Women and Their Sequences: An Overview and a Case Study
Margot Fassler
Previous articleNext article FreeWomen and Their Sequences: An Overview a Case StudyMargot E. FasslerMargot Fassler Search for more articles by this author Margot is Keough-Hesburgh Professor of Music History Liturgy Director the Program in Sacred at University Notre Dame, IN ([email protected]).PDFPDF PLUSFull Text Add to favoritesDownload CitationTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints Share onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmailQR Code SectionsMorePrefaceFundamental planning lecture were warnings from past president including suggestion engage with something particular my own discipline, best all out recent scholarship. This meant that I should talk about liturgical sources, especially those music, their varied contexts, but narrowly, probably either drama or sequences, chose latter. As some work has focused on female institutions, decided continue emphasis, which led new understandings, joining women’s liturgies sequences. But first needed convincing topic, late medieval sequence—fundamental understanding Latin Middle Ages everything politics art history—would be unfamiliar many audience. Test probes revelatory: “What sequence?” A Dante scholar said, “Do you mean sequence ideas?” historian asked, “Are they shiny objects sewn vestments?” Enough. planned include an overview plentiful definitions. For printed recasting lecture, have retained introductory work. Accordingly, piece welcomes other scholars into workshop liturgiologist/musicologist, introduction given Atlanta, followed overviews sequences among select communities, closing example written women fourteenth fifteenth centuries dramatic implications as found one complicated manuscript.The Late Medieval Sequence: IntroductionSequences are genre chant texts proper feasts seasons, ninth century forward, even places religious orders after reforms Council Trent mid-sixteenth century. They sung foremost Mass liturgy, alleluia before intoning Gospel day, heralds Word; French-speaking regions called prosae, both terms used scholarship today.1 If manuscripts any indication, intensely cultivated centuries, could move Office, vespers, processions, plays.2 migrated books hours devotional materials, frequently translated vernacular later most famous melodies incessantly reset. parodied, much-discussed Gamblers’ Carmina Burana, mocks widespread eleventh-century Easter sequence, “Victime Paschali laudes.”3 through composed, is, music different every strophe. generally, each strophe divides neatly half, repeats nearly exactly strophe, therefore begetting double-versicle form, unfolding like this: AaBbCcDd, so on.Regular ones discussed here, composed rhyming, syllable-counting, accentual verse, popular contrafacted.4 In skillfully made examples, poetry filled tricks puns upon innate intertextuality half musical relationship its “twin.” The characteristic rich rhyme, sometimes uses four syllables, well propensity intense assonance, makes kind game, part playfulness style joyful character whole. extends parody contrafact, works make references preexisting sequences.5 Sequences generally not during Lent, although high Mariologies might exceptions rule Marian falling solemn season. theorist Grocheio, writing Paris thirteenth century, compares singing ductia: “But manner ductia, it may lead give joy”;6 according measured songs beat, arousing spirit decorously “according call dancing (balare).”The rhyme “Templum cordis,” Purification feast (2 February), perhaps Adam Saint-Victor, wonderful read (silently aloud) sing, can heard final strophe; nineteenth-century English translation provides how once wrestled rhythms rhymes verse; aspects don’t across linguistic divide elegance.7 sheer musicality poetry, while evident attempts recreate aesthetic, masterful, developed poet Saint-Victor his school twelfth century.8 Indeed, able sing reward knowing Latin. Every eight-syllable trochee caesura major emphasis usually falls third syllable these poetic cells. There numerous internal Victorine school, seen sonically loaded line section shifts dramatically, regarding cadence, accent antepenultimate syllable. also cause shift ways too, reader/singer goes ever faster down hill interplay, sudden screeching halt, then process starts up again, long racetrack hairpin turns inevitable speed bumps. With just another syllable, “Unda tui rivuli” would kept previous pattern end-rhyme schemes, been constructed underscore emphatically fact does not.The greatest mirror nature cellular modular characters. Here, cadences lines strophes qualities individual strophes, “rhyme” frequent repeated notes proceeded dip single pitch. One essential features sophisticated way poets traffic deliberate interplay between dimensions works, creating sonic counterpoint. fact, conceived them, meaning primarily interaction words within contexts. Comprehending full range intentions possible without interdisciplinary exploration; “read” text know only what about. below (the cordis”), strongest accents bold. encounter sound profound runs two tracks, textual, musical. beyond this, family deliberately interrelated use common melody, melody Adam, charged