New-York tribune., 1904-08-07

principal promoters of ecclesiastiCal music IN -
probability. belong TO the rather long period a.
which DO. IS OF Hellenic origin sat in the Chat,
ST. Peter. OF these there were eleven from 5 n
6'S to 152. In the midst OF the inteIlectuaI ,,.,
which then shrouded the entire Occident ~.
pOpes with their scientific education f7roilis- -
Greek. Latin and even music. looked like pros,,.
Of learning 10 their contemporaries 4oone -.
three SiciIian Greeks whom the Church ba--
lied. were particularly distinguished Popa -.
"a. D. 6IS-sSD appears 10 have resuls,s1 u
at least definitely fixed the t4vt
melodies oi what was called the "Rs.n~-
sale IN the eighth century, j. e. the anfi,s
onary of to-day. The Venerable Bede 60
always trustworthy when real historical ouss.,,.'
are al issue, informs that Agatnon sem, ~
archcantor OF the PapaI basiIica to Englsn5 =
order to organize this portion OF the Church ss..
according to the Roman use Leo II "a. d sSa~~
Is credited with being "a profound knover ~ -.
tcrs touching the Church chant" Concsrptng D..
Sergius I the historians and theoreucis7s :
Church song know practically nothing. althougs /,
appears that the following notice in the ~Ins
Pontifcalis'' ought to have called their srten,,,,
to him; "Sergius, born in Palermo. descended f-r.
Syrian father. came to Rome at the tina !,
Pope Adsodatus CA D. 672-S76) and was accsu.As
among the cierics being cultured and practisas h
the art of Church song he was put at the ssrv,c.
of the director OF the singing school to thers g.
instruction" Patronized by his countrymsn Ia,
III. he rapidly achieved the minor orders and us,
called 10 the Papal chair. which he occupiss IN
y d. nj In this man may be recognized the M
tellectual tnstigator of the last Iabors on ,sa
Roman gradual which could consist in nothing ~.
than in a revision or the old songs OF the rtual
20 make them conform TO a uniform ulelodis srvl.
only such an assumption can explain how It comes
that the masses Of the oldest church festivals
(Easter. Pentecost. Christmas Quatsmber e,el
have melodies which fD respect 70 their nusics
structures are thoroughly Ike those which were
y F-e. ..s.Q T-g~-
Sersius. 1t is TO be believed, moreover that IL was
this enlightened pontiH who introduced the Roman
singers to a knowledge of the four Church tones
with their plagals tJhe so-caued eight GregOrs,
tonesl. system which is Syro- EIeuenic and vhcs
has nothing TO do win the antique tradition. Net
until the ninth century did the musical writers Of
the West. who had been brought up on Boetius
begin incorrectly 70 identify the eight Church TOMS
with the eight transpostion scales incorrectly ar
tributed 70 PtcIemy, Circumstance which became
q fountain OF Observation-Disclosures and errors. from
which escape now seems scarcely possible Is
general BELIEF which is still prevalent ascEibss tn
first ordering OF the Church tones 70 81. Ambross
and the final and GeHnitive arrangement TO s.
Gregory. II is not necessary 70 retuts such assst
tons. which utterly without foundation and are
contradicted fatty by the Oldest known documents
The patriarch among che medieval writers o.
musiC-AurehanUs Reoncensjs- bout the middle q
the ninth century. speaks OF the Church tones az
Of something quite new. certainly OF later dss
than the music Of the anJiphCns for ths canon
ical hours He says expressly that they were dus
20 the Greeks T. 9. the Christians OF the East
who were very proud OF them He informs
further that CharIemagne in order % remedy DE-
fects pointed OUT by Eastern singers. desired 70
increase the Church tones from eight to twelve an
innovation which was at once initiated by ts
Greeks. but was soon abandoned in Both East and
West
In the absence OF all explicit records. everything
points 20 the reasonableuess of placing the time o
the introduction of the new Greek theory IN hohV
in the resn Of the Greek pOpeS. and, indeed. before
the completion " the collection Of the Churca
chants for the musical structure of the eabeIisn
responses presupposes an objective knowledse o
the theory on the part of their composers Fseh
this fact the name OF the originator or the IND
walton Gislloses itself; il Is the Pope whom ne
Roman chvo1icIe CharaCterzes as "Studlosus
cardx i'm officio cantIIeuse I The lsnsia
and extremely great compleNity % the maoHN
oc the ombellsAed pieces compel us also 70 dae
th5 Introduction OF a rudimeutary system OF nef
ton the Eeunae in the time ot Pope Ss-siusr OF .
little earlier. To all appearances the system Wa
invented Tor songs with me.lsu1ta. these loe
hourishes IN the middle and at cle end or Wo1aS
for it is not adapted and al bur useless for sons
IN the syllable style Without some means
graphic record as guide 10 the memory It N0u-
seem to be impossible % learn and memories m0.'
than one thousand songs, most OF WAlcR W.
sung only once a year In fact. this IS the eny
merit Of this notation; IL se.ve 10 call a ki0"
melody back to memory. but cannot aid in learp-
ing a one.
The boundary line between the seventh an,
eighth centuries has now been reacnea
htursi, arr has developed IT'S normal groWta "
the course OF the following centuries, up 10 tHs
end o. the middle ases e. continues 10 throw o1t
large number Of shoots but. i'm fact, t es'eiof
no further. one task alone remained 70 o. y
formed; the collation. and classification OF an -
missaI songs in Il codeN like that Whleh ~
AgathOn had had prepared for the canOaN|
Eours-tu other words, a reduction os that p'u~
Of the '.Liber AntiphonariUs' corresponding +" ~
present gradual This task, has ALREADY
pointed OUT. fen 70 the Syrian Gregory III the =.
successor OF Sergius. and the last but one oi
Greek popes. n l.