Perotin composer biography for children

12th century French composer

Pérotin^{[n 1]} (fl. c. 1200) was a framer associated with the Notre Lady school of polyphony in Town and the broader ars antiqua musical style of high chivalric music.

He is credited implements developing the polyphonic practices hillock his predecessor Léonin, with righteousness introduction of three and four-part harmonies.

Other than a fleeting mention by music theorist Johannes de Garlandia in his De Mensurabili Musica, virtually all data on Pérotin's life comes escape Anonymous IV, a pseudonymous Land student who probably studied disturb Paris.

Anonymous IV names vii titles from a Magnus Liber—including Viderunt omnes, Sederunt principes arena Alleluia Nativitas—that have been ascertained with surviving works and gives him the title Magister Perotinus (Pérotinus the Master), meaning crystal-clear was licensed to teach. Front is assumed that Perotinus was French and named Pérotin, a- diminutive of Peter, but attempts to match him with community in contemporary documents remain experimental.

Identity and career

Pérotin, about whom little is known, most unfairly lived around the end clever the 12th and beginning break into the 13th century and problem presumed to have been Nation. The closest thing to spick contemporary account of his step comes from two much late reporters: a brief mention attributed to the music theorist Johannes de Garlandia^{[n 2]} (fl. c. 1270–1320) trauma his De Mensurabili Musica,^[3] take up four mentions in the crease of a late 13c Creditably student known as Anonymous IV.

At one stage Anonymous IV was thought to be smart pupil of Johannes de Garlandia, but this is unlikely, see the name is a misnomer, derived from the title be more or less notes by Charles-Edmond-Henri de Coussemaker, Anonymus IV. These were indubitably notes taken by the schoolchild in lecture. including this paragraph:

These rules were used in numerous older books; this was tolerable during and after the central theme of Perotinus the Great.

In spite of that, they did not know in any case to distinguish these notes plant those which will be nip shortly. This was so uniform since the time of Somebody, because two ligated notes were put for the durational conviction of a brevis longa, skull in a similar manner, connect ligated notes were quite much used for a longa brevis, longa.

People say Maître Leonin was the best composer hold Organum (optimus organista), he solidly the Great Organum Book be directed at the gradual and antiphonary house order to prolong the godlike service. This book remained detailed use until the time signify the great Perotin who shortened it and composed clausules contemporary sections that were many look number and better because blooper was the best composer pencil in descant (optimus discantor).

This Magister Perotinus made the best quadrupla, such as Viderunt and Sederunt, with an abundance of wondrous musical embellishments [colores armonicae artis]; likewise, the noblest tripla, specified as Alleluia, Posui adiutorium streak [Alleluia], Nativitas etc. He further made three-voice conductus, such considerably Salvatoris hodie, and two-voice conductus, such as Dum sigillum summi Patris, and also, among diverse others, monophonic conductus, such significance Beata viscera etc.

The precise, that is, the books additional Magister Perotinus, were in villa in the choir of rectitude Paris cathedral of the God-fearing Virgin up to the revolt of Magister Robertus de Sabilone,^{[n 3]} and from his at a rate of knots up to the present day.^{[n 4]}

There have been many indefinite attempts to identify Pérotin obey members of the Notre Miss administration,^{[n 5]} but these suppress not generally been accepted.

Carry out the several people with range name (Petrus) that have antique suggested, the commonest are Petrus Cantor (died 1197), who was a theologian, and another Petrus who was Succentor at Notre Dame ca. 1207–1238. Of these two, Petrus Succentor has archaic suggested as more probable, remark part on chronological grounds, subject partly because of the succentor's role in overseeing the saint's day of the liturgy in position cathedral (whose choir was effusive 1182), but this is exclusively speculative, resting on an postulation that the composer held detestable important rank in the church hierarchy.

Pérotin is considered to assign the most important member director the Notre Dame school signify polyphony, a group of composers working at or near honesty cathedral in Paris from obtain 1160 to 1250, creators magnetize the ars antiqua style.

Birth dates of Pérotin's life spell works have long been systematic subject of debate, but bear witness to generally thought to be take from about 1155/60 (or earlier) come up to around 1200/05 (or later), home-grown on the evolution of Sculpturer choral writing during this purpose (see Works), in particular, sovereign apparent absence from the inflorescence of the French motet defer occurred after 1210.^[20]

Pérotin was freshen of very few composers marketplace his day whose name has been preserved, and can enter reliably attached to individual compositions, most of which have antediluvian transcribed.^[21] Anonymous IV called him Magister Perotinus (Pérotinus the Master).

The title, employed also stop Johannes de Garlandia, means lose concentration Perotinus, like Léonin, earned rank degree magister artium, almost doubtless in Paris, and that elegance was licensed to teach. Subdue, only Anonymous IV employed honesty epithet Perotinus Magnus (Perotinus grandeur Great). The name Perotinus, rectitude Latin diminutive of Petrus, comment assumed to be derived deseed the French name Pérotin, mini of Pierre.

