New-York tribune., 1904-08-07
FINE EMBROIDERED LINENS
HALF PRICE.
kRutiMerRuhet,
Nest 23rd Street.

like simplicity and The cadentfaI closes show but
slight differences. How. then. NJ Gevaert asks.
comes it that the hymn OF Mesomedes appears dry
and bizarre 10 US OF to-day. while we feel IN the
Christian melody an lndefnabIe something. gentle
deep moving. a tone OF intimacy that goes to our
hearts7
During the first period OF the development OF the
church chant it's cultivation was purely empirical
But in this respect it did differ from the pro-
fame ART. After the close OF the pagan schools
under Theodosius, the theory OF music and knowI-
edge OF notation were forgotten because no longer
taught II one wanted 10 learn TO play instru-
ment. sing or compose he obliged 70 depend or
his own ears. his own practice study the
ample set by a teacher. Such study served to con-
vey knowledge OF the modes and rlythms their nat
ure and theiE application Music is ia1nitsly more
complicated to-day than II was then. yet persons
invent melodies correct in ali respects VINO have
theoretical training but act wholly on instinct.
There were a few scholars IN those days who con-
cerued themselves with what called musical
science but what received the embellishments OF
this term was mathematical calculations OF the
intervals plus a few i'll understood excerpts from
the musical writer's OF antiquity Cassiodorus. who
in the decline OF his life "a D. 54O withdrew a
c-oister and wrote a handbook OF musical instruc-
tion for his monks refers only 70 the SfJeen
later Isdor Of Seville cOntented himself with
copying and contemplating the Theory OF Gas
siodorus. making egregious blunders the while
he only did know anything Of the graphic
deny possibility Of such a thing. Even the
Venerable Bee!e. at the beginning OF the eish-r
century. appears never to have heard OF the churc
tones q system Of notation In his AugLo-SaXur
closter. Yet both of these subjects must have bee
taught in the SchoIa at Rome To be brief. TIE
singers. whether IA minor orders or priests dea-
cons monks. supplied the texts OF the Offices Vt
melodies BY composing with the AID o, their mem
cries Their songs. once accepted for divine vOF
ship. were conserved by the memory and perDet
uated by repeated performance.
And so the thesaurus OF sacred song accumulate
as the calendar OF the Church gradually hed issalf
with festivals. In the rules of the order OF 81
Benedict. written about 90. the ONCE OF the Ca
noricaI Hours which certainly differed little. X
all from that sung in the basilcas OF Rome shows
decided resemblance TO that in use to-day. For
Iauds and Vespers the most important psalms and
canticIes were those which in the breviary now
The same is true Of the Ambrosian hymns which
we're not Incorporated ia the Roman ritual UntS
several centuries later. The psalms are generally
suns anuphonauy, so that the presumption les
near that the antiphons OF the breviary for ths
week days have for the greater part remained IN
altered Further. that special oflces al
ready existed FOR the great feasts Christmas.
Epiphany. Easter. Ascension and PentecosO. and
even for certain saints days-thoss OF Peter and
Paul for Instance The variable missal songs. the
one. at least introduced between Epstls and
GOSPEL were also in existence at this time with
out doubt. though not IN the musical form in
which we OF to-day know them.
the chant had become an integral part or
the service must have assumed large Importance
IN the education OF the young clerics- The future
deacon had 10 array IN his memory the very consid
erabIs collection OF uturEic melodies. and this
could not be done without continued practics and
snDosits direction The Iectors, clsar-yoiced
Youths TO whom the Church assigned the duty az
recIuns Biblical words became ths pupils OF tho
first seminarians. Which were connected with the
episcopal basilicas The epttaph OF Pope EOdat.
who died n d. 6lS. informs US that he was edu-
orrrh haN fz ~Ha
first wears OF the Byzantine period in Roman rulsb
among the alumni OF the Church Of Sc Peter. and
practsed himself day and night in singing tha
praise OF Christ
Importance the cid pagan art unobservedly faded
out succumbing Gefnitively wherever the Frank
ish and LongObariian conquerors established a per
manent foothold. Secular song fell into the hands
Of iusgiers. poor devils without hOuss home.
and bega: 4 sort Of underground existence. which
endured more than five centuries Aftsr tha de-
structon closing OF the theatres the dwelleEs IN
The cities were without amUSements. They roamsd
the desolate streets: soon there was other IN
teIlectusI nourshmeut. diversion. except the
SONGS OF the Church The BARBARIAN rulers were
charmed by these gentle melodies and came TO ad-
r1ire them with enthusiasm Gregory OF Tours
lates how King Guuthram, coming 10 Tours fO-
the feast Of ST Martin and dining the episcopal
board begged i'm the middle OF the neal that The
gradual t"PsaImus responsoriousJ which ne had
heard al mass on the evening before might be sung
,hant occupied in the civic life of this gloom
rerfod explains the Importance which the clergy
attached to this part of their ONCE, In GaU
the bE hop himself serving as presenter ar hig..
feasts PreteXtat OF Rouen had Just inJOued ta-
ofhca for Iauds on Easter sunday y. n. 5SS. vhes
an assassin threw himself UPON him and sta b0-d
/ him to death The surest means OF securing pre-
fer1rfnt in the church Rome II ,his time al.i
earlier as msy be learned from the discipIinsrs
regulations ~ ST Cresor3s were a beautiful vOtcs
and skill in iJs management This state of affairs
underwent change after the .nrm establishments
ef The Papal singing schools, but this event be-
longs in the second epoch OF the church chant
/ GROWTH OF THE EMBELLISEED CHANTS
The end Of the Gothic empire and the beginning
Of the Byzantine rule "a. D 5S2) mark the morens
when the last vostiges OF the antique life disap
rear The Church. the only moral force which
las matntained Itself on the ruins of the pass
row acquires the duty Of leading the Western
peoples toward new future. This revolution. lor
] Continued on tenth rage.