medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
mark malicoat <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>...to ask whether anyone on the list might be able to supply a reference to
texts and studies of the reforms of 12th century Cistercian music theorists;
in particular, the radical revisions introduced by Guy D'Eu.
>According to Marcel Pérès, the very construction of a number of churches,
including those at Fontfroide, Le Thoronet, Fontenay, and Sénanque, was
carried out according to a 12th century Cistercian aesthetic which allowed for
acoustical qualities ...to be distinguished as a result of the extremely long
reverberation periods in these churches, and hence the clearly perceptible
amplification of the harmonics of the human voice.
thanks very much for this, Mark.
to the list above i would certainly add Pontigny, not so much the early-mid
12th c. nave (which is much larger than any of these four), but especially the
magnificent, c. 1170s(?) choir, which has the Hands-Down *BEST* acoustics of
any building i've ever been in.
some years ago i helped a friend do a very precise measured plan of this part
of the building (helped = i held the other end of the tape), and we found that
it was laid out with quite astonishing precision --eg., just an inch or so
variation in the width of the chapels, etc.
and these radiating chapels positively *RESONATE* [*not* "echo"] when you
stand in them and utter a deep-throated, sacred syllable.
i've never heard serious, sustained chanting in the structure, but can imagine
that it would be quite wonderful.
>Aspects of sound (e.g., the elaborate ornamentation which precentors
dispatched to Metz by Stephen Harding had discovered in liturgical practice
there) that a strict adherence to the rules of Antique chant might otherwise
have meant were to be excluded were thus tolerated, in line with this rather
elaborate 'rationalization.'. This was also part of an effort by the first
generation of Cistercians to eradicate all human intervention, the will of
man, in these acoustical phenomena.
an interesting idea, about which i know less than nothing.
>M. Pérès, in the notes to his recording with the Ensemble Organum of Le
chant cistercien, refers to acoustical research done in the early 1990s by P.
Jouenne and J.-M. Fontaine at St. Cyr l'Ecole, determining these
extraordinarily long reverberation times in principal Cistercian churches, but
I have also been unable to find any references to this scientific work in the
literature or on the Web, including the site of the Fondation Royaumont.
>I apologize if this subject is a bit off-topic,
not off-topic, at all.
>but I suppose someone on the list might have an idea or two about an approach
to further research.
i too would be very interested to see any citations regarding this subject,
and/or hear other's thoughts on the matter.
best to all from here,
christopher
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