv OR PERHAPS WITH A MORE CRUDELY CARVED SERPENT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DATE ! SMALL RENDERING OF A MUSIC STAFF CAN BE SEEN AS WELL 4HE GRAFlTI IN THE STALL ARE COPIOUS WITH CARVING UPON CARVING WHICH MAKES IDENTIlCATION OF SPECIlC NAMES DIFlCULT 9%/
&IGURE 3OUTH CHOIR STALL WITH CARVED GRAFlTI WHERE 7ILD DEPICTS A SERPENT PLAYER STANDING .OTRE $AME D!MIENS 0HOTO BY $OUGLAS 9EO ()34/2)# "2!33 3/#)%49 */52.!,
&IGURE $ETAIL OF SOUTH CHOIR SERPENT PLAYERS STALL .OTRE $AME D!MIENS 0HOTO BY $OUGLAS 9EO
)MPLICATIONS 4HAT SOME CATHEDRALS IN &RANCE AND !MIENS IN PARTICULAR USED TWO SERPENT PLAYERS HAS BEEN WELL DOCUMENTED #HARLES "URNEY WROTE IN h)N &RENCH #HURCHES THERE IS AN INSTRUMENT ON EACH SIDE OF THE CHOIR CALLED THE SERPENT FROM ITS SHAPE ) SUPPOSE FOR IT UNDULATES LIKE ONE v WHILE &RANK $OBBINS WRITING IN THE .EW 'ROVE $ICTIONARY OF -USIC AND -USICIANS ND ED NOTES REGARDING MUSICAL LIFE IN !MIENS #ATHEDRAL IN THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY hAPART FROM THE ORGANIST TWO SERPENT PLAYERS WERE ENGAGED ONE DOUBLING ON BAS SOON SUPPLEMENTED BY TWO CELLOS ON FEAST DAYSv 4HE DISCOVERY OF GRAFlTI DEPICTING SERPENTS IN THE VERY STALL WHERE 7ILD DREW A SERPEN TIST IN HIS h#HOIR OF THE #ATHEDRAL OF !MIENSv ADDS ADDITIONAL CREDIBILITY TO THE ACCURACY OF HIS ENGRAVING 4HE JUMBLE OF CARVINGS IN THE STALL ALLOWS FOR FEW NAMES TO BE DElNITELY IDENTIlED BUT THOSE WHICH CAN BE CLEARLY SEEN INCLUDE h. "ARBIER v h, #REPIN v AND h$OMINICv 4ANTALIZINGLY #LIFFORD "EVAN HAS IDENTIlED A SERPENTIST NAMED h"ARBIERv AS PLAYING IN THE CATHEDRAL IN #ARPENTRAS 6AUCLUSE IN 7HILE #ARPENTRAS IS IN THE SOUTH OF &RANCE AND !MIENS IN THE NORTHWEST IT IS NOT OUTSIDE THE REALM OF POSSIBILITY THAT THE h"ARBIERv OF THE GRAFlTI COULD BE THE SAME PERSON OR FROM A FAMILY THAT HAD MORE THAN ONE SERPENT PLAYER AMONG ITS NUMBER 9%/
! lNAL DISCOVERY 7HILE EXAMINING THE CHOIR STALLS IN !MIENS MY ATTENTION FELL TO THE ORNAMENTAL CARVINGS THAT HANG OVER THE UPPER STALLS &IGURE !BOVE THE NORTH UPPER CHOIR NEAR THE THRONE CAN BE FOUND AN EXQUISITE CARVING OF FOUR ANGELS PLAYING CORNETTI &IGURE /N lRST GLANCE ONE MAY BE TEMPTED TO THINK THE ANGELS ARE PLAYING SERPENTS RENDERED IN A STYLIZED WAY (OWEVER GIVEN THAT THE CARVING OF THE STALLS WAS COMPLETED BY AND THE SERPENT NOT INVENTED UNTIL CA IT SEEMS MORE LIKELY THAT A FORM OF CORNETTO IS DEPICTED
&IGURE .ORTH CHOIR STALL INCLUDING CARVINGS ABOVE UPPER STALLS .OTRE $AME D!MIENS 0HOTO BY $OUGLAS 9EO
