T IS SURELY one of music history’s great ironies. Dom André Mocquereau began his career utterly opposed to the mensuralist interpretation of Gregorian Chant, which was commonly used for singing from “corrupt” editions like the EDITIO MEDICAEA. But in the end, Dom Mocquereau ended up promoting a rhythmic interpretation sometimes called Neo-Mensuralism because it lengthens almost every other note. That interpretation had been explicitly condemned by Pope Pius X, and that legislation was reiterated by the Vatican for the next fifty years.1 But why did Dom Mocquereau do such a thing, after Pope Pius X fought so bravely for authentic sacred music? We can’t know for certain, but there are 3 basic theories: Three M’s. The first is Misunderstanding: Dom Mocquereau simply misinterpreted the ancient manuscripts. The second is Malice: Dom Mocquereau wanted to get even with Dom Pothier because he’d ardently wanted his 1903 edition adopted, but the pope chose Pothier’s edition instead. The third is Money: viz. the “financial imperatives” discovered in secret correspondence by Dr. Katharine Ellis of Cambridge University.
Jeff’s Attempt • So how does the “official rhythm” actually sound? Below, I demonstrate with one of the greatest versions of the Glória in excélsis: viz. GLORIA III.
* PDF Download • ORGAN ACCOMPANIMENT
* PDF Download • VOCALIST SCORE
Nothing Deficient • I have argued that we should sing the official melodies the way they were intended to be sung by the Vatican Commission on Gregorian Chant, which was responsible for creating the official edition. As far as I can tell, nobody has been able to demonstrate anything “deficient” or “lacking” or “undesirable” or “inadequate” about the official rhythm. A list of famous musicians who used the official rhythm would include: Flor Peeters; Father Xavier Mathias (who in 1913 founded the Saint Leo Institute for Sacred Music at Strasburg Cathedral); Professor Max Springer (student of Antonín Dvořák); Most Rev’d H. Laurent Janssens; Marcel Dupré; Monsignor Franz Nekes (called “The German Palestrina”); Alfons Desmet; Aloysius Desmet; Oscar De Puydt; Father Karl Weinmann; the Wiltberger brothers; Professor Amédée Gastoué; Abbat Urbanus Bomm; Charles-Marie Widor; Joseph Gogniat; Monsignor Jules Van Nuffel; Monsignor Jules Vyverman; Marinus de Jong; Gustaaf Nees; Henri Durieux; Edgard de Laet; Monsignor Johannes Overath; Monsignor Francis P. Schmitt; Dr. Karl Gustav Fellerer; and Dom Lucien David.
Seeking Feedback • I’d love to hear your thoughts on this matter. Surely I’m not the only one interested in the rhythm of plainsong! Feel free to tell me where I’ve gone astray—but if you do that please make sure to include specific examples.
1 I must admit that I’ve never understood why some priests and musicians—who are responsible for Mass according to the liturgical books of 1962—are so very careful about every last rubric pertaining to the ceremonies but totally ignore the musical legislation.
