Date: Thu, 28 Dec 2000 10:58:35 -0600

From: Lawrence Heiman <lheiman@saintjoe.edu>

To: wontaek@ecn.purdue.edu

Subject: (Easter Vigil Alleluia

Paschal Alleluia:       Graduale Triplex, page 191

Al -  L (Laon 239) has a punctum, which designates a single short note.  It is written lower than the notes that follow to indicate an approach to diastemy.

 SG (St. Gall Cantatorium) has the ambivalent tractulus, which could indicate either a long single note or a low note.  To avoid misunderstanding, SG adds the letter c (celeriter).  Therefore the two readings are identical.

le - L’s  opening double uncinus with the letter a (augere or augete) is equivalent to SG’s bivirga with episemas-therefore two long notes at unison with repercussion.

L follows the double ucinus with a pes subbipunctis and a long clivis (oriscus [a special note]), the letter a, and the final uncinus.  

SG follows the episemad bivirga with a short torculus, a bistropha (short note with a somewhat pronounced repercussed second note at unison, with an added episema on the second note of this bistropha and the  letter x [expectare-to wait} to make sure this note gets a little special expression) and an episemad (long) clivis, the episema applying to both notes.

 L’s use of the pes subbipunctis is probably a mistake.  If  it is correct, the melody needs changing.  However, I feel quite sure that in this case the SG reading is the correct version.  I shall try to check this out next spring when I go to Notre Dame  to compare the diastematic readings of Montpellier H.159 and possibly also St. Yrieix.  Meanwhile, I would suggest following the Vatican (square note) and SG versions, which I think give the correct reading.

lu - SG has a bivirga, followed by a liquescent pes of augmented rhythmic value.  Since an augmented liquescent pes could stand for two notes with  the second note lengthened or  three notes with the  third note diminished in rhythmic value (Cf. Semiology, pages 219 and 223), the Vatican reading is in agreement with SG, except  that the Vatican (square note) notation fails to give recognition to liquescence.

 The L reading gives a virga, followed at unison by a liquescent scandicus flexus in which a small uncinus is used for each of the first two notes, indicating their gradually increasing importance and leading up to the culminating liquescent virga of augmented rhythmic value.

ia - SG has a virga (ambiguous in rhythmic value, and probably  used here to prevent the singer from beginning on a lower pitch), followed by a pes quassus (a long pes with prominence given to the higher of the two notes, a phenomenon which is reenforced by the letter F [frangor or fremitus or fastigium, i.e., with force]), followed by a short torculus with an episema on the last note, and finally, a virga and pressus major (the pressus major being made up of a virga, an oriscus in unison,  and a punctum at a lower pitch-interpreted as three notes of reduced syllabic rhythmic value each.

 L has an uncinus, followed by a long pes (The letters nl [ne leves-do not go upwards] mean ’Don’t go higher than a step’.), followed by a short torculus, followed by a clivis (of which the first note is of syllabic length and the second note is short), united with a pressus minor.

Dear Wontaek,

        Finally I have been able to respond to your request for an analysis of

the Easter Vigil Alleluia.  Here it is as an attachment.

        I would be interested in knowing who it was from Rome who furnished

information or questions about this Alleluia, and what information did

you get.  If it was Alberto Turco or Nino Albarosa, I would value the

opinion greatly.  I know them both.

        I have the brochure for next summer’s Institute on Gregorian Chant,

June 20-26. I shall send out copies soon. I hope you will be able to

attend.  I value having someone of your ability in the group.

        Please let me know if you get the attachment. Meanwhile, all good

wishes for a great 2001.

Fr. Larry Heiman