meanings quotation well-known hymn, “Ave maris stella.”9 multiple settings created exegesis explores threefold system championed Hugh context liturgy.Fons signate sanctitateRivos funde nos infundeFons hortorum internorumRiga mentes arescentes Unda rivuli;Fons redundans sis inundansCordis prava quaeque lavaFons illimis, munde nimisAb immundo munda mundo Cor mundani populi.Example 1. setting sequentiary, Paris, BnF, MS lat. 14452, fol. 196r (early century).View Large ImageDownload PowerPointDigby Wrangham’s attempt capture (his transcription was somewhat faulty) demonstrates difficult language, Germanic one:Fountain dulySealed holy!Outpour usRivers o’er us:Fount showersFor hearts’ flowers!Water everFrom thy river To thirsting souls impart:Fount o’erflowing!Through hearts going,Grant ablutionFrom pollution:Fountain, givenPure heaven!From earth, whollyImpure, thoroughly Purify man’s impure heart!10Late provided sharp textual contrasts melismatic long-established Carolingian chants Mass, great majority prose chosen Psalms, syllabic ordinary. No wonder strictest liturgically minimalist Carthusians Cistercians, general, did incorporate them worship. beloved Augustinians, cathedral canons, Dominicans, Franciscans lagging far behind counterparts. life underscored who loved ones. result, deal say often political concerns institutions regions. strange when performed utterly somber mode; joy seemingly built them. are, basic sense, commentaries rendered heart liturgy.11 thirteenth-century “Dies irae,” came Requiem exception proves rule. Here force switches gears creates statement terror, ears powerful counterparts repertory.Indeed, repertories define liturgiologists “soft spot.” context, place liturgy where changes fairly rapidly incorporated spot. abundant marked regionality. transition, changing character, providing richest evidence survives entire communities cared defined were, community members sang face choir non-Lenten throughout church year, sometime alternation soloists organ. Lori Kruckenberg explored melismas grew association had bursts textless fit festal occasions architectural contexts performance.12It ability find voices expression interests me argue actually comes sixteenth copied, prayed offers opportunities period observe women, editors, compilers, copyists (texts music), illuminators, poets, composers, and, above all, liturgists. Because soft spot, we possessed contributed dimension another, looking listening. there wealth information taken sufficient notice now begin uncover greater degrees than past. ways, bring variety differing representations historical circumstances Bible saints’ lives cases, probe deeply mystical human emotions, liturgy.Many characteristics reported study hold true male houses, here am investigating related repertories, several denominations. When religious, much do, beginning. At present, no catalog ordinals sources specifically mention belonged double houses.13 Preparing such resource will complex task, us begun, aided colleagues patiently scribal habits production monastics Europe.14 database assignable houses Munich Bayerische Staatsbibliothek (Frauenklöster—Handschriften und Inkunabeln), curated Eva Schlotheuber, proceed dealing collections.15 It clear remain hidden archives, yet identified published; entries, do exist, too faulty incomplete, whether discern if manuscript house. And prayer books, vast group awaiting further study.Nonetheless early provocative. suggested, stage work, attracted wanted much, cases more, comparable did. Much practices rightly so, evidence. choral song, shaped themselves, view presence Mass. Most studies date second Foremass, readings, chanted vitally important offered significant degree control participation various rite. Scholars need decide eventually whole spirituality individuals. Those engaged look ideas played ongoing game alternating verses psalms, hymns, choirs, sounds went out, when, people outside inside bell rung indicate being sung, herald was, ostensibly moment offer.As always flux, over time along recorded dig layers extract provide leads very midst vital concerns. Sequence concerning encountered reshaped, attitudes creation things retention older ones.Three Benedictine CommunitiesBenedictine fore era: Heloise, abbess Paraclete, Thibaudian lands near Troyes; Hildegard, magistra newly founded priory Rupertsberg, Mainz. contemporaries, Heloise dying 1164 Hildegard 1179; charge instituting houses; fortunately few realize, perhaps, devoted music. reformers builders new, indeed merely adapted inherited. didn’t; rather enough seek commission compose themselves.It regard surviving Paraclete. Abelard said preface installment hymns he wrote abbey Heloise’s request, incorporating her ideals. He little collection vel Chrysogonus Waddell thinks kinds pieces longer survives.16 Several worked substantial hymn survive Abelard, Waddell.17 highly variable forms meters tied goals apparently shared Heloise. says platform trusted, commissioner celebrated house she abbess. hundred constitutes loss. praised Abelard’s exceptional melodic gifts, must treasure trove song. His six planctus bear testimony; brilliantly textually musically; argument her, console seemingly, himself.What sequences? We