medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Hello Listers,
Mepkin Abbey is the OCSO (Trappist) Monastery near Charleston, South
Carolina. I've visited once, so far, since moving to the area. Most of
their buildings are new, built along very traditional lines. I haven't seen
dimensions to make critical comparisons, but the acoustics are very fine,
needing no artificial amplification whatsoever. There are not very many
pictures of the chapel on the website, but I'm including it for your surfing
pleasure:
http://www.mepkinabbey.org/mepkin_gifts.htm
BTW, the Abbott there gave up career as a concert organist to become a monk.
He still plays the organ for Mass (when he's now celebrating) and
occasionally performs recitals to raise money for the abbey.
Stephen M. Collins
4680 Purcell Dr. #2209
Charleston, SC 29418
----- Original Message -----
From: "Rob Howe (newsgroups)" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, 20 March, 2003 04:17 a.m.
Subject: Re: [M-R] ] acoustics in church] Cistercians
medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
It might be worth taking this thread up on the medieval-music list too. I
know of some theories about how the acoustics of early building influenced
the production of chant within them, and may have influenced the composition
of polyphony (for example, the so-called "false-relation" may have been
implicit within a long-reverberation building as the echo of a previous note
clashed with a newly sounded note, this effect merely being subsequently
"written in" by later composers working with less acoustically rich
buildings during the early Renaissance, in an attempt to "fake" the
acoustics of a different type of building; the idea of the "boundary tone"
in early organum may have arisen from an acoustical phenomenon whereby
certain notes' repetitions lead to a "natural" lowest pitch predominating
within the reverberations).
I also recall that mention of Marcel Peres almost always leads to vigorous
debate amongst musicologists.
Best wishes.
Rob Howe.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Colmán O' Clabaigh" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, March 20, 2003 6:28 AM
Subject: [M-R] ] acoustics in church] Cistercians
medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
While visiting a nearby Cistercian monastery last week I flicked through a
large format glossy book on Cistercian Abbeys in which reference was made to
the embedding amphorae in the walls and ceilings of the Church to enhance
resonance. It was illustrated by a diagram showing the position of these
amphorae in, I think, an Italian monastery. Unfortunately I didn't note the
author. Can anyone identify it?
Colmán Ó Clabaigh, OSB
Glenstal Abbey
Ireland
>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.
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