medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Jim Bugslag wrote:
> medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and
> culture
>
>> No, Christopher is right. The 'choir screen' is what we now call a
>> "pulpitum", and is usually a stone screen at the entrance to the
>> choir. The complication is that in monastic churches (especially
>> those with a parochial nave) there was a rood screen one bay west of
>> the pulpitum. This had a central altar on its western face,
>> flanked by two doorways, and the rood above. A cathedral would not
>> normally have this second screen, and the pulpitum is usually called
>> a choir screen.
>>
>> The term "jubé" is from " jube, domine, benedicere" - which was
>> presumably presumably sung 'in pulpito...'
>
> Well, John, if the pulpitum were one bay east of the rood screen, it
> wouldn't make much sense to address the congregation from it.
Nobody addresses the "congregation" from the choir screen in a medieval
cathedral. In English secular cathedrals it is not at all clear where the
rood was. It seems to be generally accepted that it was over the choir
screen at Salisbury, but as that was at the eastern arch of the crossing the
rood could just as easily have been in the western arch.
> It is my understanding that "jube" and "rood screen", in this case, would
> be synonymous, but there is some loose terminology abroad, as well. For
> example, there is quite a good recent article on them: Jung, Jacqueline
> E., "Beyond the Barrier: The Unifying Role of the Choir Screen in Gothic
> Churches," Art Bulletin, LXXXII, no. 4 (2000), 622-57, where she clearly
> uses the term "choir screen" for "jube", "Lettner", etc.
It makes perfect sense to talk of a "choir screen" as everyone (well,
nearly everyone!) knows what is meant. Some prefer to reserve the term
pulpitum for the loft over the choir screen. How this loft was generally
used is unclear. Organs could be placed there. There was certainly a
lectern for e.g. the deacon. But he usually sang into the choir, not into
the nave. Singing westwards was only done when the procession was halted
there.
As the surviving examples of the French "jubé" seem to be of
post-Reformation date (post-Counter Reformation), it is not helpful to
employ such a term in an English medieval context.
John Briggs
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