St. Gregory and the Gregorian Music Part 2

ANTIPHON

[Ill.u.s.tration: Antiphon, Gregorian and Ambrosian]

Gregorian O Sa-pi-en-ti-a, quae ex o-re Al-tis-sim-i pro-di-is-ti at-tin-gens a fi-ne us-que ad fi-nem, for-ti-ter su-a-vi-ter-que dis-po-nens om-ni-a: ve-ni ad do-cen-dum nos vi-am pru-den-ti-ae.

Ambrosian O Sa-pi-en-ti-a, quae ex o-re Al-tis-sim-i pro-ces-si-sti at-tin-gis a fi-ne us-que ad fi-nem, for-ti-ter su-a-vi-ter dis-po-nens que om-ni-a: ve-ni ad do-cen-dum nos vi-am sci-en-ti-ae.

INTROIT

[Ill.u.s.tration: Introit, Gregorian and Ambrosian]

Gregorian Gau-de-a-mus om-nes in Do-mi-no, di-em fes-tum ce-le-bran-tes in ho-no-re A-ga-thae mar-ty-ris: de cu-jus pas-si-o-ne gau-dent an-ge-li, et col-lau-dant Fi-li-um De-i.

Ambrosian Lae-te-mur om-nes in Do-mi-no, di-em fes-tum ce-le-bran-tes ob ho-no-rem A-ga-thae mar-ty-ris: de cu-jus tro-phae-o gau-dent an-ge-li, et col-lau-dant Fi-li-um De-i.

GRADUAL

[Ill.u.s.tration: Gradual, Gregorian and Ambrosian]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Gradual, continued]

Gregorian Ex Si-on spe-ci-es de-co-ris e-jus: De-us ma-ni-fe-ste ve-ni-et.

V. Con-gre-ga-te il-li sanc-tos e-jus, qui or-di-na-ve-runt te-sta-men-tum e-jus su-per sa-cri-fi-ci-a.

Ambrosian Ex Si-on spe-ci-es de-co-ris e-jus: De-us ma-ni-fe-ste ve-ni-et.

V. Con-gre-ga-te il-lic sanc-tos e-jus, qui or-di-na-ve-runt te-sta-men-tum e-jus su-per sa-cri-fi-ci-a.

The theory is further supported by a comparison of the most ancient MSS.

of the Milanese chant with the Gregorian Antiphoner. A considerable number of melodies are practically identical with those in the Roman books. The framework, so to speak, is the same, but the details and embellishments often differ. The Ambrosian melodies are sometimes rather bald, and often excessively florid; the extremely long neums which they often contain appear to have been due to Greek influence. The Gregorian, on the other hand, appear to have been in some places pruned, in others expanded, with the result that they give the impression of being better balanced; the different parts of the musical phrases are more justly proportioned. In the Ambrosian melodies the B natural occurs very constantly, and gives them a masculine flavour, sometimes amounting to harshness.

The examples here given will enable some idea to be formed of the advance made by the Gregorian version upon the Ambrosian, both in music and text.

But Pope Adrian II. says of St. Gregory not merely "renovavit," but "auxit." He not only edited and adapted the old melodies, but provided new ones for the new texts which he added to the cycle of liturgical wors.h.i.+p. What were these musical additions?

He extended the use of Alleluia to all Sundays and Festivals throughout the year except in Septuagesima, and it is probable that he added new melodies for the new Alleluias. It is significant that the Alleluias are the least stable part of the Antiphoner. At all events, the Ambrosian alleluiatic verses differ entirely from the Gregorian. The same consideration applies to the tracts, the use of which he extended in Septuagesima.

Another tendency of Gregory's reform was his marked desire to harmonize the text of the Communions with that of the Gospel of the day. There are a considerable number of these, hardly any traces of which are to be found in the Ambrosian books. It is, then, reasonable to ascribe to St.

Gregory an important part in the composition of these chants.

The further important question arises, did Gregory carry out this musical work himself, or was it done by others under his direction?

It is natural to think of his Schola Cantorum in this connection. The foundation of this must have had a profound effect both on the standard of the performance of the chant, and on the spread of the Gregorian reform. Books were scarce in those days, and musical notation defective.

Teaching was chiefly by word of mouth. The Director of the Choir had his ma.n.u.script to teach from, and his pupils had to learn the melodies by heart. The chief singer also had his _liber cantatorius_ from which to sing the solos, such as the Graduals and Tracts. The School was, necessarily, not merely for teaching correct versions of the chant, but for preserving the correct tradition of the method of performance. Most of the seventh century popes were connected with the School or proceeded from it.

The skilled musicians belonging to this School may have helped to carry out the reform under Gregory's direction. But no tradition appears to have been preserved to that effect, and the unity and uniform characteristics seem to point to the work of one genius, even in the smallest details; and the characteristics there displayed seem to fit in with what we know from other sources of his character, in his writings and in his actions.

In conclusion it is submitted that the evidence here put forward, though in some respects rather scanty, yet, in the absence of any strong evidence to the contrary, is quite sufficient to justify the tradition that St. Gregory was the organiser, reformer, and to some extent the author of the Antiphoner of the Ma.s.s. It is, of course, more difficult to say definitely what his work actually was in these three divisions, but a quite sufficient amount of certainty has been attained for us to realize the extent and the nature of the debt which succeeding ages have owed to the great Pope, and so far the attacks that have been made on the tradition have only resulted in setting it on a firmer and more definite basis.

THE PORTRAITS OF ST. GREGORY.

