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ORGANUM

Earliest form of polyphony

Began as an improvised practice; evolved over several centuries

First notated in the 9th century(Musica enchiriadis-Music Handbook, contains the
earliest examples of notated polyphony)

Composers at Notre Dame Cathedral further developed organum in the 12th and 13th
century
Characteristics

The original-pre-existing chant-is referred to as the cantus firmus

Initially, parallel lines were added to chant melodies, emphasizing perfect 4 th, 5th and
8ves

Later developments by Notre Dame composers
Vocabulary
Organum

A general term for polyphony based on plainchant; used from 9 th to 13th centuries

Vocal music in which new melodic lines are added to an existing Gregorian chant

Early styles maintained primary intervals between voices-perfect 4th, 5th, and 8ves

Later styles featured more independent melodic parts, and a greater variety of
intervals
Cantus Firmus

Latin for “fixed song”

Borrowed material, often from a Gregorian Chant

Serves as structural skeleton for a new polyphony composition

Originally found in the lowest voice
Tenor

From Latin

In a polyphonic composition from the Middle Ages, it refers to the voice that
tenere, “to hold”
contains the cantus firmus
Organal Style

A style of free organum in which the newly composed upper voice uses faster note
values

Notes from the original chant are sung by the lower voice in very long notes

Sometimes called “sustained note organum” or florid style
Discant Style

Sections of organum in which the original chant has faster rhythmic values

Rhythmic movement of original chant is more closely related to the upper voice than
in the organal style

Sometimes features “note-against-note” movement between the voices
Clausula

Clearly defined section within discant-style organum

Based on a single word or syllable

Often highly melismatic
Leonin

First composer of polyphony known to us by name

Active in Paris in the late 12th century

He produced two-part organum, using organal and discant style

Wrote Magnum Liber Organi(Great Book of Organum)
Perotin

Active at Notre Dame Cathedral in the 13th century

Expanded polyphony technique by composing 3 and 4 part polyphony
Haec Dies(Organum)
Genre : organum(Notre Dame Style)
Composer : anonymous
Date of composition : ca 1175
Source of Text : Old-Testament-Psalms
Language : Latin
Performing Force : soloist and choir
Texture : polyphonic
Number of voices : 2

The lower voice(tenor) contains the borrowed melody(cantus firmus) drawn from the
original Haec dies chant

The upper voice is newly composed and is more rhythmically active than the cantus
firmus

Organal style, discant style, and monophonic sections alternate

The most common harmonic intervals between the voices are perfect 4 th, 5th, and
8ve

Rhythmic modes are employed in the discant sections

Clasulae on “Domino” and “quoniam”