St. Gregory and the Gregorian MusicWyatt, E. G. P. (Edward Gerald Penfold)
History
St. Gregory and the Gregorian Music
Wyatt, E. G. P. (Edward Gerald Penfold)
Gregorian chants -- History and criticism; Gregory I, Pope, approximately 540-604
IV.--Walafrid Strabo (807-849). _De Ecclesiasticarum rerum exordiis et
incrementis_ (composed about 840). "The tradition is that St. Gregory,
just as he regulated the order of the masses and of consecrations
[_i.e._, the Sacramentary and the Pontifical Rituale] so also had the
greatest part in the arrangement of the liturgical chants, following
the order which is observed to this day as the most fitting: as is
commemorated at the head of the Antiphoner." (_Op. cit. c._ xxi.,
_Patr. Lat._, cxiv., 948.)
[Illustration: St. Gregory, from MS. of Coronation Services]
This refers, strictly speaking, to the Antiphonale Missarum. But the
following extract treats directly of the chants of the office contained
in the _Liber Responsorialis_, or corresponding volume for the hour
services.
"As for the chants for use at the different hours, whether of the day
or of the night, it is believed that it was St. Gregory who assigned to
them their complete arrangement, just as he had already done, as we
have said, for the Sacramentary." (_c._ xxv., 958.)
These two passages establish the fact that there was a tradition in the
middle of the ninth century that St. Gregory set in order the
ecclesiastical music. It seems also that there was an inscription at the
beginning of the Antiphoner stating as a fact that he had done this. The
following extract helps us to identify what this inscription was.
V.--Agobard of Lyons (779-840). _Liber de Correctione Antiphonarii_,
_c._ xv., _Patr. Lat._ civ., 336. "But because the inscription serving
for title to the book in question [_i.e._, the Antiphoner] puts in the
forefront the name of 'Gregorius Præsul,' thereupon some people imagine
that the work was composed by the Blessed Gregory, Pope of Rome and
illustrious doctor."
He is here defending the chant of Lyons against the ultramontane efforts
of Amalarius to introduce the Roman ways. He goes on to try to prove that
the Antiphoner defended by Amalarius cannot be St. Gregory's, because he
had forbidden the use of words not taken directly from Scripture.
VI.--Amalarius of Metz (815-835) is undoubtedly the person who played the
foremost part in the fusion of the Gallican element with the rest of the
Gregorian or Gelasian Liturgy, from which combination has come in
substance the Roman Liturgy in use to-day. He had travelled much, and had
been at Rome. He is a weighty authority in the present question. The
following extracts are taken from a supplementary chapter of his _De
Divinis Officiis_, published by Mabillon, in his _Vetera Analecta_
(_Paris_, 1723). He is speaking of the Pope Gregory who is the author of
the Dialogues, and who sent St. Augustine into England.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account