New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-07-10


historians Of music. Kiesewetter. Nisard. Lsmbi
lotte, Bottee de Toumon, were strongly inclined to
regard it as true copy of the original antiphona-
rum as executed in Rome under the advice and
direction OF ST. Gregory. Fets and Danjou opposed
this view, and endeavored to prove that the chants
Of the original antiphOnarum were not noted down
by of neum@ but by the first seven letters O.
the Roman alphabet Father LamLillctte published
in s51 carefully executed fac smile Of the ST. Gall
antiphonarium IA copy OF which is III my prssc
and stated on the ttlepage that IL was wrtenlnthe
year 19O., According TO Fets the learned a. Schu-
bigger lin an article in the Revue de Musquc An
cenne ct Moderne" 1866 has, however, proved that
the st. Gall manuscript written in the tenth cen
tnry within the walls of the monastery itself From
this Fctis also concluded that he night with re-
gard to his theory of attributng the invention of the
nturn@ notation to the Lombar'ls and SaXons, and
that i'll spite of the reasoning OF his opponents St.
Gregory was not acquainted with the neum'e, but
used only the Roman letters musical charactels.
We are, however, accustomed to see Fctis making
cxtIayagant leaps, if hard pressed by weil-airucd
opponents.
Though Schubiger has proved that the st. Gall
Ms. was written in the tenth century, he nevcrthc
les admits and undoubtedly believes that tho
antiphonarium was formed directly from similar
on" brought from Rome to the above monastery
The history Of this Ms is az follows: Toward the
year $50 the Emperor Charlemagne begged Pope
Adrian |. to send him two skilled Roman singers 10
teachers in order to restore in the Empire the purity
of the ecclesiastical chant taught by ST. Gregory
The Pope willingly granted the Enporor's wish, and
dispatched 10 hun Pctrus land ROnanus each pro-
vid'i with an authentic copy of the ST. Gregory
antiphonarnm, rs preserved in Rome. The two
Singers while crossing the Alps from Italy Swift
CI'lnb bpb fbprf ltat 30
manus taken sick on the road with violent
fever. They reached the monastery of ST. Gal
with the create 1t difficulty, where they were kindly
! Received 10y DE monks. Rom3uus remained tin
monastery ia order 10 regain his health, who lcIr-
proceeded toward Metz, his place If lies inatior The
l.mP'l"r Challrmagnc, being told of the Kind and
broiheriy manner in which the monks Of ~. Gall had
treated konau1s, was well pl, .lscd that hs at
onre dispatches! - messenger 10 eXFieSs his
hearty thanks, and 20 request Romanus 10
stay IN the monastery. Romanus who in every
way an accomplished man, proved n great acqnisi-
! tion TO the monastery He tauyh, his companions
The singing Of tle chants according To the letter of
the antiphonarinm in his poss,Ssion Ills influence
i'll this drectOl Wa of the rrrate,t benefit, and his
memory v.a lent in sacred remembrance among the
monks "a -. Gail for centuries lt ward II, r. is no
doubt tnat al this time, wien n"uinD used
in lie manner 0i tie example given above ing NOUS
singers dcvi..l all kinds Of w&ys 70 reduce the
difficulties which ib notation prevented and 10 rem
der the melodies thls noted down easier 10 ..pr.
The one. above all other means, which led To the
bes; i,s';.l.s in This direction, and which ap-
parent, fast ,ed IN iialy, consisted ia Craving q
line over the words OF the hymn. This live WIS
generally coored Tc and preceded by the letter l.
tho characters that 10 stand on the line Inns
corrcs,Nldrh in pitch H. the notc i written GA the
| fourth line ~. our base staff.
l Anothcr improvement was the addition of a second
| line. which was drawn in yellow or grtru, pre-
coded by the letter &. HE ncGn.a written on this
| line corrr>poudcd with our below tie stall
in the tr.ilc rlrf. The example which present here
as aI Hast forms par Of nv manuscript ln'h-
toned above. In some places the lines have faded
BAT caogg! remains 10 show thai the line was red
| and the G line yellow several times the red lines
preceded ny the letter {, instead of +; in fac,
| the two lines are very seldom placed together TINS
IT, ~ far a. know, the oldest musical manuscript ia
| hi- country,