Kulturologieulturologie
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EEmpirickýmpirický a aaplikovanýplikovaný vvýzkumýzkum KKulturologieulturologie UDC 783.2 (4–15) PPRINCIPLESRINCIPLES OFOF LINESLINES COORDINATIONCOORDINATION ININ THETHE EARLYEARLY ORGANUMORGANUM NN.. VV.. SShymanskyhymansky CCandidateandidate ooff AArts,rts, assistantassistant professor,professor, BBelarusianelarusian StateState AcademyAcademy ooff MMusic,usic, MMinsk,insk, BBelaruselarus Summary. The author applies typological analysis to reveal key features of the early organum including the opposition “unconscious vs conscious” and polymelodics. The con- clusions are based on the contrastive study of examples from the Chartres codices 130 and the Winchester manuscript. The principles of identity, assimilation, and opposition of lines coordination are associated with the syllabic polyphony. Contrapuntal phenomena in syllabic organum exist in the framework of a moving timbre-texture form where not only splitting and merging but also dynamic interaction of voices is possible. The archetypal sensation of vibra- tion and friction tend to represent ‘beat diaphony’. Keywords: early organum; intonational rhythmics; lines coordination; trope; syllabic polyphony; polymelodics; friction; heterophony; Medieval liturgical singing. Despite a number of significant re- a) polymelodic character and variant search papers issued in recent years heterophony; (Rankin, Hughes, Arlt, etc. [4]), early b) splitting of choral unison into organum still remains a mystery to parts followed by their merger in uni- modern musicology. The problem is to son again; choose the correct approach to conduct c) freedom of voices interaction the study of the few sources that rep- in time; resent the semi-professional work of d) fragmented character of parallel medieval singers [2]. This article pro- voice motion. poses a historical-stadial approach for- It is known that the Winchester mulated by M. Kharlap. Early organum manuscript is the only orderly collec- is seen as a phenomenon based on the tion of polyphonic pieces compiled in intonational rhythmics. At the same the first quarter of the 11th century. As time, the very notion is revised and S. Rankin quotes, “only with the vari- a new definition of ‘syllabic polyphony’ ous Saint-Martial codices – none cop- is introduced to refer to the interac- ied before the early 12th century – do we tion of voices as in ‘note against note’ next find polyphonic pieces assembled principle. together in a relatively systematic way” Being free from theoretical prescrip- [4, p. 64]. In other cases, there are only tions and avoiding certain simplifica- fragmentary examples of early polyph- tions, practice of syllabic polyphony ony, for example, continental sources worked out a range of unique principles Chartres, Fleury or Tours, Saint-Maur- of lines coordination. Most valuable of des-Fossés. “Despite their stylistic di- those include: versity, an underlying trend of change Paradigmata poznání, 1, 2016 111 EEmpiricalmpirical aandnd aappliedpplied rresearchesearch towards a freer style, analogous to that Musical tropes were usually elabo- described in the meets the Montpellier rated jubilations of enthusiastic re- and Milan treatises, is clear” but “it is ligious character often on the final the ‘old’ organum represented in the syllable of the word ‘Alleluіa’. Musical- Winchester manuscript” that provides textual tropes in their turn appeared a unique opportunity for research of on the basis of musical ones by creat- the relation between theory and prac- ing captions required to memorize long tice of liturgical singing in Medieval vocalisms. a more detailed analysis of times [4, p. 64]. tropes is provided in Frere’s edition [5]. At the same time, these collections Early sources of organum practice may serve as confirmation of the idea recorded two ways of musical nota- that troping and polyphony formed two tion – that with separate and joint fixa- related trends in the singing culture of tion of voices. Samples of the separate the Middle Ages. In the preface to the type are found in the Winchester manu- 1894 edition of the Winchester troper, script, organum pieces of the Chartres W. Frere [5] and later, A. Plainchart, 4 and Fleury codices Vat. Reg. lat. 586 analysing Winchester repertoire, de- and 592. The other method is embodied scribed three types of tropes – prosulae in codices of Chartres 130 and 109, as (text), melismas (melodic) and laudes well as Paris. bibl. nat. lat. 11631, 12584 (new verses containing both text and 12596. Both ways of notation fixation music). Textual tropes used to clarify represent voice-leading (intonation) by and complement the main text. well-sung singers who need no strict As the examples show, there is a dia- regulations about pitch, rhythm, and