Organum Flashcards
What did Organum originally mean?
Polyphony
What is the first known recorded example of organum?
The Musica Enchiriadis, an anonymous treatise from the 9th century
What is Organum?
A form of polyphonic music based on plainchant that involved new melodic lines being added to the cantus firmus
What was the earliest form of Organum and when was it discovered?
Parallel Organum, 9th and 10th centuries
What were the characteristics of Parallel Organum?
The notes moved in parallel motion, usually perfect intervals
What is the style of organum that is not parallel organum?
Free organum
What forms of Organum were discovered after Parallel Organum and when was it discovered?
Oblique and Contrary Organum, around 1100 (start of 12th century)
This is pretty self-explanatory
What form of Organum was discovered after Oblique and Contrary Organum that influenced the achievements of the Notre-Dame School of Polyphony and when was it discovered?
Aquitane Organum that included Florid/Organal and Discant Organum (Early 12th century)
Florid/Organal organum (Faster higher voice and Slow lower voice)
Discant organum (Regular rhythmic movement added to the cantus firmus resulting in a faster lower voice)
What were the 6 rhythmic modes of Notre Dame Polyphony?
quarter note + eighth note (long short)
eighth note + quarter note (short long)
dotted quarter note + eighth note+ quarter note (long short long)
eighth note + quarter note + dotted quarter note (short short long)
dotted quarter note + dotted quarter note (long long)
eighth note + eighth note + eighth note (short short short)
Who were the the 2 musical figures that dominated the Notre Dame School of Polyphony?
Leonin (Late 12th century) and Perotin (early 13th century)
What did Leonin do?
He wrote many organum that he added to the collection known as the Magnus Liber Organi, a now lost text. He mainly used 2 part organum in Organal/Florid style with discant sections called clausulae built on melismatic portions of a chant
What did Perotin do?
He substituted the 2 part clausulae with his own 3-4 part clausulae with more sophisticated rhythmic modes
What is the Cantus Firmus?
The lower line of an organum usually taken from a Gregorian chant that served as structural framework
What is the tenor voice?
The voice that sung the Cantus firmus
What are rhythmic modes?
An early form of rhythmic notations that were one of 6 basic rhythms that served to keep the voices in line when they were not singing together
