Pérotin - Viderunt Omnes, Sheet Music + Audio

Pérotin, Viderunt Omnes. Organum Quadruplum. c.1198 CE.

Performed by the Hilliard Ensemble.

Pérotin, a pioneer of organum triplum and quadruplum, was a famous European composer who lived from the late 12th to early 13th century. The most famous member of the Notre Dame School of Polyphony, Pérotin holds his place high among the Medieval composers.

Viderunt Omnes is based on an ancient gradual of the same title (see below), which was previously expanded upon by Notre Dame composers such as Léonin. This organum, thought to be written for Christmas Day, would have retained the same purpose as the original gradual. The cantus firmus, or Tenor, "holds" the original chant, while the other parts develop complex melismas on the vowels.

Viderunt omnes fines terræ
salutare Dei nostri.
Jubilate Deo, omnis terra.
Notum fecit Dominus salutare suum;
ante conspectum gentium
revelavit justitiam suam.

All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation of our God.
Rejoice in the Lord, all lands.
The Lord has made known his salvation;
in the sight of the heathen
he has revealed his righteousness.

(Gradual for Christmas Day,
Psalm 98, verses 3, 4, 2)

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Pérotin
• perotin
• medieval
• organum
• quadruplum
• hilliard
• ensemble
• viderunt
• omnes

[fnordly]

If you will look carefully at this score, you will notice that, aside from the parallel 5ths, there are 'unresolved' dissonances of seconds and even a minor ninth in the final cadential passage. The important thing for this era was the melodic line, if there were dissonances along the way, that was fine as long as the integrity of the melodic line was preserved. This music is more like an elaborate form of heterophony rather than true polyphony.

[Clackdream]

Hi! could anybody send me information about this music and score? I´m studying history of music in Spain and need to know how to answer some questions for an exam. Thank you all. María

[Soloc24]

@thetruetallboy that's because a lot of baroque and some classical era people did this, so it's taboo when teaching the basics. This music technically isn't tonal...it's the predecessor musical language which would evolve into tonality. It's so fascinating and awesome cause the rules just aren't invented yet.

[Clackdream]

Could someone give me any scores of parallel organum? znx

[Clackdream]

I am studying history of music and I need some information about parallel organum scores. What kind of score is this? Thank's all

[thetruetallboy]

@Strefanasha The reason behind the high school logic is that in tonal theory parallel fifths sound like crap (supposedly) and makes for really poor transitions from one scale degree to the other. I know it's ridiculous yet is is still being taught in major university theory classes.

[guitarman7111]

@gabrielfxavier you are right about the obstruction of harmony. most schools teach counterpoint and harmony from a strictly 18th century point of view, and specify them as such- "18th century counterpoint", etc.

[milouribebotta]

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[gabrielfxavier]

@Strefanasha in baroque period the use of constant(like in plainchant) pararelism was not so common, and its very hard to find pararell 5ths. I think sometimes the teaching of conterpoint and harmony in so a strict way is not the best way to learn such subjects. Debussy, ravel and even fauré have a lot of pararell 5ths and 4ths in counterpoint to create a wonderfull ressonace(specialy in piano pieces) effect. In any case, pararel 5ths in structral harmony obscure the independence of the voices.

[Strefanasha]

@LaCarusiella yes, they did use consecutive 5ths a lotback then. and they were STRICTLY FORBIDDEN in my high school music class where they sough to teach us Bachian harmony and counterpoint.

how times change!!