6 Treble Clef Music Press O frondens virga (O Branch, Coming into Leaf) Antiphon text and music: Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179) @= MMc. 192 edited by William T. Flynn Cantors: et nos_ dé-bi - - les dign - @ - te oe ad e- Copyright © 1998 Treble Clef Music Press, 415 Wesley Drive, Chapel Hill, N.C. 27516 All rights reserved (919) 932-5455 Made in US.A. TC-144 gén - dum nos.Canticle (Ia sol.) it spi - ri - tus mé - us__ 0 saclu-té - re_ mé - 0. Semi-choir I: 3. Qui-a__re-spé-xit hu-mi ee ée-ce_é-nim ex hoc be-d-tam me di-cent a nes ge-ne-ta = ti - = thoi Ws . 4.Qui-a— fé-cit mf-hi mag - na qui p6-tens_ est__ Semi-choir I: S.Et mi - Se in__pro-gé-ni - es__ ti-mén-ti- bus. € - um, Semi-choir I: . 6.Fé-cit_po-tén- oe dis-pér-sit su-pér-bos mén-te c6r = dis_ si - i, Te-144Semi-choir I: 7.De-p6 - su Semi-choir I: 8.E-su - ri-éntes im- plé- vit bO- ni it po - tén - tes_ de sé -de,_ et ex-al-t4- vit_ hii - miles, o re-cor - dé -tus mi-se-ri-eér-di - e€_ sh - e&__ Semi-choir II: a 10, Sic-ut___lo-eG-tus est ad__ pa - tres n6 = stros,_ Acbracham et sé-mi-ni é-ius_ im sé - cu-la__ (Insert here optional repeat of antiphon—Cantors only in organum) Cantors (or Semi-choir I): _Semi-choir I: 2 IL.GI6-ri - a* Pa ui, et Fil ~ Semi-choir II: 12. Si-cut___ é-rat in prin-cf-pi-o, et nunc,_ et sém - per,__ men, et in sé-cu-la se-cu-I6 - rum__ A (Repeat antiphon; Cantors may sing the organal voice in octaves) TeasAntiphon (with added organal voice) Cantors (or full choir):5 | et nos dé-bi- - Kes_ dign - @ - re WSU AS a mé-la__con- sue - ti - OC © © 66 © CCC CC CTO Se Cet eee a Sa ros a mé-la_ con-sue- ti - di ~~ ne. li-be = ri - re t-que mi-num__ te - am__ por -_—i-ge. 8 4 - 6 . oe 7 — ee ad e-ri-gém - dum_ nos. a. . wo Cece rete ere — ad e-ri-gén = dum_ nos TedIntroduction: Hildegard of Bingen’s O frondens virga is one of forty-four antiphons surviving with ‘music in manuscripts connected with Hildegard’s community at Rupertsberg, Germany Its music exists in a single manuscript (Dendermonde, St-Pieters & Paulusabdij, Cod. 9, fol. 155), which was copied in the Rupertsberg scriptorium around 1175 and sent by Hildegard to the monks of Villers. In this edition, the antiphon is paired with the Vespers canticle Magnificat (Mary's song to Elizabeth in Luke 1:46-55), and such a pairing may well have been intended by Hildegard, Since the antphon is placed sixth in series of antiphons for feasts in honor of the Virgin ary. Although the source presents a single melody line, this edition includes an additional voice for the repeat of the antiphon, based on the rules for organum found in Guido of Arezzo's Micrologus, chapters 18 and 19. Such simple forms of improvised polyphony were widely practiced during Hildegard’s lifetime, and her writings attest to a keen interest in musical techniques and innovations. In preparing this edition it has been my aim to present as many of the nuances of Hildegard's notation as can be preserved while using modern and accessible notational conventions. Similarly, the additional materials concerning the pronunciation of the texts, interpretation of the special signs and performance practice have been provided for choral directors who wish to explore these aspects of historically informed performance. Notation and Editorial and Performing Practices: Antiphon Medieval plainchant was written in notational signs, or neumes, of differing shapes. Each neume represented one note, or a short pattern of two or more notes or elements. The neumes (or neume elements) as transcribed in this edition, their names and suggestions for their performance are given below: © (Virga [stem omitted] ) Sing at a tempo of MM = 192. However, notes at the ends of phrases should be lengthened. @_? (Podatus) Two-note rising group; it should be performed so that the second note is lighter. Do not accent the first note in any way. © (Rhombus) ‘These small, unstemmed notes are often grouped between larger, stemmed