v^^"^ '.Murek Streat, TOAOWTO MAGISTER CHORALIS. 1 THEORETICAL AXD PRACTICAL MAATJAL OF GREGORIAN CHANT FOR THE USE OF THE CLERGY, SEMINARISTS, ORGANISTS, CHOIR-MASTERS, CHORISTERS, &c. BV REV. D^ F. X. HABERL DIRECTOR OF THE CHURCH- MUSIC SCHOOL, RATISBON, EDITOR OF THE COMPLETE WORKS OF PALESTRISA, 4c. SECOND (ENGLISH) EDITION TRANSLATED FROM THE NINTH GERMAN EDITION BV MOST REV. Dr. DONNELLY BISHOP OF CAXEA, \T:CAR GENERAL OF DUBLIN'. RATISBON, NEW YORK & CINCINNATI FREDERICK PUSTET 1892. London, Burns&Oates, 17, Portman St., Portman Sq.-R. Washburne, 18», Paternoster Eow. Dublin. M. W. Gill & Son, 50, Upper Sackville St. 9 «oc:o MAP 1 TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE. 'ftft is now fifteen years since the "Magister Choralis" '^ first appeared in English dress. Since that time it has— been translated into four other European languages; French, Italian, Polish and Spanish, and the original German has reached its tenth edition. This may be fairly regarded as a world-wide proof of the need there was for such a Manual, and of how well it has answered that need. Other useful Manuals of Plain-Chant, dealing with its elementary characteristics and giving rules for prac- tice, have appeared from time to time, and have in many histances proved most valuable, but no one has yet ap- peared that treats the subject so exhaustively, from its several liturgical, musical, historical, archeological and practical standpoints, as this clear and comprehensive work of the Rev. D^ Haberl, and with its twenty-seven years of unchallenged superiority, it bids fair to remain without a rival. In undertaking this new English edition, I have been influenced by the statements made in the Author's Pre- face, as to the changes, alterations and additions made since the appearance of the fourth German edition, from which the first English translation was made. These al- terations have been so numerous, and in many instances of such a radical character, that I felt that a completely new work was placed before me, rather than the revision of an old one. I resolved therefore to keep strictly to * IV the German text, and eliminate all that extraneous mat- ter which local considerations urged me to insert in the first edition. Some few of the more useful remarks, not found in the latest German version, have been retained, but in every instance where these occur, thej^ are printed within square brackets, thus: [ ], the better to distin- guish the original work of the author from the inter- polations of the translator, and thus allow the present version to be regarded as a strictly literal rendering of the ninth German edition. I have to thank in an especial manner the Rev. Pro- fessor Bewerunge of S' Patrick's College, Maynooth, who in the kindest manner volunteered to revise and correct the proof sheets as they passed through the Press, and made valuable suggestions and amendments. This '^opus qiddem nuUius ingenii, multarum tamen vigiliarum" (Guidetti) I now confidently commend to the conscientious students of Plain Chant, in the hope that it may still further promote the growing desire for a dignified and devotional rendering of the genuine music of the Church. *it Nicholas Donnelly Bishop of Canea. 50. Eathgar Road. Dublin. June. 1892. AUTHOR'S PREFACE ^TO NINTH (GERMAN) EDITION. M?) iro express and indicate unity in Faith by unity in " Liturgy ^) was the constant endeavour of the Supreme Head of the Church and of his representatives, as well before as after Pope S' Gregory the Great, the thirteenth centenary of whose promotion to the Chan* of Peter will be celebrated in Rome this year -) with special solemnity. When in the com'se of centuries, partly through carelessness and inattention, partly through illegitimate customs and the arbitrary inferences of individuals, dis- order and differences of a serious nature arose, authority always found the ways and means wherewith to lead back the wanderers by degrees to uniformity. More than thirty years ago, when numerous varying Antiphonaries, Gra- duals. Rituals, etc., all professing to contain the Roman Plain Chant, forced themselves on the attention of the Chorister, he would select some one or other of these editions according to his own peculiar taste and judgment. But no sooner did he attend the sacred ceremonies in ') JoH. CoTTONius writes in the IT'' century (Gekbeet, Scriptores, Tom. II. p. 260): '^Ctcm enhn constet, quod wins Domiuns una fide, uno baptismate, et omnino momm ur:'': lie oblectetur, quis non credat, quod idem ex multiplici cantorum discordia, qiiam non inviti. neque ignornntes, sed vohintarie cotistrepunf , offendatur?" ') [The ninth German edition of the Mofjister Chordu was published in 1890, the year of the Gregorian centenary in Rome. Tkanslator.] VI another Church or Diocese, or with the modem facilities of h^comotion pay a visit to some other country, than lie found the Gregorian Chant to sound strange and un- familiar. In