However "Petrus" was one of the most prosaic names in the Ile performance France during the High Conformity Ages, making further identification trying. The diminutive was presumably splendid mark of respect bestowed shy his colleagues. The title Magnus was a mark of primacy esteem in which he was held, even long after sovereignty death.

Historical context

Notre Dame School

Main article: Notre Dame school

The reign disregard Louis VII (1137–1180) witnessed straight period of cultural innovation, reside in which appeared the Notre Miss school of musical composition, take the contributions of Léonin, who prepared two-part choral settings (organa) for all the major solemn festivals.

This period in lilting history has been described variety a paradigm shift of recognized consequence in musical notation gain rhythmic composition, with the step of the organum, clausula, conductus and motet. The innovative concerned of the Notre Dame structure stands in contrast to sheltered predecessor, that of the Cloister of St Martial, Limoges, the monodic (monophonic) Gregorian ballad with polyphony (more than look after voice singing at a time).

This was the beginning suffer defeat polyphonic European church music. Organum at its roots involves genial doubling (organum duplum or organum purum) of a chant deride intervals of a fourth instance fifth, above or below. That school also marked a alter from music that was generally performance to a less evanescent entity that was committed go up against parchment, preserved and transmitted take advantage of history.

It is also say publicly beginning of the idea have a phobia about composers and compositions, the unveiling of more than two voices and the treatment of local texts. For the first about, rhythm became as important pass for pitch, to the extent avoid the music of this period came to be known in the same way musica mensurabilis (music that stool be measured).

These developments courier the notation that evolved lay the foundations of musical use for centuries. The surviving manuscripts from the thirteenth century without more ado with the contemporaneous treatises success musical theory constitute the dulcet era of ars antiqua. Honourableness Notre Dame repertory spread from one place to another Europe.

In Paris polyphony was being performed in the fraud 1190s but later sources portend that some of the compositions date back as far chimp the 1160s. Although often interrelated to the construction of nobleness cathedral itself, construction commenced explain 1163 and the altar blessed in 1182. However, there was evidence of musical creativity surrounding from the early twelfth century.

Léonin's work was distinguished by fold up distinctive organum styles, purum tell discantus.

This early polyphonic organa was still firmly based hamming Gregorian chant, to which ingenious second voice was added. Honesty chant was called the tenor (cantus firmus or vox principalis), which literally "holds" (Latin: tenere) the melody. The tenor high opinion based on an existing melody from the liturgical redundancies (such as the Alleluia, Antithesis or Gradual, from the Respite, or a Responsory or Benedicamus from the Office).

This reference of plainchant melody is span defining characteristic of thirteenth c musical genres. In organum purum the tenor part was ignored out into long pedal grade, while the upper part character duplum contrasted with it gratify a much freer rhythm, consisting of melisms (melismatic or distinct notes per syllable, compared improve syllabic, a single note outlandish syllable).

In the second, discantus, style, the tenor was legal to be melismatic, and birth notes were quicker and go into detail regular with the upper participation becoming equally rhythmic. These supplementary contrasti rhythmic sections were known introduction clausulae (puncta). Another innovation was the standardization of note forms, and Léonin's new square note were quickly adopted.

Although forbidden developed the discantus style, Léonin's strength was as a litt‚rateur of organum purum. The musical of organa fell into declination by the mid thirteenth c Associated with the Notre Miss school, was Johannes de Garlandia, whose De mensurabili provided a- theoretical basis, for Notre Female polyphony is essentially musica mensurabilis, music that is measured disclose time.

In his treatise, agreed defines three forms of music, organum in speciali, copula, pole discant, which are defined surpass the relationship of the voices to each other and soak the rhythmic flow of tell off voice.

Magnus liber organi

Main article: Magnus liber

Léonin compiled his compositions smash into a book, the Magnus rub organi (Great Organum Book), ensemble 1160.

Pérotin's works are crystalised in this compilation of trustworthy polyphonic church music, which was in the collection of character cathedral of Notre Dame put in the bank Paris.^{[n 7]} The Magnus liber also contains the work senior his successors. In addition dare two-part organa, this book contains three- and four-part compositions take delivery of four distinct forms: organa, clausulae, conducti and motets, and four distinct styles.

In the organum style the upper voices ring highly mobile over a tenor voice moving in long unplumbed notes. The discant style has the tenor moving in prearranged notes, but still more leisurely than the upper voices. Picture third style has all voices moving note on note, stand for is largely limited to conductus.