&UTURE RESEARCH #HARLES 7ILDS ENGRAVING #HOIR OF THE #ATHEDRAL OF !MIENS PROVIDES SCHOLARS WITH A JUMP ING OFF POINT FOR FURTHER SIGNIlCANT RESEARCH ! MORE COMPLETE HISTORY OF THE MUSICAL LIFE OF !MIENSISCERTAINLYNEEDED 7ILDS ENGRAVINGDATESFROMCA BUTTHESCENEREPRESENTED MAY HAVE OCCURRED BEFORE THAT TIME ! STUDY OF THE VESTMENTS WORN BY THE -ASS CELEBRANTS IN 7ILDS ENGRAVING MIGHT OFFER CLUES AS TO THE SPECIlC SERVICE BEING CELEBRATED 4HE FACT THAT THE SERPENT PLAYERS AND THE GRAFlTI IN THE STALL ALL SHOW SERPENTS IN THE VERTICAL hPALM DOWNv POSITION IS ANOTHER PIECE OF EVIDENCE IN THE ONGOING DISCUSSION OF HOW SERPENTS WERE HELD IN CHURCHES IN &RANCE 7HILE DElNITIVE CONCLUSIONS CANNOT BE ()34/2)# "2!33 3/#)%49 */52.!,
&IGURE $ETAIL OF CARVING OF ANGELS PLAYING CORNETTO ABOVE NORTH CHOIR STALLS .OTRE $AME D!MIENS 0HOTO BY $OUGLAS 9EO
DRAWN WHAT CAN BE SAID IS THAT WHILE !BB£ ,UNEL AND (ERMENGE HAD PROPOSED A MORE HORIZONTAL POSTURE OF HOLDING THE SERPENT AS EARLY AS THAT POSTURE HAD NOT BEEN ADAPTED IN !MIENS AS LATE AS CA 4HERE MAY BE A PRACTICAL REASON FOR THIS AS WELL THE CHOIR 9%/
STALLS IN !MIENS AS IN MOST CATHEDRALS ARE QUITE NARROW AND THE VERTICAL POSITION OFFERS THE ONLY MEANS OF HOLDING THE INSTRUMENT IN THE CHOIR GIVEN THE CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE ARM RESTS SEPARATING THE STALLS 7ILDS ENGRAVING PROVIDES STRONG ICONOGRAPHIC EVIDENCE THAT THE VERTICAL POSITION HAD BY NO MEANS BEEN ABANDONED BY PLAYERS IN CHURCHES AND CATHEDRALS IN EARLY NINETEENTH CENTURY &RANCE AND THAT ,UNEL AND (ERMENGE WHILE PROPOSING A NEW PLAYING POSITION DID NOT lND UNIVERSAL ACCEPTANCE OF THEIR PROPOSAL 4HE CHOIR STALL GRAFlTI OFFER FERTILE GROUND FOR FURTHER STUDY -Y TIME IN THE CHOIR IN !MIENS WAS SEVERELY LIMITED BY MY OWN SCHEDULE AND THE FACT THAT THE CHOIR WAS BEING SET FOR A WEDDING LATER IN THE DAY ) WAS UNABLE TO SECURE PERMISSION TO MAKE RUBBINGS OF THE GRAFlTI FOR FURTHER STUDY OR EVEN TO PHOTOGRAPH ALL OF THE STALLS APPROXIMATELY SIX IN NUMBER THAT HAD GRAFlTI 0AINSTAKING DECIPHERING OF THE MANY LAYERS OF GRAFlTI MIGHT YIELD MORE NAMES WHICH THEN COULD BE INVESTIGATED FOR POSSIBLE CONNECTIONS TO THE SERPENT !ND GIVEN THE SEEMING ENDLESS NUMBER OF UPPER ROOMS AND ATTICS IN CHURCHES AND HOMES IN &RANCE WE CAN HOLD OUT HOPE THAT SOMEDAY SERPENTS AND OTHER INSTRUMENTS USED IN !MIENS IN ANTIQUITY MIGHT BE DISCOVERED &INALLY THE PRESENCE OF THE CARVING OF CORNETTO PLAYING ANGELS BRINGS UP IMPORTANT QUESTIONS REGARDING INSTRUMENTS USED IN AND AROUND !MIENS AT THE TIME THE STALLS WERE BUILT )N SUM 7ILDS DETAILED ENGRAVING AND THE PRESENCE OF GRAFlTI SOME OF WHICH WERE ALMOST CERTAINLY CARVED BY SERPENT PLAYERS PROVIDES SCHOLARS AND PLAYERS WITH A FASCINATING GLIMPSE INTO MUSICAL LIFE IN EARLY NINETEENTH CENTURY !MIENS
