Musique liturgique - The Notation and rythmical Interpretation

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The Notation and rythmical Interpretation

Magnificat is naturally issued from the work initiated by Dom Guéranger or Pope
St-Pius X, who restored the Gregorian chant in its notation and performance. There is no doubt that the Solesmes Abbey played a historical part in this task, so much that the Solesmes rhythmic notation has become the accepted standard.

Let us first specify our leading principles so as to avoid confusions and the usually fruitless school disputes. In the field of Gregorian melodies, the reference is the Vatican Edition. The work done at Solesmes consisted mainly in interpreting the manuscripts in order to set the rhythm of the pieces. Such a work materialised by the addition of vertical and horizontal episemas, such episemas being diversely interpreted by those who acccepted to notice them. (on the subject, please refer to the article by Dom Mercure). However, everybody agrees that the Solesmes interpretation is in no way a dogma, and the manner in which many give their own rendition of the Solesmes notation is even less so.

The present considerations are not intended to relativize overmuch the interpretation of the Gregorian chant, nor to lessen the merit of the Solesmes school. Quite the opposite, we wish to ensure a continuity. One should never forget that the Gregorian chant is the chant of the Catholic Church, the liturgical chant above all other forms, before being a subject of polemics for Gregorian chant university researchers or technicians. Therefore, any progress that can be brought forth in the interpretation of the Gregorian Chant must not disturb the sound habits of the churches where this chant is already performed. Bad habits, out of logical principles, should be eradicated... This is why the first leading principle in the rhythmic notation of this book has been to ensure the equivalence of the Solesmes rhythmic notation, so that any choral whose members own two different written versions (the old Solesmes books and our new manual) may sing in harmony. We are particularly attached to this principle : improve the acquired knowledge homogeneously.

Several incentives drove us to pursue the work on the Gregorian rhythm. Solesmes is aware of a few weaknesses in the old editions, that’s the reason why the Abbey is editing new version of Gregorian chant books. These new editions reject the previous system of notation of the episemas, and just produces the manuscripts used for its making, for the greatest joy of the university researchers – much less to that of the parochial choir directors. These editions reflect what is going on in the present-day practice of the Gregorian chant : the Gregorian chant has now become a subject for specialists. Also, these new books indicate the Gregorian pieces in accordance with the liturgical year as modified by the 1969 reform, which makes such books useless wherever the Traditional liturgy has been preserved.

Other findings :

The interpretation of most of the choir singers who use the Solesmes books is often much too simple, which gives little grace to the chant. The interpretation of the horizontal episema generally lenghtens the note, which is – quite often – doubled, which is obviously excessive. By popularizing the Solesmes interpretation, one finally reaches a two-measure notation : short notes and long notes ; all the other shades have become non-existent and the horizontal episema is nothing but a melody stopper which removes its rhythm, therefore its fluidity. The fact is mostly noticeable as concerns the torculus and the neumes which include several episemied notes in succession ; with some choirs, their interpretation becomes endless and displays non-religious, non-musical ungainliness. It should be said that it was not what Dom Gajard intended, as, in the Roman prayer-book, one reads : “It should be noted that the horizontal episema does not, in itself, bring a rhythmic ictus since it does in no way express a material and heavy length, but a mere expressive shade”.
The notion of “rhythmic liberty”, in practice, becomes lack of rhythm. However, any music is bound to include some rhythm, otherwise it does not exist. The Gregorian rhythm is binary or ternary, but how many choir singers can detect this Gregorian rhythm ? The Solesmes vertical episemas are most often ignored, which should be deplored. In order to stress the rhythm and thus encourage a genuine rhythmic expression, we added vertical episemas where a swift reading did not allow to place the rhythmic accepnt right away. Furthermore, graphically, we lengthened the vertical episema a little in order to show it off, and we shortened a great part of the horizontal episemas placed by the Solesmes editions, so that, in practice, they may no longer become rhythm stoppers but rather help in an expressive interpretation.
One may legitimately ask about the interpretation of the episemas affecting several notes in succession. As a matter of fact, these never-ending episemas always have the negative effect of breaking the impulse of the melodic phrase. And since the horizontal episema is generally interpreted as a lengthening of the note, we have reduced these mammoth episemas to being allocated to the first note of the neumes concerned only. This cncerns particularly the torculus and the climacus. As a matter of fact, the torculus, at the end of a phrase, need no episema, since the phrase is settling down, which naturally leads to slowing down.

Let us summarize :

The vertical episema remains the most important sign of rhythmic expression.
The horizontal episema is an expressive sign that must not lengthen the note (and even less to double it)
The episemas placed in the old Solesmes editions, which appear excessive when reading the manuscripts, were written in thin lines. A sound rhythmic interpretation will ignore them. Finally, it is up to the musical director to decide

So, while this book is trying to improve the notation of the chant , our purpose is the respect of the orders given by Pope Saint Pius X in his motu proprio of 22 November 1903 :

Promote “the holiness” of the Gregorian chant, especially by regulating the liberty of the sacred chant rhythm, as one regulates the other liturgical movements.
Preserve “the universality of the Gregorian chant”. This manual is easy to use and the pieces can be sung by the greatest number. It is completed by a series of CDs of the Gregorian pieces of the liturgical year, which makes the interpretation of the pieces accesible to all.
Encourage “a genuine art” in the performance of the sacred chant, so that “no one, when hearing it, may have an unpleasant feeling”. While on the subject, it is useful to state that rightful intents are not enough to make beautiful music and that the “zeal of the house of God” that devoured the Psalmist should, for lack of devouring, at least move the choristers to hold regular rehearsals, that is at least once a week. Otherwise it is difficult, and even impossible, to sing Gregorian chant without creating “an unpleasant feeling”.

Let us never foget the principle : it is better to sing little, but well, rather than the whole, and badly. Some Gregorian schools would be better inspired to perform a part of the pieces of the proper of the mass only, with enough rehearsing – it goes without saying, but it is better said - rather than to venture into fields that, obviously, are beyond their means.

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