The meaning of organum: some case studies
Peter Williams
Fundamental work in recent decades on a variety of related topics can still leave one uncertain what individual documents mean by ‘organum’, particularly those prepared clerks unversed musical vocabulary. This essay looks at several types document to ask whether they an organ, siren, wind instrument, tool, book, gospel, or even Mass and Office. Paradoxically, the more ‘versatile’ word, likelier that organs were familiar.
Plainsong & Medieval Music