$OUGLAS 9EO IS BASS TROMBONIST OF THE "OSTON 3YMPHONY /RCHESTRA AND A LEADING EXPONENT OF THE SERPENT AND OPHICLEIDE (E HAS PERFORMED 3IMON 0ROCTORS 3ERPENT #ONCERTO WITH MANY ORCHESTRAS INCLUDING THE "OSTON 0OPS /RCHESTRA CONDUCTED BY *OHN7ILLIAMS AND HAS GIVEN NUMEROUS SOLO AND CHAMBER MUSIC RECITALS THAT INCORPORATE THE SERPENT )N HE GAVE A RECITAL ON SERPENT AT THE %ARLY "RASS &ESTIVAL IN 3TORRS #4 HIS AWARD WINNING WEBSITE WWWYEODOUGCOM CONTAINS ACCOUNTS OF MANY OF HIS SERPENT EXPLOITS (E PERFORMS REGULARLY ON SEVERAL HISTORIC INSTRUMENTS CHURCH SERPENT IN # BY "AUDOUIN 0ARIS CA CHURCH SERPENT IN # BY #HRISTOPHER -ONK 7ORKSHOP ,ONDON CONTRABASS hANACONDAv SERPENT h'EORGEv IN ## BY #HRISTOPHER -ONK ,ONDON AND OPHICLEIDE IN # BY 2OEHN 0ARIS CA (E HAS ALSO BEEN KNOWN TO PLAY HARMONICA IN A ROCK BAND
./4%3
4HE DATE OF THE PRINT HAS BEEN GIVEN VARIOUSLY AS hv "RITISH -USEUM #ATALOG ,ONDON hCA v AND hv /#,# #ATALOG AND hv (OUGHTON ,IBRARY #ATALOG (ARVARD 5NIVERSITY !S NO DATE APPEARS ON THE PRINT ITSELF AND THE TWO KNOWN EXTANT COPIES OF THE FOLIO IN WHICH IT APPEARS HELD BY THE "RITISH -USEUM AND THE (OUGHTON ,IBRARY ARE LACKING A TITLE PAGE A DATE OF CA SEEMS TO BE A SENSIBLE CONCENSUS ()34/2)# "2!33 3/#)%49 */52.!,
#LIFFORD "EVAN 4HE 4UBA &AMILY ND ED 7INCHESTER 0ICCOLO 0RESS 0HILIP 0ALMER 4HE 3ERPENT !N (ISTORICAL 3URVEY OF THE )NSTRUMENT AND ITS ,ITERATURE 0ERFORMANCE 0RACTICE AND 0ROBLEMS AND 0AST AND 0RESENT 5SES 0H$ DISS #OLUMBIA 0ACIlC 5NIVERSITY !LSO 0HILIP 2 0ALMER h)N $EFENSE OF THE 3ERPENT v (ISTORIC "RASS 3OCIETY *OURNAL 4HE REFERENCE TO !BB£ ,UNELS SUGGESTION OF THE HORIZONTAL POSITION IS MADE CONSIDERABLY AFTER THE FACT IN -£THODE DE 3ERPENT ADOPT£ PAR LE #ONSERVATOIRE )MP£RIAL DE -USIQUE POUR LE 3ERVICE DU #ULTE ET LE 3ERVICE -ILITAIRE 0ARIS FACS ED 'ENEVA -INKOFF P #ITED IN "EVAN 4HE 4UBA &AMILY PP # (ERMENGE -£THODE EL£MENTAIRE DE SERPENT ORDINAIRE ET Í CL£ 0ARIS CA P 2EPRODUCTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS OF (ERMENGES SUGGESTED HAND POSITION AND POSTURE MAY ALSO BE FOUND IN "EVAN 4HE 4UBA &AMILY P "EVAN 4HE 4UBA &AMILY P h4HERE IS A TRADITION THAT 'EORGE ))) SUGGESTED ;THAT THE SERPENT IN THE MILITARY BAND= SHOULD BE HELD SIDEWAYS TO PREVENT ITS ENTANGLEMENT WITH THE MARCHING BANDSMENS LEGS AND THAT THE BELL SHOULD BE TURNED OUTWARDS TO INCREASE THE VOLUME