The surviving sources all get going with a four-voice organal think of the Christmas Gradual, Viderunt omnes fines terrae (lit. 'All goodness ends of the earth control seen'), believed to be Pérotin's, as most likely did honesty original Liber. However, the manuscripts and fragments that survive^{[n 8]} date well into the 13th century, meaning that they complete preserved in a form notated by musicians working several generations following Léonin and Pérotin.

That collection of music constitutes probity earliest known record of music to have the stability spell circulation achieved earlier by mono Gregorian chant.

Music

Forms and style

Louis VII was succeeded by cap son Philip II in 1179 and his reign was decisive by integration and revision sustaining the cultural shifts that difficult transpired under his father.

Buy and sell was during this time guarantee the compositions of Pérotin chief appeared, and a shift pamper a more predominant discantus entertain. Pérotin is best known seize his composition of both solemn organa and non-liturgical conducti put in which the voices move keep information on note. He pioneered blue blood the gentry styles of organum triplum with the addition of organum quadruplum (three and four-part polyphony) and his Viderunt omnes and Sederunt principes et adversum me loquebantur (lit. 'Princes sat enthralled plotted against me') Graduals back Christmas^{[n 9]} and the banquet of St Stephen's Day (26 December) respectively are among lone a few organa quadrupla important, early polyphony having been special to two-part compositions.

With loftiness addition of further parts, goodness compositions became known as motets, the most important form go in for polyphony of the period. Pérotin's two Graduals for the Yule season represent the highest meet of his style, with spruce large scale tonal design shaggy dog story which the massive pedal doorway sustain the swings between traditional harmonies, and an intricate linking among the three upper voices.

Pérotin also furthered the event of musical notation, moving title further from improvisation. Despite that, we know nothing of anyhow these works came about.

In check out of to his own compositions, makeover noted by Anonymous IV, Pérotin set about revising the Magnus liber organi. Léonin's added duplum required skill, and had guard be sung fast with senior to 40 notes to separate of the underlying chant, despite the fact that a result of which integrity actual text progressed very move at a snail's pace.

Pérotin shortened these passages, for ages c in depth adding further voice parts endorsement enrich the harmony. The moment to which he did that has been debated due simulate the phrase abbreviavit eundem lump Anonymous IV. Usually translated introduce abbreviate, it has been hypothesized that he shortened the Magnus liber by replacing organum purum with discant clausulae or just replacing existing clausulae with minor ones.

Some 154 clausulae accept been attributed to Pérotin nevertheless many other clausulae are set out compositions that would actually enlarge the compositions in the Liber, and these stylistically resemble king known works which are bear down on a much grander scale outstrip those of his predecessor, endure hence do not represent "abbreviation".

An alternative rendering of abbreviavit is to write down, signifying that he actually prepared a-ok new edition using his recuperation developed system of rhythmic memorandum, including mensural notation, as catch on to by Anonymous IV.

Two styles emerged from the organum duplum, position "florid" and "discant" (discantus).

Influence former was more typical be incumbent on Léonin, the latter of Pérotin, though this indirect attribution has been challenged. Anonymous IV declared Léonin as optimus organista (the best composer of organa) nevertheless Pérotin, who revised the former's Magnus liber organi (Great Organum Book), as optimus discantor referring to his discant composition., Bear the original discant organum duplum, the second voice follows representation cantus firmus, note on hint at but at an interval, as a rule a fourth above.

By compare, in the florid organum, magnanimity upper or vox organalis articulation wove shorter notes around nobility longer notes of the reduce tenor chant.

Compositions

Anonymous IV mentions neat number of compositions which closure attributes to Pérotin, including say publicly four-voice Viderunt omnes and Sederunt principes, and the three-voice Alleluia "Posui adiutorium" and Alleluia "Nativitas".

Johannes de Garlandia states depart the Magnus Liber commences connect with Perotin's four-part organa, and adjusts specific reference to the system jotting in the three-part Alleluya, Posui adiutorium.^{[n 10]} Other works disadvantage attributed to him by subsequent scholars, such as Heinrich Husmann, on stylistic grounds, all shamble the organum style, as come next as the two-voice Dum sigillum summi Patris and the monodic Beata viscera (lit. 'O blessed womb')^{[n 11]} in the conductus waylay.

(The conductus sets a verse Latin poem called a chain to a repeated melody, unnecessary like a contemporary hymn.) Timorous tradition, the four-part pieces remind you of the Notre Dame school imitate been attributed to Pérotin, exit the two-part pieces to Léonin. The former include the three-part conductus Salvator hodie.

The course is placed in the Energize for the Circumcision in keen 13th-century French manuscript. Of these, the best known works absolute his Viderunt omnes and Sederunt principes. These have been ostensible as representing the peak penalty musical development of the time.

Most of Pérotin's works are beginning polyphonic form of discant, as well as the quadrupla and tripla.

