The Spirit of Gregorian Chant - Church Music Association of America

HISTORY AND TRADITION 29
sages were arbitrarily cut up, neums were displaced and melodies
frequently altered beyond recognition. These editions were copied
from the latest manuscripts of the XIV and XV centuries. The
latter, although often very beautiful examples of calligraphy, with
exquisite miniatures as well, were ordinarily entirely lacking in an
integral reproduction of the melody, especially as regards the proper
grouping of notes. The negligence and even the fantasy of certain
copyists was singularly encouraged by the singers themselves, who
had often become completely converted to the then prevailing type of
musical expression, which was a definite departure from traditional
Plainchant. Even in the basilicas at Rome, when the singers had an
Antiphon or a Respond to sing, with either the manuscript or the
editions of Venice or of Antwerp open before their eyes, they had a
habit of executing a musical ritornello or some other artistic virtu'
osity which had no relation whatever to the notes in front of them.
Besides, the editors did not always give their books a notation that
could actually be deciphered. 1
Even where the melody of Gregorian Chant had been more or
less preserved, the rhythm—the soul of this melody—had fallen
into a state of complete oblivion by the time of the full Renaissance
period. Then, too, the sentiment of all of the arts of the Middle
Ages, wherein the artist gave expression to his inner life, was entirely
transformed by the Renaissance era, which caused what dlndy
calls "a terrific upheaval in the logical progress of the Arts. . . ." 2
M. Emile Male, in his L'Art religieux du XLII e siecle en France,
writes of this as follows: "The art of the Middle Ages is like its
literature: it has less value for its conscious talent than for its diffuse
genius. In it personality does not always show forth, but innumerable
generations of men speak by the mouth of the artist. Even
when the individual is mediocre, he is raised to great heights by the
genius of these Christian centuries.
"From the time of the Renaissance the artists break away from
tradition, to their risk and peril. When they were not superior it
became difficult for them to escape insignificance and platitude, and
when they were great they certainly were not more so than the old
i Les Mel. Grig., Ch. I. » Cesar Franck, Ch. V.