every Church of his creed the Catholic would find the liturgical prayers and ceremonial identical, but in the liturgical chants endless variety would be the prevailing feature. The consequence was that those who were in doubt, would either neglect the chant altogether, or accustom themselves to consider it a mere matter of fancy, abandoned to the taste and caprice of the indi- vidual; following at one time a certain school, again an old tradition, or the results of archeological and scientific mvestigation, or authoritative recommendations, or highly praised methods of execution. Since the complete publication of the authentic Books of the Chant, embracing as they do every department of the Liturgy we can now attain uniformity with Roman practice in the singing of the Liturgy after much struggling against local traditions and customs ever smce the Council of Trent as we have attained it in our , already prayers and ceremonial. The history of these struggles and labours may be found partly in Chap. 2°** of this manual, and partly in the Brief of Leo XIII. issued on April 26'*' 1883. The present manual has for its object to teach the correct manner of singing the authentic Choral Chants on the basis of history and tradition. The Editor of this manual for a long time hesitated as to how he should deal with this burning question and up to the fourth edition (1873) thought he should strive and consult for all tastes by conscientious reference to private opinions as they were known to him, and by quot- ing different editions, even though he had to gain the VII experience that "in order to be just so that everybody at all." may like us, we should not be just ^) Since the authenticity of the Roman melodies is cer- been tain, and since the will of the Holy Father has unequivocally manifested as against the views, efforts and wishes of the archeologists of the Congress of Arezzo, no doubt can remain that only the supreme ecclesiastical authority can lead us to unity [uniformity] in singing, and silence the discord created by those parties who keep contending as to what are the best melodies.-) The musical examples are taken exclusively from the choral typical editions of the authentic Roman books, whether as illustrating the theoretical principles borrowed from the mediaeval ^Titers, or for teaching the intona- tions that should be familiar to priests and clerics. Since December 1883 the Papal Commission has laid down uniform principles regarding the selection of clefs, the use of the division of the neume- i^, , , longer must groups, etc.; this unification in consistent notation be regarded as a step of the greatest importance espe- in the cially for the attainment of uniformity rendering Chant, and has not only been adopted throughout in this manual, but also will be found explained in a distinct new Chapter. Moreover in this ninth edition, numerous improve- ments have been made in every Chapter, useful additions 2. 39. 48 and in the Index [in Chapters, 11.^) alphabetical to der nenen ^) Deuttnger in the Preface "Princip Philosophie." 1. c. Tom. 11. : Ittud ») GuiDO OF Akezzo writes (Gerbert, p. 20) omnis canttis prceterea scire te voh. quod in morem puri argenti quo magis nsitatur eo magis coloratur, et quod modo dkplicet, per tcsum, quasi lima politum, posfea collaudatur. one Kne and ') The number of exercises beginning with proceed- ing methodically was increased in agreement with a suggestion of VIII of abbreviations], and suitable observations regarding historical, archeological, or liturgical matters have been inserted: for, a book intended for instruction is always susceptible of further improvement.^) By means of different type what is necessary is dis- tinguished from what is useful, in order that the teaching in training schools or of singers not acquainted with Latin may be facilitated. The author will always be thankful for the expression of further wishes, suggestions, additions, etc.; and will feel obliged for communications of defects and omissions, for stranger's eyes are sharper than one's own. Fr. Angelo de Santi S. J., the traiislator of the Italian edition. In a similar manner the teacher can A\Tite down many exercises in the intervals on the black board. exist in ') Translations of the Magister Choralis English, French, of Italian, Polish and Spanish. Thej^ are printed by the publisher the German edition, which last year [1889] celebrated its silver Jubilee, the first edition haNing- appeared in 1864. Ratisbon. 24'" February. 1890. Dr. F. X. Haberl Director of the Church Music School. CHAPTER P^ DEFINITION OF GREGORIAN CHANT. Tlie Roman Choral, or Gregorian Chant is the music proper to the Catholic Liturgy. It is essentially diatonic; that is, its melodies^) proceed through the natural or of the musical scale. princii)al Tones These melodies should be sung in unison, without any fixed time-measure- to the of ment, nevertheless according rhythm ^j spoken language.