Graduale Triplex: An indispensable tool for the study of the interpretation of the Gregorian Repertoire of the Mass

Graduale Triplex: An indispensable tool for the study of the interpretation of the Gregorian Repertoire of the Mass.

The Graduale Triplexis an edition of the Graduale Romanum of 1974 on which the neumes of the oldest Gregorian chant manuscripts have been reported next to each stave. Above the stave are reproduced in black the neumes of manuscript 239 of the Municipal Library of Laon, below, we will find in red the neumes of the manuscripts of the Sangallian family. At the beginning of each piece of song are also mentioned the initials of the manuscripts from which these neumes are taken with the number of the page, or folio.

Same book as the but the notation is accompanied by neumes of the manuscripts of Laon, Einsiedeln and those of the St. Gallen family. Useful for choirmasters, specialists and musicologists, 1979 edition.

For many years now, Dom Eugène Cardine’s Graduel neumé has been rendering the greatest service to singers. It is indeed the thorough knowledge and correct interpretation of the neumes of the oldest manuscripts that form the basis for an adequate execution of Gregorian melodies.

However, Dom Cardine himself often regretted not having transcribed, in this early work, the neumes of a given manuscript, but having only made a choice among the lessons of the best Sangallian manuscripts.

In 1974, when the monks of Solesmes published the new Graduale Romanum, many wanted this book to be used for a new gradual neumé, which would include lessons from well-defined manuscripts. This desire was expressed to the members of the Associazione Internazionale Studi di Canto Gregoriano, founded in 1975. Dom Jean Claire, choirmaster of Solesmes, declared that he also wanted this edition.

Also, two members of the Associazione offered to carry out this work: Marie-Claire Billecocq (Venière, France) for the neumes of the Laon manuscript, reproduced in black, and Rupert Fischer (Metten, Bavaria) for the neumes of the manuscripts of the Sangallian family, reproduced in red