Anglican service music, from 1509 to 1603

Thesis (M.A.)--Boston University, 1956The existence of the Anglican Service and its music is predicated on the same general factors that are inherent in the great Renaissance and Reformation movements. First, there was the strong reaction against the papacy's assumption of supreme authority over the temporal and spiritual affairs of man. Secondly, the reformative attitudes toward the complexities of ritual nmsic emanating from Rome which gradually suffocated the laity's share in performing the music of the church afforded a tremendous and expansive insubordination of papal control. The development of the art of music was inevitable whether under sacred or secular patronage. The preservation of the new and old melodies of the church was required, consequently, a system of notation had to be achieved through various stages of 'Ekphonetic,' 'neumatic,' 'lettered,' 'daseian,' and 'diastematic' notation before the origin of the simple staff could be reached. If a knowledge of notation was lacking, the melodies had to be memorized. The ability to memorize the melodies meant recalling literally hundreds of melodic patterns and the superficial understanding of the underlying modal structure, accompanied by an increasing familiarity with the Order of the Mass and the Divine or Canonical Hours. As time and the art of music progressed, the superficial knowledge of the modal setting of the music had to be substituted for a basic knowledge of the general character of the modes and their relation to the performance of. the Psalmodic melodies and Canticles that are determined by the prescribed formulas. These musical portions are fitted into the two worship forms, viz., the Mass and Divine Hours, according to a specified place, season and degree of solemnity of the occasion. The forms to which the chant melodies conform such as: Psalmodic Melodies, Recitations, Biblical texts, exclusive of the psalms, and the free-composed melodies are not a compelling requirement for the laity's study, however, it is to his advantage, to fully understand the structure and models of antiphonal, responsorial, and 'direct' (tract) psalmoqy which represent the fundamental basis for performing the psalmody of the Mass, viz., the Introit and Communion (now, only an antiphon) represent the antiphonal psalmoqy, the Gradual, Alleluia and Offertory are considered representative of responsorial psalmody and the Tract, which is the only surviving remnant of direct psalmody in the Mass. These observations, though not actual vital to the research problem involved in this study, are illuminating when the fact that no strict line of demarcation can be drawn between the appearance of old and new concepts are considered. It becomes clearer if one makes a diligent effort to trace 'uniqueness 1 to any one particular nation; it rather becomes a 'world history' problem

A Comparison of the Use of Music in the Holy Eucharist of the Roman Catholic Church and the Sabbath Morning Service of the Jewish Synagogue in the Middle Ages

The problem with which this investigation is concerned is that of comparing the medieval musical traditions of two of the world's most influential religions. The similarities are discussed in two major categories: the comparison of liturgical texts and ritual, and the comparison of the music appearing in each ritual. This study has one main purpose. That purpose is to demonstrate how, through musical traditions, each religion has developed through the influence of the other. Samples of the liturgies from the musical portions of the services were obtained from prayer books and references dealing with those religions. Investigations of English translations from the Latin and Hebrew revealed a close identity between the two, not only in scriptural uses, but also in prayers and responses. Musical examples demonstrating similar elements in Hebrew and Christian worship were found in the extensive research of A. Z. Idelsohn and Eric Werner. Due to the dispersal of world Jewry, the best examples of Hebrew medieval music were obtained from the most isolated Jewish communities, such as those of Yemen, Musical similarities included modes, melodic formulas, and hymns and songs. This report concludes that the musical portions of the services of Christianity and Judaism in the Middle Ages were strikingly similar, and their subsequent musical development was strongly influenced by their coexistence

Trinity’s Lost Treasure: An Unexamined Gradual in Trinity University’s Special Collections

The Trinity University Special Collections contains an anonymous early Renaissance Gradual manuscript, gifted to the university by the estate of a well-traveled major donor. There is no other information regarding the bequest. The manuscript lacks archival tags and bibliographic records, and scholars outside the Trinity community are unaware of the item. As a result, the manuscript sits untouched. Gradual manuscripts are records of historical liturgical practice, and also serve as reflections of local usage, allowing a glimpse into traditions that have long been lost. This project examines and catalogues the content of this resource and seeks to situate it through analysis of its contents, marginalia, physical condition and treatment, and liturgical associations. Comparison study of notation and script suggest a preliminary compilation date of approximately 1480-1520, in the early Renaissance. Marginalia and certain spellings locate the manuscript for at least a period of its existence in Spain, and the inclusion of certain chants indicates an association with the Dominican Order. The initial transcription of the chants unique to this collection as well as digitization of its folios should encourage further research. While many details of this manuscript remain unexplored, this thesis enables information on this unattributed treasure to circulate in the academic world, so that the Trinity manuscript can be studied alongside and with reference to contemporary manuscripts worldwide

The development of Christian church music as an integral factor in adult worship

Thesis (M.A.)--Boston University, 1944. This item was digitized by the Internet Archive

The Influence of Plainchant on French Organ Music after the Revolution

The period after the 1789 French Revolution was one of turbulence, musically, socially, culturally and politically. The violence against both people and property meant that the nineteenth century was a time of renewal and regrowth. At all times this was uncertain as numerous political upheavals took place as the French attempted to define their future direction. As with all aspects of culture, organ music experienced a slow regrowth over the course of the long nineteenth century, perhaps being at a particular disadvantage due to its role in the church, an institution which also went through a period of difficulty from the anticlericalism of the revolutionary period to the separation of church and state in 1905. This dissertation examines the role that the early music of the church (namely Gregorian chant) played in shaping organ music in France during the past two centuries in particular. As an almost constant presence in French organ music, either through the organ masses of the classical era, the improvisations of the virtuosic organists of the Cavaillé-Coll period or the chant-based music of the revival, chant has been a presence in the music of the French organist-composer. This work aims to explore this role. In some cases a composer’s work is examined analytically, although this is not an analysis thesis. In other instances, the philosophies and motivations of key composers are discussed. This includes consideration of the role of chant not only as it is quoted directly, but also the impact of its modal and rhythmic style on thes