phonic ‘quarter modus’ in these manu- time of the piece. scripts and organum sub voce may take Consider the two following frag- the form of organum supra vocem (re- ments of the same chorale with separate spectively, ‘under the voice’ and ‘above and joint fixation of voices, one from the voice’) and vice versa. This applies text from the Chartres codices 130 and not only to the middle, but the begin- the other from the Winchester troper. ning, when the upper voice from the first This is Alleluia with verse ‘Dies sancti- notes becomes the lower. Thus, a lot of ficatus’, which is an essential part of the ‘voice crossings’ appear to impede the Christmas Mass. perception of the vox principalis and the Example 1. Opening of Alleluia V. vox organalis. Dies sanctificatus Chartres [3, p. 127]: Paradigms of knowledge, 1, 2016 112 EEmpirickýmpirický a aaplikovanýplikovaný vvýzkumýzkum Example 2. Opening of Alleluia V. Dies sanctifi catus Winchester [3, p. 129]: In the initial phase, the two organa are tus” in the moments described by Guido almost identical representing the unison as ‘occursus’, there often arise second fric- movement followed by a quarter interval. tions. In the Chartres organum in the same a small caveat is the inclusion of tone «h» position only third and quarter combina- into the Chartres 130 organal voice, the tions are used. tone which had to be avoided according to The principles of lines coordination the diaphonic rules set forth by treatises. here are associated with the notion of a certain similarity in the melodic struc- a strict (synchronous) and free (asynchro- ture of voices is articulated by two- and nous) voice connection determined by three-note neumes. intonational rhythm. As a result, seconds Arsis as an essential element of rhyth- frictions and play of voices periodically mic intonation, in both cases repeatedly converging into unison appear quite of- identifi ed on repercussions II of modus ten along with the temporary stabilization «f», emphasized by the adjacent tone «g» of the lines. It is the primary (archetypal) and multiple unison merging of voices. sensation of vibration and friction which is Both organa contain hints of pentatonic the most characteristic feature of the so- scale indicating their relation to the early called ‘beat diaphony’. These features of polyphony. the interaction of the voices could not be The differences in this case are less ap- realized by the medieval theory prescrib- parent than similarities but realising them ing to act “by using a counted and har- is crucial for considering the alleged coun- monically understood sound” for a simpler terpoint. If we assume the possibility of oc- singing practice [1, p. 235]. casional correlation of voices ‘note against Summing up the results of the above note’, i. e. strictly syllabic movement, then analysis it should be said that early or- in the Winchester organum on “sanctifi ca- ganum is a specifi c form of Medieval Paradigmata poznání, 1, 2016 113 EEmpiricalmpirical aandnd aappliedpplied rresearchesearch liturgical music the existence of which is 3. Arlt, W. Stylistic Layers in Eleventh-Century connected with the opposition “uncon- Polyphony // Music in the Medieval English Liturgy: Plainsong & Medieval Music Society scious vs conscious”. Whilst the uncon- Centennial Essays / ed. by S. Rankin and scious means an unpredictable combi- D. Hiley. – Oxford: Clarendon Press, 2001. – nation of voices, then the conscious, in P. 102–141. contrast, requires the original correctness 4. Rankin S. Winchester Polyphony. The Early and regularity. This type of equal lines cor- Theory and Practice of Organum // Music in relation represents “subject – subject” re- the Medieval English Liturgy: Plainsong & Medieval Music Society Centennial Essays / ed. lation in musical-psychological aspect. by S. Rankin and D. Hiley. – Oxford : Clarendon Polymelodics is another important fea- Press, 2001. – P. 59–99. ture of syllabic organum determined by 5. Winchester Troper. From MSS. (Manuscripts) of intonational rhythmic patterns originating the Xth and XIth centuries with other documents in the Gregorian chant. This feature is im- illustrating the history of tropes in England and plemented on the basis of methods of iden- France / ed. by W. H. Frere. – London, 1894. – P. V–XLII. tity, assimilation, and opposition of voices. The correspondent principles of lines co- Bibliography ordination – identity, assimilation and op- position – are associated with the syllabic 1. Muzyikalnaya estetika zapadnoevropeyskogo Srednevekovya i Vozrozhdeniya: hrestomatiya / polyphony. As a form of vocal-ensemble sost. V. P. Shestakov. – M. : Muzyika, 1966. polyphony, it is focused on the combina- 2. Shimanskiy N. V. Tipologiya mnogogolosiya v li- tion of elements of stripe-like unison- turgicheskoy