Chapter 1: Plainchant and Secular Monophony

Question 1

Monophony

Answer 1

One voice

Question 2

Plainchant

Answer 2

The monophonic sacred music of the Christian Church

Question 3

Neumatic

Answer 3

A group of notes sung on a single syllable (2-6 pitches)

Question 4

Gregorian Chant

Answer 4

The central tradition of Western plainchant, a form of monophonic, unaccompanied sacred song of the Roman Catholic Church. Attributed to Pope St. Gregory the Great.

Question 5

Roman Liturgy (Roman Rite)

Answer 5

The worship used in the Diocese of Rome in the Catholic Church

Question 6

Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office)

Answer 6

Official set of prayers set by Catholic church to be recited by clergy, and religious institutes

Question 7

Syllabic

Answer 7

1 pitch per syllable

Question 8

Recitation Tone

Answer 8

Basic pitch on which a text is recited

Question 9

Cadence

Answer 9

Distinctive drop in pitch at ends of text

Question 10

Melismatic (florid)

Answer 10

1 syllable for many pitches

Question 11

Modes (Finalis, Ambitus, recitation tone)

Answer 11

Finalis: Ending pitch of mode
Ambitus: Range of mode
Recitation tone: Reciting long passages of text on a single note

Question 12

Hexachord

Answer 12

Set of 6 notes: T-T-S-T-T

Question 13

Gamut

Answer 13

7 interlocking hexachords beginning on C, F or G

Question 14

Guidonian Hand

Answer 14

Mnemonic device for students learning solmization (solfege) syllables and structure of gamut

Question 15

Musica Ficta

Answer 15

Non-notated pitches, supplied by performers, who were expected to flatten or sharpen certain notes that did not technically exist within a given hexachord

Question 16

What was the criticism against music in the church setting?

Answer 16

Diminished the meaning of the religious texts. Distraction- Too seductive

Question 17

What were the distinct rites?

Answer 17

Roman (southern italy), Ambrosian (north italy), Gallican (France and West Germany,
Mozarabic or Visigothic (Iberian Peninsula)

Question 18

Who was responsible for spreading the Roman rite as the primary liturgy?

Answer 18

Pope Gregory 1 (Saint gregory the great). Sent singer clerics to spread roman liturgy.

Question 19

What did Charlamagne do to realize the papal goal of a primarily Roman liturgy in the West?

Answer 19

Charlemange (monarchy) and Pope Leo III (papacy) buttressed each other to validate Roman liturgy as the standard.

Question 20

What are neumes?

Answer 20

Earliest chant notation. Indicated the pitches or groups of pitches in a chant melody.

Question 21

Liturgical function of plainchant

Answer 21

Divine office: To be recited 8 times throughout the day by monks and nuns

Mass: Celebrated everyday in churches in the morning.
Mass ordinary- celebrated every time
Mass proper- celebrated on feasts and occasions

Question 22

Why was chant more effective than spoken word?

Answer 22

Chants resonated longer, were more projective, and more readily audible in a large space such as a church

Question 23

What were the most florid and elaborate chants in the Mass?

Answer 23

Gradual and Alleluia.

Question 24

Jubilus

Answer 24

The final syllable of the word alleluia, which was particularly florid and exuberant

Question 25

What were the Gradual, Alleluia, and Tract chants called?

Answer 25

Responsorial chants: the chorus alternates (in response) with the soloist. The entire unit was called the “respond”

Question 26

Modes

Answer 26

Scale types characterized by a specific pattern of whole and half steps. Known in scale degree numbers

Question 27

What was different about medieval modes (compared to modern modes)?

Answer 27

Medieval modes ended on a characteristic pitch (called the finalis). Were known by number degrees.

Question 28

What were the medieval plainchant modes?

Answer 28

Dorian, hypodorian, phrygian, hypophrygian, lydian, hypolydian, mixolydian, hypomixolydian

Question 29

Who were Guido of Arezzo and Hermannus Contractus? What did they contribute?

Answer 29

They were monks; Guido of Arezzo was Italian, Hermannus Contractus was German. They sparked the use of the 8 mode system; assigning modes to every chant

Question 30

How was music performed in the Medieval era?

Answer 30

Nothing is for sure. Images suggest that instruments may have been involved.

Question 31

Poet, _____, and singer were often the same person

Answer 31

Poet, composer, and singer were often the same person

Question 32

Troubadours and Trouveres

Answer 32

Troubadours: poet-composers. Southern France. occitan. not much poem accompanying music were preserved.

Trouveres: poet-composers. Northern France. medieval french. substantial songs preserved

Both: courtly love. strophic. usually minstrels (of low social order). syllabic.

Question 33

Famous secular composers of medieval era music

Answer 33

Countess Beatriz de Dia (France ca 1212), Peire Vidal (France ca 1175-1215), Tannhauser (Germany ca 1230-1280)

Question 34

Minnesinger

Answer 34

Secular poet-composers in the german speaking lands

Question 35

What form were Minnelieder’s written in?

Answer 35

Bar form: AAB (consisting of 2 stollen and a closing statement called abgesang)

Question 36

Mutation

Answer 36

When a particular note in a chant functions as a new syllable in a different hexachord

Question 37

Chanson de jeste

Answer 37

A heroic song; troubadour and trouvere repertory