The Missa L’homme arme of Johannes Regis and Franco-Flemish Perceptions of St. Michael the Archangel

St. Michael the Archangel performed three key roles in medieval western Christendom, as outlined by religious historian Richard Johnson: guardian, warrior, and psychopomp. The roles of intercessor and military leader derive from scriptural references to St. Michael, while the psychopomp role derives from the Jewish and Christian apocryphal tales that compose the Saint’s vita. Beginning with Charlemagne, liturgies dedicated to Michael were nationally sanctioned in the Carolingian Empire. The Frankish region would remain devoted to the Archangel well into the fifteenth century. Mont-Saint-Michel in particular would develop its own foundation myth, leading the surrounding area in angelic patronage during the late middle ages. Michael’s three key roles directly correlate with the rise and fall of the Cult’s popularity, which notably coincides with the coming and going of wars. Fresh off the campaigns of the Hundred Years War, fifteenth-century Franco-Flemish countries produced music dedicated to St. Michael that predictably demonstrate a militaristic tone. Franco-Flemish composer Johannes Regis (c.1425-c.1496), in particular, represents this tradition in his Missa L’homme armé. The prominence of the Archangel in this work reflects the historically Michael-devoted environment in which Regis composed his mass. Regis’s Missa L’homme armé portrays St. Michael as protector and military leader through tropes focusing on the expulsion of the dragon from heaven and depictions of the apocalyptic trumpet. Musically, the piece relies not only on dramatic text but also the popular L’homme armé [Armed Man] cantus firmus, which carried its own military theme and history, including frequent use in fifteenth-century polyphonic works to symbolize warrior figures such as St. Michael. Searches for the tune’s origins lead to Phillip the Good’s Order of the Golden Fleece, as well as Louis XI’s Order of St. Michael, organizations that significantly blended chivalric ideals, knightly practice, and votive devotions. Missa L’homme armé reflects St. Michael’s western military and devotional functions in Franco-Flemish society through its treatment of text, choice of cantus firmus, and compositional techniques. My study of this piece illuminates the musical expression of the Cult of St. Michael during one of its most popular periods in history

The Madeleine Choir School (Salt Lake City, Utah): A Contemporary American Choral Foundation

This document chronicles the work of the Madeleine Choir School, founded in 1996 by Gregory Glenn as a ministry of the Cathedral of the Madeleine in Salt Lake City, Utah. The school teaches children in pre-kindergarten through grade eight the choral arts as practiced within the sacred liturgy of the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church in the cathedral setting, offering students the opportunity to participate daily in the Cathedral's Opus Dei, or "work of God." Part I of this document provides a general history of cathedral choir schools in the European tradition, focusing especially on Westminster Cathedral Choir School in London (the model for the Madeleine Choir School), before proceeding to recount the founding and flourishing of the Madeleine Choir School under Gregory Glenn and the cathedral rector and renowned liturgist, Monsignor M. Francis Mannion. Part II focuses on the musical education provided to the cathedral choristers and their work in the Cathedral Choir of the Madeleine. Finally, this document argues for the school as a model for the Christian education of youth

The king of musical instruments and The Spirit of the Liturgy: the pipe organ and its liturgical repertoire analyzed in light of Ratzinger's theology of liturgical music

Joseph Ratzinger, who led the Catholic Church as Pope Benedict XVI from 2005 to 2013, is a well-respected and published theologian. Much of his writing centers on the liturgy, and he has addressed the topic of music several times. His theological understanding of liturgical music and its application to the pipe organ together with its repertoire is the focus of this dissertation. The first two chapters deal with Ratzinger’s theological writings on the liturgy and sacred music as well as their significance for the pipe organ. Several themes emerge in his writings. These reveal Ratzinger’s understanding of the liturgy and are identified as characteristics of true liturgical music. Though he rarely speaks directly about the organ, these characteristics, namely, cosmos, logos, mystery, and history can be connected with both the instrument and its repertoire. In chapters three through five, select pieces from the masterworks of the Catholic organ tradition, Frescobaldi’s Fiori Musicali, Tournemire’s L’Orgue Mystique, and Langlais’ Livre Oecumenique, are analyzed and interpreted in light of Ratzinger’s theology. The organ has also been used as an accompanimental instrument and for improvisation in the liturgy. This is considered in chapters six and seven. In chapter eight, attention is given to the pipe organ itself, and the instrument is found to be a symbol of the same theological concepts Ratzinger associates with the liturgy. The last chapter provides a summary and indicates the implications of Ratzinger’s theology for the liturgical role of the pipe organ today. This comprehensive examination of Ratzinger’s theology of liturgical music and the pipe organ with its liturgical repertoire, which includes written compositions, accompaniment, and improvisation, reveals the relationship between them. The organ itself embodies Ratzinger’s themes of cosmos, logos, mystery, and history and is therefore the ideal liturgical instrument, indeed, the king of musical instruments. Through analysis, certain musical characteristics are discovered that can be said to exemplify elements of liturgical theology. Ultimately, Ratzinger’s liturgical theology assigns value to the historic role of the organ in the liturgy and illuminates the worth and relevance of the Church’s treasury of sacred organ music