Liquescent
Liqueszenzen (Latin for melting are) in the notation of the Gregorian chant special forms of Neumen that can be used in certain letter sequences as pronunciation character for the text to be sung.
A liquescent has no direct influence on the musical interpretation of the song, but is only intended to point out some peculiarities in the pronunciation of certain polysyllabic words or word sequences. For example, they are used in diphthongs within words (for example with au tem or e iu s ) or when changing consonants (for example with to ll is or ge nt es ) to indicate that the sound is clearly articulated but not separated - so to speak "fused" - should be articulated .
In German-speaking countries, liquescences are generally not of particular importance, as the clear pronunciation of church Latin does not cause any problems for native singers . In other language regions such as Spain or France , however, liquescences are more often an aid to articulating the texts of the Gregorian repertoire more clearly.
Forms of liquescent
In the square notation of the liquescent neumes, the last note is transcribed as a cue note . In the neumatic manuscripts, the lines at the end of the neume are usually shortened and / or curved.
| designation | Square notation | Notation St. Gallen / Einsiedeln |
|---|---|---|
| Ancus = liquescensored climacus |
 
|
|
| Cephalicus = liquescensored clivis |  |
|
| Epiphonus = liquescensored pes |  |
|
literature
- Heinrich Freistedt : The liquescent notes of the Gregorian chant. A contribution to notation studies (= publications of the Musicological Institute of the University of Friborg in Switzerland. Part 1: Publications of the Gregorian Academy in Friborg in Switzerland. 14, ZDB -ID 504100-4 ). St. Paulusdruck, Freiburg (Switzerland) 1929, (At the same time: Freiburg (Switzerland), university, dissertation, 1929).
- Dirk van Betteray : Quomodo cantabimus canticum Domini in terra aliena. Liquescences as the key to text interpretation, a semiological investigation of Sankt Gallen sources (= studies and materials on musicology. 45). Olms, Hildesheim et al. 2007, ISBN 978-3-487-13407-9 (also: Graz, Kunstuniversität, dissertation, 2005; summary ( memento of April 3, 2016 in the Internet Archive )).
Individual evidence
- ↑ Clemens M. Kasper, Klaus Schreiner (eds.): Viva vox and ratio scripta. Oral and written forms of communication in monasticism in the Middle Ages (= Vita regularis. Vol. 5). Lit, Münster 1997, ISBN 3-8258-2950-2 , p. 171 f.