1. Introduction to Gregorian Chant

2. The Staff
There are four lines and three spaces used in Gregorian chant notation
Both lines and spaces are counted from the lowest to the highest
There may (rarely) be one supplementary line above or below the staff

4. The Notes and Their Names
Musical sounds are distinguished by sonic “packages” called notes
Notes used in Gregorian melodies include:
(1) la ti do re mi fa sol la ti do re mi fa sol
(2) A B C D E F G a b c d e f g
(3)

5. The Diatonic Scale
Gregorian chant uses notes arranged in a “diatonic scale”: seven pitches arranged in a set pattern of tones and semitones
There are only two semitones in the diatonic scale: between mi and fa and between ti and do
All other pitches are at intervals of a whole tone

6. The Flat
There is only one accidental permitted in Gregorian chant: the flatted ti which is then called teu
The flat is in effect:
(1) as long as the word lasts
(2) until the next bar line of any type
(3) until revoked by a natural sign

7. The Flat

8. The Natural

9. The Clefs
A clef is a stylized letter placed on a line at the beginning of a staff
A clef indicates the name of the note written on that line
Gregorian chant notation utilizes two clefs:
(1) the UT or DO clef
(2) the FA clef

10. The UT / DO Clef
The form of the UT or DO clef is derived from the letter C in alphabetic notation
The C clef is usually found on the third and fourth lines
More rarely it is found on the second line
It is never found on the first line or in spaces

12. The FA Clef
The form of the FA clef is derived from the letter F in alphabetic notation
The FA clef is normally placed on the third line
On rare occasions the FA clef may be placed on the second line
The FA clef is never placed on the first line or in the spaces

14. Bar-Lines
Bar-lines in Gregorian notation do not indicate time-division
Gregorian notation uses four kind of bars:
(1) the double bar
(2) the full bar
(3) the half / member bar
(4) the quarter / incise bar

15. The Double Bar Closes a chant piece or one of its major divisions
May indicate where whole choir takes up singing (also indicated by **)
May indicate where the chanting alternates and changes sides in choir (also indicated by *)

16. The Double Bar

17. The Full Bar Cuts all four lines of the staff
Indicates the end of a phrase
Specifies that the last notes just before it be prolonged
Directs a full breath be taken before resuming the chant

18. The Full Bar

19. The Half Bar Cuts the two middle lines of the staff
Indicates divisions known as “clauses” or “members”
Specifies that the notes just before it may be given a slight prolongation
Directs that a short breath may be taken

20. The Half Bar

21. The Quarter Bar Cuts only the top line of the staff
Indicates divisions known as “sections” or “incises”
Specifies a short sustaining of the voice
When serving as a “comma” or “virgula” it may indicate a very rapid breath

22. The Quarter Bar

23. The Custos
Sign placed at the end of each line of Gregorian notation to indicate in advance the first note of the following line
Also employed in the course of a line when there is a change in the placement of the clef to show the relative pitch of the first note after the change

24. The Custos

25. Single Notes
The ordinary single note is the punctum (quadratum): a simple square note
As part of a group of notes (neum) as single note may appear as:
(1) a virga (punctum with a “tail”)
(2) a rhombus / punctum inclinatum (diamond-shaped note)

26. Punctum (Quadratum)

27. Virga

28. Rhombus (Punctum Inclinatum)

29. Duration The duration of a single note may be modified:
(1) by the addition of a dot, doubling its length
(2) by the horizontal episema, a slight prolongation without doubling its length

30. Neums The grouping together of several notes is called a neum
Neums may be classified as:
(1) simple (podatus, clivis, torculus, porrectus, climacus, scandicus)
(2) augmented (flexus, resupinus, subpunctis, praepunctis)
(3) compound (combination of simple neums)
(4) ornament (quilisma, distropha, tristropha, pressus, oriscus, salicus, liquescent)

31. Two-Note Neums Two-note neums occur in four categories:
(1) podatus / pes (second note higher than first)
(2) clivis / flexa (second note lower than first)
(3) distropha (second note on same pitch as first)
(4) bivirga (same as distropha with differing notation)

32. Podatus / Pes

33. Clivis / Flexa

34. Distropha

35. Bivirga

36. Three-Note Neums Three-Note Neums appear in five categories:
1) torculus
2) porrectus
3) climacus
4) scandicus
5) tristropha

37. Torculus (2nd note higher than 1st and 3rd)

38. Porrectus (2nd note lower than 1st and 3rd)

39. Climacus (each successive note lower -- may have more than 3)

40. Scandicus (each successive note higher -- may have more than 3)

41. Tristropha (three notes on same pitch)

42. Four-Note Neums Four-note neums appear in five categories:
1) torculus resupinus
2) porrectus flexus
3) climacus resupinus
4) scandicus flexus
5) pes subbipunctis

43. Torculus Resupinus ( torculus + 4th note higher than 3rd)

44. Porrectus Flexus (porrectus + 4th note lower than 3rd)

45. Climacus Resupinus (climacus + 4th note higher than 3rd)

46. Scandicus Flexus (scandicus + fourth note lower than 3rd)

47. Pes Subbipunctis (podatus followed by descending rhombi -- may be more than 2)

48. Five-Note (+) Subpunctis Neums
Subpunctis neums of five or more notes include:
1) porrectus subbipunctis / subtripunctis
2) scandicus subbipunctis / subtripunctis

49. Porrectus subbipunctis / subtripunctis (porrectus + 2 or 3 descending rhombi)

50. Scandicus subbipunctis / subtripunctis (scandicus + 2 or 3 descending rhombi)

51. Special Neums Special Neums include: 1) the quilisma 2) the oriscus
3) the pressus
4) the salicus
5) liquescent neums or groups

52. Quilisma (a tremulant note whose preceding note is prolonged)

53. Oriscus (meeting of a neum and a note on the same pitch)

54. Pressus (meeting of a note and a neum [minor] or 2 neums [major] on the same pitch

55. Salicus
A scandicus with the ictus (vertical episema) on the second last note, which second last note is somewhat prolonged (but not two beats)
A scandicus is not considered a salicus unless it has the ictus (vertical episema) printed on the second last note of the neum

56. Liquescent Neums
Neums in which the last note is printed smaller than the note or notes which precede it
Facilitates the pronunciation of words at the juncture of vowels and certain consonants
The smaller note has the same duration as the larger note(s)