notes, suggesting that the small notes be sung more freely, and perhaps faster, than the others. ee (Pressus) "The two notes are re-articulated even though tied, ‘+ (last element of a liquescent neume) Shift to the vowel, or close to the consonant, indicated by boldfaced type in the text2 (white notehead) Editorial indication of notes which should receive the value of two black notes. In the organum, the white notes should coincide with the two black notes in the organal voice, which themselves should be lengthened; thus both black and white notes are lengthened up to twice their normal value. (Guido suggests that the “dissonant” major second be stressed at every cadence, and that it should then resolve to the unison.) — (Slur) Slurs indicate the grouping of notes into neumes or into compound neumes. (A melisma which extends over more than one neume will, therefore, not be contained by a single slur.) J Quilisma) ‘The performance of the quilisma is highly speculative. The following suggestions are given for directors who wish to experiment with some of the possible interpretations: (a) Perform the quilisma as a lighter, somewhat faster note; or (b) Lengthen the note before the quilisma, since in most medieval sources, 4uilismas fll minor thirds, possibly suggesting their performance as a kindof téree coulée; or (©) Lengthen the note after the quilisma (like a slide), F (Oriscus) Articulate the repeated note, perhaps with a slight lengthening. (In the manuscripts of Hildegard’s music, the oriscus appears to indicate the top or bottom note of the medieval six-note diatonic scale, or hexachord, and thus may have been used to help in improvising organum.) (editorial b-flats) ‘The editorial b-flats on the second system (“-a" of tua and “-te” of nobilitate) stem. from reading most of this line in (soft) Hexachord III. Thus, the melodic tritone on tua is avoided with the b-flat Barlines: All barlines are editorial. They indicate suggestions for the length and weight of pauses. In the antiphon, the last note before any barline may be lengthened up to twice its normal value, The quarter-bar indicates a breath with little time taken (approximately the same value as one black note). ‘The half-bar indicates a pause of approximately the time of two black notes. The full single barline has the same time value as the half-bar, but also marks the end of a major section of the piece; the double-bar indicates the end of the antiphon. ‘Tempo: The basic tempo of chant should be very quick. The underlying pulse of single notes is approximately MM 192. Performers should articulate this quick basic pulse by lengthening notes at the end of phrases to coincide with the punctuation of the text, so that the overall effect is of an ornamented speech rhythm. Articulation of repeated notes: Repeated notes whether under a slur or tied may be rearticulated, except in the organal voice, where tied notes are intended to help the singers follow the other voice; these should be sustained and not rearticulated.Notation and Editorial and Performance Practices: Magnificat F (breve Reciting tone. Articulate the words assigned to the reciting tone in a steady rhythm. that mimics speech, following the accentuation of the words given in the text. 2 (white notehead) As in the antiphon, above. Barlines: All barlines are editorial. They indicate suggestions for the length and weight of pauses. In the Magnificat, the single bar indicates the mediant cadence of the canticle’s tone, and marks a rest of approximately the value of two black notes. The double bar marks the end Of the tone, but does not indicate a rest. Indeed, itis recommended that the next verse be commenced without a break by the semi-choir to which itis assigned. Psalm tone: ‘The Magnificat text is here set to the solemn tone given in the Liber Usualis, which reflects medieval Benedictine practice. However, the tone’s final cadence is taken directly from the Dendermonde