the late thirteenth and early fourteenth centuries often use the technique of rondellus. References by medieval authors Johannes de Garlandia (ca. 1250) states that “The conductus is to be known that these figures are placed sometimes without text, sometimes with text; sine littera, as in caudae or in conducti, cum littera as in motets......It is seen in conducti or motets applied without text or with text, if they are properly notated.” Franco of Cologne (ca.1280) was the first to define conductus as a type of discant: “Cum littera et sine fit discant us in conductis.” “Both the tenor and the polyphonic superstructure must be invented by the composer.” Anonymous IV (ca. 1275) gives a few comments on polyphonic conducti in his treatise. Observing from Perotinus’s conducti, he finds that the conductus contained both monophonic and polyphonic pieces with or without caudae. He also highlights that “all voices of conducti are customarily notated on five-line staves rather than on four-line staves as Gregorian chants.” Lambertus (ca. 1278) associates the caudae of conducti with melismatic style. He states “hujusmodi figure aliquando ponuntur cum littera, aliquando sine. Cum littera vero, ut in motellis et similibus, sine littera, ut in neumatibus conductorum et similia.” [sometimes used for such figures and letters, sometimes without. When the letter to the motellis and the like, without a letter to the neumas the entrepreneurs and the like] Walter Odington (ca.1300) describes conductus as “several suitable melodies brought together.” He defines, “Conducti are composed of a number of suitable melodies, known or invented, and in various modes and with phrases repeated at the same pitch [in the same mode] or others….” Johannes de Grocheio (ca. 1300) follows Franco’s definition and reiterates that the tenor of the conductus is newly invented: “Cantus corona tubs ab aliquibus simplex conductus dictus est…….ex omnibus longis et perfectis efficitur.” [The cantus corona tubs is said by some to be a simple conductus] Selected discography Hyperion Conductus Project (3 CDs), John Potter, Southampton University References Further reading The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, ed. Stanley Sadie. 20 vol. London, Macmillan Publishers Ltd., 1980. Richard H. Hoppin, Medieval Music. New York, W.W. Norton & Co., 1978. Ronald E. Voogt. "Repetition and Structure in the Three- and Four-Part Conductus of the Notre-Dame School". PhD diss. Columbus: Ohio State University, 1982. Cantum pulcriorem invenire Catalogue, directed by Mark Everist, University of Southampton Medieval music genres Ars