Reading Assignment #1

Tanut Vongsoontorn
MSCY 511/611 Reading assignment #1
1. Describe the origin of the word neumes and what this notation was intended to
represent
- The origin of the word neumes come from the Greek word neuma it is
means something like “a nod or a sign” neumes is the traditional notation of
Gregorian chant and this notation was written represent of signs by which
the up-and-down motion of the melody the main difference between the
pneumatic notation and that of the present day is signs not just for single
pitch of note but for the groups of more 2 pitches in various combinations
of up-and-down motion and another difference is the neumes have a
primarily melodic but lack the rhythmic values is difference between in
modern system but does not mean the note values were non-existent in
Gregorian chant is not clearly indicate in the notation
2. Why does the author suggest that there can de variations in chant notation,
depending on which manuscripts you are looking at ?
- Because the author suggest the chant notation is written in France, Italy,
Germany, or other countries are, notated in neumes it wide dissemination
natural meant numerous modifications of the basic system in the areas
where chant are cultivated we encounter notations that individualised traits
and in the other chant notation varied widely based on the location and
date of the manuscripts
3. What does the author say is the most accepted idea about the origin of neumes ?
- The author says the most accepted idea about the origin of neumes is The
explanation generally accepted today interprets them came from the
grammatical accents of Greek and Latin Literature is the same accents are
survive to the present day in the French language In the originally the signs
seem to have not indicated accentuation (dynamic stress) more than the
inflections of the speaking voice In the latin word accents suggests a semi-
musical connotation in resemblance between Latin language accents and
the early forms of the neumes if striking to constitute evidence of the
evolutionary connected between accents and neumatic notation as the all
of the basic neumes are notting essentially but combination of Latin
accents signs
4. Decide how the notation of pitch evolved from early chant manuscripts to later
manuscripts
- In before year 1000 the manner of writing designed to give a clearer visual
indication of pitches and intervals it not actually writing a staff the writer
imagined the lines to show the lower or higher pitches and writer the
neumes not only in lower or higher but also to certain extent in various
degrees of length to the podatus standing for ascending up higher than
note indicating an ascending second in the later this type often have one or
two lines and have no fixed meaning the pitches in the later Guido of
Arezzo suggested the 4 lines system for representing the intervals of a third
and by indicating the pitches though lines or clef letters are mostly used C
and F to the present day Gregorian chant is notation on a four lines staff
with C and F clef
Tanut Vongsoontorn
5. What is the author’s viewpoint on the “rhythmic problem” in chant notation ? What
reasons does he give that support his viewpoint?
- The author’s view point on the “rhythmic problem” in chant notation that
don’t know anything certain about Gregorian rhythm like anybody else and
cannot help feeling however that importance of the rhythmic problem but
this does not mean the Gregorian chant had no rhythm the music without
rhythm is obviously a contradiction in itself but the rhythm is not the same
as a fixed rhythmic system the many scholars tried to find and discover a
system without the generally accepted result it could be they tired to find
something it never have and the reasons does he give that support his
viewpoint are 2 reasons the first one is the melodies of chant can flexibility
rhythmic themselves like the something we find in the many folk melodies of
a “rhapsody” character because the rhythmic structure is so evasive that is
bound to undergo variations from individual to individual and even more
from generation to generation the other is that convinced some tangible
evidence of systematic rhythm in the musical sources or the medieval rules
in the music field but also evidence is extremely limited the rules that have
not to be generally accepted to representing the “true chant practice” and
the source of much disagreement and controversy among scholars

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Tanut Vongsoontorn

MSCY 511/611 Reading assignment #1

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