Music 326/526

The Early Christian Era

á        Early Christians apparently rejected the cultivation of music as an art for the sake of sensory pleasure, and rejected many of the past associations of music, e.g.

á        Music associated pagan rituals was discarded to distance people from paganism

á        They had no music festivals or contests

á        Music strictly for enjoyment was considered unsuitable for church

á        But they probably preserved the old system of scales and modes, rhythmic patterns.

á        Worship: Early Christians were Jews (converted); parallels exist between Christian worship and Jewish worship (singing psalms, holy readings, liturgical calendar); there is argument among scholars about whether Jews influenced Christians or not

á        Ancient melodies were improvised by stringing motives together; motives were characteristic of the mode.  Some associations between modes and rituals may have been preserved

á        Early Christians added celebration of Eucharist

á        Early Christian practices were necessarily secret, no central church authority.  This led to lots of variation in worship. Church spread through Asia Minor, Africa, and Europe.  Local folk tunes probably used as hymn tunes, likely that some tunes eventually became part of Gregorian Chant.

á        Roman Empire split in two (Eastern and Western); there was a brief reunification under Emperor Constantine, then split again.  Constantine was first emperor to give church official sanction (313 AD).  After re-splitting of empire (395AD), two church traditions grew: the eastern church, based in Constantinople (formerly Byzantium, now Istanbul); and the western church based in Rome.  Two churches were related closely until11th century (ÒGreat SchismÓ).

á        Byzantine Music: best-known examples are hymns

á        Origins of the Byzantine hymn:

á        Began with psalm singing

á        Interjections added (troparia) between verses of psalms

á        Tropes became longer, more profound in sentiment, eventually emerged as separate structures called hymns

Early Middle Ages

á        Church Reforms:  some things done right away when church came out of hiding:

á        Official language of church changed from Greek to Latin; in 4th Century, everything had to be translated (liturgy); a few things were kept in Greek

á        Places of worship: church gained more converts, therefore more wealth, churches became more and more elaborate

á        Efforts to standardize liturgy, mostly in Western church.

á        To communicate liturgy and music consistently, they borrowed position of Cantor (chief soloist) from Hebrew system. 

á        Established boy choirs for training of singers

á        Chant dialects evolved during days of secrecy, continued to evolve after edict of Constantine, some still used up to 16th century:

á        Gallican(France): suppressed around 800 AD

á        Old Roman (used in Rome) replaced Gallican, continued to evolve until 13th Century

á        Mozarabic(Spain): replaced by Roman rite in 11th century, a few original tunes still used in Spain today

á        Ambrosian(Milan) evolved later (12th C), named for St. Ambrose (c.340-97 AD); not suppressed because it was linked to a saint; this dialect influenced Roman chant

á        Sarum Rite(England) used 13th -16th centuries; officially abolished 1559 (Anglican church est. at this time), and Sarum rite influenced Anglican music

á        There were many differences between these localized chant dialects, including different or modified melodies, provisions for ritual processions, special prayers, adaptations for local interests

á        Revision and codification of liturgy and music were traditionally credited to Pope Gregory I ÒThe Great,Ó pope from 590-604), hence name Gregorian Chant.  Legend is an angel sang chants to Gregory while a scribe wrote them down. Gregory I probably didnÕt compose any chants we call Gregorian; some believe that Gregory II (pope 715-31)was really responsible for revisions.  We do think that Gregory I did a few things:

á        Established Schola Cantorum (singing school in Rome);produced high quality of singing from 7th to 12th centuries. Schola was dissolved in 14th century, functions taken over by Papal Chapel.

á        From Gregory IÕs time, there were efforts to codify liturgy: standardize texts and put them into standard order.  Canonical Hours were established before Gregory I (by 520); Mass took longer, but many pieces in place by time of Gregory I

á        Around Gregory IÕs time, the notion is established of a single melody that would be used every time for a certain text (fixed composition).  Some of this music was in use during Gregory I lifetime (or even before), and some did remain in use in Catholic church up to Second Vatican Council (ÒVatican II,Ó 1962-65)