The oldest portrait of which we have a record is one of which a very full description was given by John the Deacon, Gregory's biographer. This likeness was to be seen in John's day (in the latter part of the ninth century) in Gregory's house, which he had converted into a monastery, in a small room behind the brethren's store-room or granary. It was surrounded by a circular plaster frame. Probably the whole figure was not represented; at all events, the following description which he gives stops at the hands.

"His figure was of ordinary height, and was well made; his face was a happy medium between the length of his father's and the roundness of his mother's face, so that with a certain roundness it seemed to be of a very comely length, his beard being like his father's, of a rather tawny colour, and of moderate length. He was rather bald, so that in the middle of his forehead he had two small neat curls, twisted towards the right; the crown of his head was round and large, his darkish hair being nicely curled and hanging down as far as the middle of his ear; his forehead was high, his eyebrows long and elevated; his eyes had dark pupils, and though not large were open, under full eyelids; his nose from the starting-point of his curving eyebrows being thin and straight, broader about the middle, slightly aquiline, and expanded at the nostrils; his mouth was red, lips thick and sub-divided; his cheeks were well-shaped, and his chin of a comely prominence from the confines of the jaws; his colour was swarthy and ruddy, not, as it afterwards became, unhealthy looking; his expression was kindly; he had beautiful hands, with tapering fingers, well adapted for writing."

The description goes on to say that Gregory wore the _penula_ (cloak) of chestnut colour, and over it the sacred pall, and that in his hands he carried the book of the Gospel. We learn, further, that he did not have the round nimbus, but a rectangular or square one, with which it was the custom to adorn the heads of portraits of eminent people in their life-time. John considers this a sure proof that the painting was executed during the life of the saint; if it had been done after his death, he would have been given a circular nimbus.

In the same monastery were portraits of his father and mother, Gordia.n.u.s and Silvia. But of course all have been destroyed.

The portrait (_frontispiece_) here reproduced is a reconstruction from John the Deacon's description, made by Angelo Rocca, Bishop of Tagaste, and a noted archaeologist of his time (1597). He combined the three portraits in one.

Another reconstruction from John the Deacon's description may be seen in _Ra.s.segna Gregoriana_ for June, 1903. This follows the description more closely than does that of Rocca.

At a later date there grew up the custom of representing St. Gregory always with a dove. According to John the Deacon it was already customary in his day (_c._ 872). This is seen in our second ill.u.s.tration (_opposite page_ 11), taken from the Antiphoner of the monk Hartker of St. Gall (date between 986 and 1011). This ill.u.s.tration has the characteristics found in the greater number of representations of Gregory; the dove (the symbol of the Holy Ghost) is represented as inspiring him, and he is dictating to the scribe, who is said to be the deacon Peter. The veneration felt for his writings, and in particular those of the ecclesiastical chant, was such that they were felt to be due directly to the inspiration of the Holy Ghost. Here the Pope is represented as wearing an alb, a dalmatic, a _planeta_ and over it the sacred pall, and on his left forearm, a maniple.

The third picture (_opposite page_ 16) is prefixed to two Coronation Services in a miscellaneous volume formerly belonging to Christ Church, Canterbury, on a page now numbered 8. The pages 9-18 comprise a Coronation Service of the x./xi. century, and on pp. 19-29 there follows another service of the xiiith century. On p. 30 is another picture, probably of German workmans.h.i.+p, representing a man writing. Each seems to be independent of its surrounding leaves; there seems no connection between the two, unless it be that they depict the same person.

The former of the two clearly depicts St. Gregory; it has been constantly said on the strength of the legend above, "Dunstani Archiepiscopi," that it represents St. Dunstan, but the dove points clearly to St. Gregory; the legend is possibly a later addition, and if St. Dunstan is to be found upon the page at all it is in the archiepiscopal figure kissing the toe of the great figure. This act of homage suggests that the large figure represents a Pope. Moreover, St. Dunstan is shown prostrate at the feet of Christ in another picture, which may very possibly be from the saint's own hand; it is, therefore, reasonable to identify him with the figure below. Possibly also it may be suggested that this picture, too, represents St. Dunstan's handiwork.

St. Gregory wears a pall over a yellow chasuble, and over this above is a red fringe ornament which is probably a rational. The purple dalmatic with scarlet border is very conspicuous under his chasuble; the under-vestments are less distinct, but the ends of the stole show over a very dark garment, which is, perhaps, a tunicle. The mitre is of very early shape. The archiepiscopal figure below wears a similar mitre, a pall over a light green chasuble; underneath a pink dalmatic and a purple show at the arms, as well as below.

The monk who balances him is in a white habit, but the figure kneeling below is in a black habit of the same pattern, ungirt, and with a cowl.

The colouring of the whole is crude, and the drawing lacks delicacy.

The fourth portrait (_opposite page_ 24) is taken from a MS. of _The Dialogues of St. Gregory_ (_Harl._ 3011), at the British Museum, _f._ 69 v., at the end of the 3rd book. The background is bright green, with a brown border round it. It is a brown-ink drawing, with some yellow wash.

The inscription above it is _Teodericus depinxit hanc imaginem Gregorium patrem_. It exemplifies once again the symbol of the dove, which is here evidently not connected specially with the musical work of St. Gregory, but with his literary efforts as a whole.

THE PLAINSONG AND MEDIAEVAL MUSIC SOCIETY.

PRESIDENT.

The Right Hon. THE EARL OF DYSART.

VICE-PRESIDENTS.

The Right Rev. THE BISHOP OF ARGYLL and THE ISLES.

Sir HICKMAN B. BACON, Bart.

Sir J. F. BRIDGE, Mus. Doc.