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medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture Terrill Heaps wrote: > > If there is only one Ruler of the Choir, he is the Precentor. If two, > the Precentor and his deputy, the Succentor. Depending upon the grade > of a feast, (Simple, Semi-Double, Double, etc.) the choral > complexities of the music may warrant extra deputies to the > Precentor. Of course, the size of the Schola is a factor, as is the > age make-up. (If there are young boys, there would be a certain > "discipline" aspect.") As you know, the Precentor and the Succentor > are on opposite sides of the Choir (area). If both the Precentor and > the Succentor each had two assistants, there would be six Rulers of > the Choir. There is always an even number, unless there is no > Succentor, in which case there is just the Precentor, along as the > Ruler of the Choir. This was not exactly the practice at Salisbury Cathedral in the Medieval period. The two or four rulers stood 'in medio chori' at desks between the two sets of stalls. All rulers were chosen by the Precentor. It depended on the grading of the Feast whether principal and secondary rulers were canons or hebdomadaries, and whether of the highest or of the second form. At Mass on principal and major double feasts the Precentor acted as a fifth ruler, standing with the other four and taking part in the ruling; on other double feasts he supervised the ruling from his stall. When the choir was not ruled, the Precentor or his deputy (the current principal ruler?) presided over the service from his stall. (The two sides of the choir at Salisbury are 'decanis' and 'cantoris', because the Dean sits on the south side and the Precentor sits on the north.) John Briggs ********************************************************************** To join the list, send the message: join medieval-religion YOUR NAME to: [log in to unmask] To send a message to the list, address it to: [log in to unmask] To leave the list, send the message: leave medieval-religion to: [log in to unmask] In order to report problems or to contact the list's owners, write to: [log in to unmask] For further information, visit our web site: http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/medieval-religion.html