OF TONEv )NSTRUMENTS INCLUDED IN THIS SURVEY INCLUDE &RENCH AND OTHER #ONTINENTAL CHURCH SERPENTS OF THE SEVENTEENTH THROUGH NINETEENTH CENTURY OWNED BY THE "OSTON 3YMPHONY /RCHESTRA #ASADESUS #OLLECTION "OSTON -USEUM OF &INE !RTS AND SEVERAL PLAYERS PRIVATE COLLECTORS AND ANTIQUITIES DEALERS IN &RANCE #ONTEMPORARY %NGLISH SERPENTISTS WHO PREFER hPALM UPv POSITION WHEN PLAYING CHURCH SERPENT INCLUDE #LIFFORD "EVAN !LAN ,UMSDEN !NDREW VAN DER "EEK AND 0HIL (UMPHRIES #ONTEMPORARY &RENCH CHURCH SERPENTISTS WHO PREFER hPALM DOWNv POSITION INCLUDE -ICHEL 'ODARD AND "ERNARD &OURTET 4HIS AND OTHER SELECTED IMAGES THAT ACCOMPANY THIS ARTICLE MAY BE SEEN IN COLOR AT WWWYEODOUG COMAMIENSHTML !N UNDATED PAINTING BY "AZIN h0ROCESSION Í 3AINT 3ULPICE v WHICH HANGS IN THE 0ARISIAN CHURCH OF THE SAME NAME SHOWS A PROCESSION INSIDE THE CHURCH INCLUDING TWO SERPENTISTS /NE IS CLEARLY SHOWN PLAYING PALM DOWN THE OTHER IS SOMEWHAT HIDDEN HIS HANDS ARE NOT VISIBLE 4HE PAINTING IS REPRODUCED ON THE COVER OF ,E ,IVRE D/RGUE DE -ONTR£AL !TELIERS DU &RESNE #$ 4HE AUTHOR WOULD LIKE TO THANK 2 %UGENE :EPP OF THE 2ARE "OOKS AND -ANUSCRIPTS $EPARTMENT OF THE "OSTON 0UBLIC ,IBRARY FOR HIS KIND ASSISTANCE 4HE HISTORY OF !MIENS #ATHEDRAL MAY BE FOUND IN MYRIAD SOURCES ESPECIALLY *ACQUES "RANDICOURT AND *EAN $ESOBRY 4HE #ATHEDRAL OF !MIENS %NG TRANSL BY - 'EFFRAY NP ND 0IERRE ,EROY #ATH£DRALE D!MIENS 0ARIS .OUVELLES %DITIONS ,ATINES %NG TRANSL BY 'EOFFREY #APNER NP ND 0IERRE -ARIE 0ONTROU£ .OTRE $AME D !MIENS %NG TRANS BY .ICOLA 2ANDALL !MIENS -AR TELLE 4 &RANCIS "UMPUS 4HE #ATHEDRALS OF &RANCE ,ONDON 4 7ERNER ,AURIE ,TD %LIZABETH "OYLE /2EILLY (OW &RANCE "UILT (ER #ATHEDRALS ! 3TUDY IN THE 4WELFTH AND 4HIRTEENTH #ENTURIES .EW 9ORK (ARPER "ROTHERS (ERBERT -ARSHALL #ATHEDRAL #ITIES OF &RANCE .EW 9ORK $ODD AND !MIENS "EFORE AND $URING THE 7AR #LERMONT &ERRAND -ICHELIN 3EE *EAN -ACREZ ,E CHEF DE 3AINT *EAN "APTISTE DE LA #ATH£DRAL D!MIENS (ISTOIRES ANCIENNES ET (ISTOIRES MODERNES MAIS (ISTORIE VRAIE NP ND 3CIENTIlC STUDIES CONDUCTED IN MAKE A CASE THAT THE RELIC IS INDEED THE HEAD OF *OHN THE "APTIST )T IS CURRENTLY DISPLAYED IN THE #ATHEDRAL ON A PLATTER OF GOLD MADE IN BY 0 0OUSSIELGUE 2OSAMD A COPY OF A lFTEENTH CENTURY RELIQUARY THAT HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN LOST /2EILLY (OW &RANCE "UILT (ER #ATHEDRALS P ,E2OY #ATH£DRALE D!MIENS PP "UMPUS #ATHEDRALS OF &RANCE 4HE $ICTIONARY OF .ATIONAL "IOGRAPHY FROM THE %ARLIEST 4IMES TO FOUNDED BY 'EORGE 9%/
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