The basics : learning to see a neume

Before opening the Graduale Triplex, let us set up a few simple landmarks. By the end of this page you will recognise the Gregorian staff, its clef, and about a dozen fundamental neumes.

1. The four-line staff

Our modern staff has five lines. Gregorian chant, by contrast, is written on a staff of only four lines (the tetragram). That is enough, because Gregorian melodies move within a fairly narrow range. As today, the higher a sign sits on the staff, the higher the sound ; the lower it sits, the lower the sound. One peculiarity worth knowing : the clef can sit on different lines — it is not fixed once and for all as in modern music, and it sometimes even changes in the middle of a piece.

2. The basic note : the punctum

In square notation the commonest single note is the punctum — literally a « dot », drawn as a small square. A variant, the virga (« rod »), is a square extended by a small stem ; it often notes a higher note. When reading, punctum and virga are both worth a single note.

Graduale Triplex Square notation Modern transcription Punctum 1 note — "na-tus", p. 47

Graduale Triplex Square notation Modern transcription Virga 1 note (often high) — "Al-le-luia", p. 199

3. Two-note neumes

Things get more complex — and more interesting — when several sounds are sung on a single syllable. They are then grouped into a single drawing. The golden rule for reading : a neume is read from bottom to top and from left to right, following the stroke.

Graduale Triplex Square notation Modern transcription Pes (podatus) 2 notes going up — "da-tus", p. 47

Graduale Triplex Square notation Modern transcription Clivis (flexa) 2 notes going down — "fi-li-us", p. 47

4. Three-note neumes

With three notes you draw small « waves ». Remember these four above all — you will meet them constantly :

Graduale Triplex Square notation Modern transcription Torculus low · high · low — "na-tus", p. 47

Graduale Triplex Square notation Modern transcription Porrectus high · low · high, one curved stroke — "no-bis", p. 44

Graduale Triplex Square notation Modern transcription Scandicus notes going up — "ho-die", p. 49

Graduale Triplex Square notation Modern transcription Climacus 1 note then a descent — "e-rit", p. 45

5. Two signs that change the colour of the chant

Some small signs do not change the note, but the way it is sung. Here are two essential ones, which we shall meet again in the examples :

• The quilisma — a note drawn as a zigzag, light and fleeting, which acts as a springboard to the next note ; traditionally the preceding note is slightly lengthened.
• The episema — a small horizontal stroke added above (or beside) a neume to indicate that the note is settled on, broadened. It is the equivalent of a slight « leaning » of the voice.

Graduale Triplex Square notation Modern transcription Quilisma light note, springboard — "De-i", p. 48

Graduale Triplex Square notation Episema settle / broaden — "De-i", p. 48