manuscript, and does not correspond with modern psalm tone endings, or differentiae. Performing force In monastic practice, the cantor (cantrix in female institutions) was responsible for setting the pitch and tempo. On high feasts and holy days, more than one cantor was often called for, and they may typically have sung improvised polyphony (organum). Antiphon: ‘The directions for performance in this edition suggest the first statement of the antiphon be intoned by two or three cantors up to the asterisk; then the choir joins in for the rest of the antiphon. Magnificat: The cantors begin the “Magnificat”, then one-half of the choir (semi-choir I) sings the rest of the first verse. Semi-choir II (immediately and without any pause) sings the second verse, pausing as indicated by the barline in the middle. Semi-choir I sings the third verse, and so on. The effect of this “antiphonal” singing was often described in monastic documents as sounding like waves breaking on the beach. The “crest” of each wave is the pause in the middle of each verse, and the variable length of the reciting tone gives each “wave” its own size and character. In order to heighten this effe each other. The cantors may would view the choir side-on. the choir may stand evenly divided in two groups, facing fice the conductor and the congregation or audience, which Antiphon (repeats): Thave indicated options for performances of varying levels of complexity. The first repeat of the antiphon is optional, as is the use of organum (improvisation of a contrapuntal voice, here editorially added below the antiphon). Both simpler and more complex performances have their own interest and musical integrity.This edition indicates an optional repeat of the antiphon before the Gloria patri. If this repetition is done in organum, it is appropriate to assign both voices to the cantors; then the cantors should intone the Gloria patri up to the asterisk. ‘The final repeat of the antiphon would ordinarily be in unison, sung by the full choir from beginning to end. However, another option would be to have the cantors sing the organal (lower) voice in octaves, while the rest of the choir sings the antiphon in unison. ‘This would provide a particularly rich texture to conclude the piece. Liturgical use: For modern liturgical use the text is particularly appropriate for the third Sunday of Advent (Gaudere Sunday) or the Fourth Sunday of Lent (Laetare Sunday), Historical background: In Benedictine houses like Hildegard’s monastery at Rupertsberg, singing the daily prayer services took up most of the day and night. Hildegard’ s twenty nuns sang seven different prayer services each day as well as a daily Mass. Their day began around 2:00 a.m. with the singing of Matins and ended about an hour after sunset with the service of Compline. The Book of Psalms was their principal song book and within each week, all 150 Psalms were sung in the prayer services. Typically all of the music for these services was memorized and performed without using notated m Hildegard was not only a renowned composer and poet, she was also famous for her prophetic visions, which were richly depicted in manuscripts of her three great theological works. She also wrote two extensive books on medicine and was famous for her preaching. Her advice and counsel were sought out by both church and lay leaders, including Popes Eugenius III, Anastasius IV, and Hadrian IV, and monarchs Conrad III, Frederick Barbarossa, Henry II of England, Eleanor of Aquitaine and the Byzantine Empress Irene. Over four hundred of Hildegard’ letters survive. Texts: Stresses for the Latin text are shown by accents marks over the stressed syllable (e.g. Domine). The word division differs from normal Latin syllabification in a few instances, in order to make the piece easier to perform with a Germanic-Latin pronunciation (see below), but these discrepancies will not affect an Italianate pronunciation should a director