better or, accurately, Waddell’s edition ordinal, record proves, spite copying French, extremely designed hard unusual repertory (or Heloise); one—“Epithalamica”—is attributed him material.18 suggest attentive doubtless unique.In “Epithalamica,” exquisite formally cross lai, bride Song Songs lost groom rediscovers persona Christi morning; handmaidens become chorus bride, until join paragon praise. Strophes 7 8, repetition striking tuneful making pair, unusually structured piece, couplets create relationships. language striking, perform. Example 2 same, close each, relationships occur (in bold italics). These repetitions morning/day transformation sorrow night. William Flynn placed back says, functioning, “At choice “Epithalamica” inextricably identity institution maintained address specific requirements special ministry women.”19 Through became actors acceptance design; incorporation practice decision making. situations abbess, founder, Master Peter. example, letters reference units, beginning proceeding O.Example 2. transcribed Fassler, Anthology West, 71.View PowerPointText Melody7a. Iam video quod optaveram, I7b. iam teneo amaveram; I7c. rideo quae sic fleveram, I7d. plus gaudeo quam dolueram: I7e. Risimane, flevinocte; J7f. manerisi,nocteflevi. J8a. Noctem insomnem dolor duxerat I′8b. quem vehementem amor fecerat; I′8c. dilatione votum creverat, I′8d. donec amantem amans visitat. I′8e. Plaususdie, planctusnocte; J8f. dieplausus, nocteplanctus. J[I see desired; loved, laugh cried; rejoice mourned. laughed wept evening; morning laughed; evening wept. // Pain sleepless night love severe; pledge increased delay lover beloved. Clapping day; lament night; day clapping; lament.]Hildegard viewed commissioner, case composer. Divine including, suggest, play Ordo virtutum. Her few—one kyrie—but sequences: eight wrought themselves constituting genres compositional activities, tenth whole: Virgin Mary; Holy Spirit; saints local stature, Disibod, Rupert, Matthias, Eucharius, Maximinus; Saint Ursula eleven thousand virgins, latter achieving attention region time. testimony importance held community.20Hildegard’s collections, copied Rupertsberg lifetime.21 comparison book thirteen difference: arrange neumes precisely pitches someone doesn’t beforehand. Engelberg 103, contrast, written, believe, nearby Sponheim, unheightened, adiastematic, required memory recovery.22 fortunate Hildegard’s form notation, didn’t, lost. planctus, transcribe securely reason. notation unique region, however, twelfth-century fragments Hessisches Hauptstaatsarchiv Wiesbaden demonstrate; tell point monasteries originated.23 regular rhyming patterns. Rather, closer earlier heightened prose, irregular numbers syllables unfold, still prevailing discernable lesser depending piece. provocative reuse cells painting, come dramatically thorough singer choir’s familiarity is.24The “O virga ac diadema” Mary, nuns monastery death claimed walked cloister, illumined Spirit. Barbara Newman calls finest works.25 weaves cosmos text, proclaimed community, composition, teaching learning prayer. Whereas stretch transform versicle described above, virga” straightforward readily comprehensible regard, pairs strophe: poem Mary refreshes transforms floral song Son, sounding womb allows humans temporarily angels’ excluded Eve.The recorded, easy hear verse “halves,” will, paired setting, nothing here. builds hermeneutic praise singing, becomes proclaims composition. Other composers lends itself strategy, Victorines Paris. difference emphasizes recreation Virgin’s newness, theme (strophe diadema”) idea ritual central partaker emphasized voices, adding traditional surrounding sequence. images, resounding universe achieves sacramentality voice choir.262a. Ave, ave de tuo ventre alia vita processit qua filios suos denudaverat.2b. O flos, tu non germinasti rore nec guttis pluvie aer desuper te volavit sed divina claritas nobilissima produxit.[Hail, hail! From your life, stripped children. flower, spring dew, nor drops rain, airy wind fly you, divine radiance brought forth noblest bough.27]Example 3. Strophe uirga diadema.”View PowerPointBarking Abbey, flourishing outskirts London, bequeathed sequentiary. outline established fifteenth-century Barking Ordinal, much-studied source, records incipits rubrics performance well, Anne Yardley Katie Bugyis pointed ordinal.28 contains detailed calendar, interactive altars church. chart (Table 1) mid-twelfth Barking, hand, ancient, founding going seventh century; ignored refounding Danish invasions, clearly substantiate claim.29 Layers development present practices. ordinal Office richly ceremonies associated seasons. less studied, comparison, only, distinguish catalogs possibilities; natures survive. Still, alone sequences.Table Repertory Compared Three Traditions, Winchester, Twelfth Century, Sarum (3 Sources), Earlier Later1IncipitFeast BarkingAHWinCotCalSarum1 Salus eternaAdvent I53:1YesYesYes/Yes/Yes2 Benedicta es celorumEve Nativity54:252NoNoNo/No/Yes3 Nato canunt omniaNat. 153:24YesYesYes/Yes/Yes4 Celeste organumNat. 254:1NoYesYes/Yes/Yes5 Caste et incorrupteNat. 340:04YesNoNo/No/NoCeleste organumSun. Oct. 6 Magnus deus
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