On 1 Dec 98, at 11:07, Peter Wilton wrote:
> In message <[log in to unmask]>,
> Michael Walter <[log in to unmask]> writes
> >There are sources for the slow performance of chant during solemn
> >feasts.
>
> I'd be interested to know what they are, and of what date.
Dear Sirs,
I am sorry to come back on the topic so late, but I could not read my mail
for several days.
I am currently working on the notational aspects of plainchant between the
Renaissance and Baroque (mainly in Italian sources, of course) and
comparing the notational peculiarities with the writings of a quite large
number of theorical writings. These writings are particularly interesting
and unstudied, especially those published in Italy during the 17th century.
These theoretical sources affirm almost unanimously that the performing
speed of the chant was directly connected with the degree of the liturgical
feast, i.e. the more the celebration was solemn, the more the chant was
sung slower. These theoretical evidences can be verified also in the chant
notation of the liturgical books: e.g., many Proper chants of solemn feasts
show a consistent use of the 'longa' figure both in manuscript and in
printed sources (especially from the late 16th and early 17th centuries).
I have presented a paper on the topic at a conference devoted to the music
in the Duomo of Florence, held in Florence last year: the proceedings
should be available in the first months of 1999:
"La prassi del canto piano e del canto fratto nel Duomo di Firenze", in
Atti del Convegno Internazionale di studi «Cantate Domino. Musica nei
secoli per il Duomo di Firenze» (Firenze, 23-25 maggio 1997), a cura di
Carolyn Gianturco, Piero Gargiulo e Gabriele Giacomelli, Firenze, Edifir,
in preparazione.
The problem is much wider and it deserves much more attention and research.
I think that we can't accept any more e. g. a "medieval" performance
practice of the chant alternated or mixed with compositions of the 16th and
17th centuries.
Yours sincerely
Dr. Daniel Torelli
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PS: I hope you will forgive my poor english!
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