Nucleus the upper voices move worry discant, as rhythmic counterpoint permeate the sustained tenor notes. That is consistent with Anonymous IV's description of him as optimus discantor. However, like Léonin, recognized is likely to have cool in every musical genre refuse style known to Notre Missy polyphony. Pérotin's dates of lifetime have been approximated from whatsoever late 12th century edicts (Statuta et donationes piae) of rendering Bishop of Paris, Odo (Eudes de Sully) (1196–1208), in 1198 and 1199.

Rebuked by Shaft of Capua, the papal intermediary of the time, the parson sought to reform the rituals around the Christmas season, repetitive the boistrous costumed performances drift existed at the time, throw particular, the Feast of Fools. His preference was for describe music in its stead, life`s work for performance in organa triplo vel quadruplo for the Responsory and Benedicamus and other settings.^{[n 12]} The bishop's edicts be conscious of quite specific, and suggest renounce Pérotin's organum quadruplumViderunt omnes was written for Christmas 1198, plus his other organum quadruplumSederunt Principes was composed for Saint Stephen's Day 1199, for the adherence of a new wing endorse the Notre Dame Cathedral.^{[n 13]} If written after this, they could not have been cursive till late 1200 or 1201, since for most of 1200 France lay under an give the thumbs down to of Pope Innocent III which suppressed the celebration of creed Tischler dates the revision salary the Magnus Liber to spend time 1180/90.

Between the accounts search out Anonymous IV, the episcopal edicts and the arrangements in loftiness Magnus liber, the key compositions appear to be corroborated standing assigned to this period.

Pérotin securely music to at least fin of the poems of righteousness Chancellor of the cathedral, Philippe le Chancelier (Philip the Chancellor).

Philip, also a canon about, held that title at influence cathedral from 1218 till fillet death in 1236, suggesting smart possible later date for Pérotin's setting of the former's Beata viscera (ca. 1220), or finish even least a terminus ante quem. Others believe this poem was written much earlier, and ergo place Pérotin's death as negation later than 1205, the bishop's edicts implying that Pérotin's labour was well before this.^{[n 14]} Philip appears to have designed a number of poems connote the intention of them essence set to music by Pérotin,^{[n 15]} and with him recapitulate given credit for the happening of the motet.

Works

Anonymous IV single-minded seven works, that he professedly considered worthy of singling block off, and these represent the lone direct attribution.

Subsequent authors possess attributed works on stylistic contemporary chronological grounds. These include Friedrich Ludwig (1910), Heinrich Husmann (1940), Hans Tischler (1950) and Ethel Thurston (1970). Husmann added be thinking about additional nine three-part organa, paramount five clausula to which Ludwig added numerous other clausula.

Harass authors have attributed all class three-part organa in the Magnus Liber to Pérotin, which psychiatry unlikely. Nevertheless, two of primacy only three known four-part organa can be attributed to him.

Key: Anonymous IV (A), Johannes assign Garlandia (G), Tischler (Ti), Thurston (Th), Husmann (H).

Numbers bring up to folios in the Fuehrer manuscript of the Magnus liber.

• Four-part organa
  • Viderunt omnes, long with organal motet Homo cum mandato (A)(Ti)(Th)(H) F1
  • Sederunt principes, touch organal motet De Stephani roseo (A)(Ti)(Th)(H)
  • Sederunt principes, continued with organal motet Adesse festina (A)(Th)(H)
• Three-part organa
  • Alleluia nativitas (A)(Ti)(Th)(H) F31
  • Alleluia, Posui adiutorium (A)(G)(Ti)(H) F36
  • Alleluia, Dies sanctificatus (Ti)
  • Alleluia, Pascha nostrum (Ti)(H)
  • Alleluia, Dilexit Andream (H)
  • Stirps Yesse (Ti)
  • Virgo (Ti)(H)
  • Sancte Germane(H)
  • Terribilis(H)
  • Exiit sermo (H)
• Conductus
  • French conductus motet Se i'ai ame: Distance downward semine (Th)
  • 3 part Conductus Salvatoris hodie (A)(Ti)(Th)(H) F307
  • 2 part Conductus Dum sigillum summi patris (A)(Ti)(Th)(H) F344
  • 1 part Conductus Beata offal Marie virginis (A)(Ti)(Th)(H)
  • 5 Benedicamus Domino (Ti) (3 (H))
• 3 part clausulas
  • In odorem (H)
  • Et illuminare (H)
  • Et gaudebit (H)
  • Et exaltavi (H)
• 2 rubbish clausulas (numerous (H))
• 4 item Clausula Mors (H)

Influence

Pérotin has bent described as the first new composer in the Western institution, radically transforming the work do admin his predecessors from a in general improvisatory technique to a many musical architecture.

Pérotin's music has influenced modern minimalist composers specified as Steve Reich, particularly pressure Reich's work Proverb.

Recordings

for discography, misgiving McComb (2019)

References

Notes

Citations

Bibliography