prefer it The text of Hildegard’s antiphon is presented as it appears in the manuscript with the following exceptions: (1) capitalization, accentuation and punctuation are added, (2) abbreviations are expanded, (3) consonantal “u” is rendered as “v” (except in the word consuetudine, whose first “u” is consonantal in Germanic pronunciation, but may remain a Vowel in lalianate pronunciation), and (4) liquescent consonants and separated diphthongs are indicated by boldface, Where they coincide with a special neume (e.g. the “n” in frondens) In the Magnificat text the diphthong “ae” is consistently rendered as “e”, and “i” is used dof “in order to conform with medieval practic 9‘Translatio O frondens virga, in tia nobilitate stans sicut auréra procédit: nunc gaude et letére et nos débiles dignare a mala consuettidine liberdre ‘ique ménum téam porrige ad erigéndum nos. 1. Magnificat énima méa Dominum. 2. Bt esxultévit spiritus méus in Déo salutare méo, 3. Quia respéxit humilitétem ancille sué: ce énim ex hoc bedtam me dicent Gmnes generati6nes. 4. Quia fécit mihi magna qui pétens est: et sdnctum némen éius 5. Et misericérdia éius a progénie in progénies timéntibus éum, 6. Fécit poténtiam in bréchio sto: dispérsit supérbos ménte cérdis sti. 7. Déposiuit poténtes de séde: et exaltavit huimiles, 8. Esuriéntes implévit bonis: et divites dimisit indnes. 9. Suscépit Israel péerum sium, recordatus misericérdie ste. 10. Sicut loctitus est ad patres néstros, ‘Abraham et sémini éius in sécula. 11. Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Séncto. 12. Sicut érat in princfpio, et nunc, et sémper, et in sécula seculrum. Amen. Obranch, coming into leaf, standing in your nobil just as dawn advance: now rejoice and be glad, and deem us, helpless ones, worthy; free us from evil habits, and even reach out your hand to lifts, My soul magnifies the Lord: and my spirit has rejoiced in God my savior. For he has regarded the lowliness of his servant For behold from now on: all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty has magnified ‘me: and holy is his name. ‘And his mercy is on them that fear him throughout all generations. He has shown strength with his arm He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He has put down the mighty from their seat: and has exalted the humble and meek He has filled the hungry with good things: and the rich he has sent away empty. He, remembering his mercy, thas helped his servant Israel: As he promised to our forefathers, Abraham, and his seed, forever. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son: and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be: world without end. Amen.‘The following version of the texts gives suggested pronunciations, in the International Phonetic Alphabet, for a medieval Germanic (Rhenish) rendering o: "frondens ‘firga: in ‘tu:a: nobilt'ta:te stans sikut au'ro:ra: pro'tse:dit nupk 'garude et le'ta:re et nos ‘de:biles dig'na:re a 'ma:la: konsfe'tu:dine libe'ra: ‘atkfe ‘ma:num ‘tu:am 'porige at ert'gendum nos 1. mag'ni:fikat ‘acmmma: 'me-a: 'do:mmum et eksul'ta:fit pictus 'me:us 1n 'de:o salv'ta:re ‘me:o 3. kfisa: re'specksit humulr'ta:tem ap'kale 'su:e ektse e:nim eks hoc be'a:tam me ‘di:tsent ‘omnes generatsi'o:nes 4. ‘kfica: 'fectstt 'michi: ‘magna: kfi: 'po:tens est et 'sanktum ‘no:men 'e:jus 5. et misepr'cordia: 'e:jus a: pro'ge:nie m pro'ge:nies ‘u'mentibus 'e:um 6. fe:tsit po'tentsiam mn 'bra:xio: 'su:o: dis'persit st'perbos 7. de'possuit po'tentes de ‘se:de et eksal'ta'fit 'hu:miles 8. esu:prentes implesfit bo:nts et 'disfites di'micsit in'a:nes 9, su'stsepit tsrael 'pu:erum 'su:um recop'da:tus miserr'cardie ‘suse 10, sikut Io'eu:tus est at 'pa:tres 'nostras a:braham et 'se:mini 'e:jus 1. ‘glosria: 'patri: et 'fislio: et fpr'ri:tui: 'sankto. 12, sikut ‘erat m prin{tsicpio: et nugk et ‘semper et m ‘se:kula: sekv'loxrum a:men William T. Flynn Assistant Professor of Music and Liturgy Emory University ‘Atlanta, Georgia