GenevieveHynes

MUSC3241

3/11/14

DraftNotreDameChoirMember

MynameisPhilippeleBuef.IamamemberofthechoiratNotreDamedeParis.Itisthe
headofthe13thCentury.IamtwentythreeyearsoldandasingerinthechoirattheNotreDame
deParis.IfeelobligatedtowritethisinordertokeeptrackofwhatithappeningintheNotreDame
Churchchoirworld.Thingsaroundherearegettingquitehectic,andalotofnewandexciting
thingsarehappeningforme,andIwanttobeabletolookbackatthismomentandreminisceabout
mydaysasachoristerinoneofthegreatestchurchesinallofFrance.
IsupposeIshouldstartfromtheverybeginning.Ibeganlearninghowtosingfroma
youngage.IlearnedallofthechantsandmusicfortheOrdinaryandspecialholidays.Iattended
theNortreDameSchoolandlearnedhowtoreadamanuscript,whichisveryimportantforallof
thenewmusicbeingcreated.IalsolearnedallofthepiecesImrequiredtoknowforchurchI
knoweachonebyheart.IwasforcedtogotheretolearneverythingIneededtoknowbecause
myvoicewasgoodasaboy.
Weusesolfegetolearnourpieces.Cisut,Disre,Eismi,Fisfa,Gissol,andAisla.
Therearedifferentmodesforeachoftheseofthese,Ddorian,Ephrygian,Flydian,andG
mixolydian.Alsostartingonthosenoteswerehypodorian,hypophrygian,hypolydian,and
hypomixolydianrespectively.Wealsouserhythmicmodestosingourpieces,whichorganizethe
rhythmsforussowecanallmoveatthesametime.Therearesixrhythmicmodes:trochee,iamb,
dactyl,anapest,spondee,andtribrach.Eachmoderepresentsadifferentpulsepattern.Trocheeand

iambaregroupsoftwowhiledactyl,anapest,spondeemandtribracharegroupsofthree.Trochee
isalongshortwhileiambisashortlong.Dactylislongershortlong,anapestisshortlonglonger,
spondeeislongerlonger,andtribrachisshortshortshort.Allofthesemodesarehelpfulinkeeping
apolyphonicpieceinsync.
Atschool,alotofcomposersareworkingonaddingmorelinesandsubstituteclausulato
theoriginalplainchantsongsthatusedtoexistinchurchaswellasLeoninsorganumpiecesinthe
MagnusLiberOrgani.LeoninwasastudentattheNotreDameSchoolfororganum.Hewasa
composerwhocomposedmanyfamoustunesforus.Heputtogetheramanuscriptoforganum
calledtheMagnusLiberOrgani.TheMagnusLiberOrganiisthebookcontainingthemajorityof
ourrepertoire.Leoninaddedlinestooriginalchantsandputtogetherthisgiantmanuscriptofallthe
organumwecouldeverneed.Later,hisstudentPerotin(alsoastudentattheNotreDameSchool
andaleaderinthenewpolyphonicworld)editedthebookandaddedbetterclausula.Nowadays
composersfromschoolliketochangehisworktosomethingbetter,sotheyaddsubstituteclausula.
Mostofwhatweperformnowhasmultiplelinesweareachorusinthenewage.
WeperformatallmassesandservicesattheNotreDame.Alltheimportantreligious
peoplecometohearussing,aswellasregularchurchgoers.Wearepaidanicesumofmoneyfor
ourwork.Itisgoodwork,wearesubjecttoallofthenewandbeautifulmusicandapartofthis
shiftandchangeinthemusicalworld.Wearepaidtoperformandtomovethemusicofthechurch
forward.
Wesingentirelysacredmusic.OurmusicisusedtopraiseGodandaspartoftheservice
itself.Wesingdifferentpiecestolineupwiththechurchcalendarandthepartoftheliturgyweare
upto.Wearemakingtheservicemoreenjoyableaswellasaddingthemandatorymusicalelement

intothechurch.Asforthechangefromplainchanttopolyphony,thepurposeofthisistoaddsome
colortoanotherwiseboringline.Itaddsflavortothesongsandtotheservice.
Ilovemyjob.IampaidtodowhatIlovetodo,andthatisreallyagift.Iperformdaily
withaneducated,trained,talentedgroupofmeninabeautifulspace.ThemusicIsingisallsacred
music,whichcangetabitboring,butallofthesenewinnovationsintheworldoforganummakeit
quiteexciting.AllofthemusicbeingcreatedisshiftingusintoaneweraaneraIamnowapart
of.IambeingpaidtobeapartofthischangewhichImsurewillgodowninhistory.Some
peoplearelookingforwardtothischangewithexcitement.Theyloveallofthenewchangestothe
boringoldonelinechants.Othersfinditaviolationtheirearsjustarentusedtoityet.Therehas
beensomeargumentanddiscussiononhowfarthisnewmusiccangowhilestillbeingconsidered
sacredandappropriateforchurch,andsomememberarevehementlyagainstallthischange,but
overallthereactiontoitisrelativelypleasant.Nooneevercriticizesoutvoices,andweareahighly
esteemedgroup.ItistrulyaprivilegetosingforNotreDame.
Mylife,thusfar,singingforthechurchofNotreDame.IhopethatIwillbeableto,inthe
future,continuetosingandbeapartofthisnewmusic.NowImustgo,serviceisstartingshortly
andweareputtingonourrobes.Aurevoir,fornow!