ABSTRACT
How does t h e p r e s e n c e of t h i s s o - c a l l e d " O l d - R o m a n " c h a n t a f f e c t t h e t r a d i t i o n a l h i s t o r i c a l p i c t u r e of Rome as t h e c e n t e r of W e s t e r n C h r i s t e n d o m , Rome as t h e M o t h e r C h u r c h of Europe, Rome as t h e s o u r c e for t h e d i f f u s i o n of t h e l i t u r g y a n d
c h a n t , when, i n d e e d , Rome h a s ac h a n t r e p e r t o r y d i f f e r e n t from t h a t k n o w n t h r o u g h o u t Europe? Is i t possible t h a t G r e g o r i a n c h a n t is n o t from Rome? T o t h e s e a n d o t h e r such d e m a n d i n g q u e s t i o n s musicologists h a v e d e v o t e d m u c h e n e r g y d u r i n g t h e p a s t f i f t e e n years. Ag r e a t deal h a s now b e e n s a i d a b o u t t h e o r i g i n s a n d r e l a t i o n s h i p s of t h e two r e p e r t o r i e s . T h e r e have, however, b e e n m a n y o b s t a c l e s t o progress, a n d much c o n f u s i o n h a s a r i s e n - f r o m i n a c c u r a t e m e d i e v a l l i t e r a r y r e p o r t s , from i n s u f f i c i e n t s t u d y of t h e r e p e r t o r i e s , a n d from o u r s c a n t y knowledge a b o u t t h e M i d d l e Ages, i n general, a n d a b o u t t h e c h a n t d u r i n g its p e r i o d of o r a l t r a n s m i s s i o n i n Rome a n d i n F r a n c e , i n p a r t i c u l a r . T h e r e h a s b e e n f a r t o o m u c h s p e c u l a t i o n i n t h e a b s e n c e of f a c t ; a n d t h e whole a f f a i r , t h u s f a r , has b e e n c h a r a c t e r i z e d by ad e p l o r a b l e l a c k of o b j e c t i v i t y . T h e r e f o r e , i n s p i t e of m a n y a t t e m p t s t o e x p l a i n t h e m e a n i n g of t h e O l d - R o m a n c h a n t a n d t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p b e t w e e n t h e Old~Roman a n d G r e g o r i a n r e p e r t o r i e s , n o t much progress h a s b e e n made. I t is my i n t e n t h e r e t o b r i n g o r d e r to t h e l i t e r a r y chaos now e n v e l o p i n g t h e q u e s t i o n of t h e Old~ R o m a n c h a n t , first by d i s t i l l i n g t h e essence of the m o r e r a t i o n a l a n d useful c o n t e m p o r a r y ideas a n d e v a l u a t i n g t h e c o n t r i b u t i o n of each, a n d t h e n by e x a m i n i n g b r i e f l y t h e a c t u a l l i t u r g i c a l a n d m u s i c a l s i t u a t i o n t h a t exists b e t w e e n t h e Old~Roman a n d G r e g o r i a n c h a n t s . In aseries of a r t i c l e s p u b l i s h e d b e t w e e n 1 9 5' 0a n d 19 5' 2 , Bruno Stiiblein s o u g h t
t o u n c o v e r t h e r e a l m e a n i n g of t h e O l d - R o m a n c h a n t a n d t o d e t e r m i n e i t s r e l a t i o n - ship t o t h e G r e g o r i a n . 6He l i m i t e d his i n v e s t i g a t i o n t o t h e Old~Roman Mass, c o n f i n i n g his s t u d y t o t h o s e two g r a d u a l s m e n t i o n e d i n t h e l i t e r a t u r e s i x t y years e a r l i e r by Dom M o c q u e r e a u : B i b l i o t e c a v a t i c a n a 5 3 1 9 , from c. 1 1 0 0 , a n d A r c h i v i o di San P i e t r o F2 2 , 1 3 t h c e n t u r y (nos. 2a n d 3of Example I , w h i c h will be e x p l a i n e d l a t e r ) . D e s p i t e t h e i r l a t e r e d a c t i o n , he n o t e d m a n y a p p a r e n t l y a r c h a i c f e a t u r e s , such as:
So S t a b l e i n , l i k e A n d o y e r a n d o t h e r s b e f o r e him, was also s t r u c k by t h e signs of c o n s e r v a t i s m i n this r e p e r t o r y , b y t h e r e t e n t i o n in t h e s e q u i t e l a t e Old~Roman
m a n u s c r i p t s of a p p a r e n t l y m u c h o l d e r p r a c t i c e s , w h i c h o f t e n did n o t survive even i n t h e e a r l i e s t - n o t a t e d G r e g o r i a n g r a d u a l s . As t u d y of t h e Mass c h a n t s of t h e O l d - R o m a n r e p e r t o r y , followed, p r e s u m a b l y , by ac o m p a r i s o n of b o t h melodic c o l - l e c t i o n s , leads S t a b l e i n t o c o n c l u d e t h a t t h e r e is aq u e s t i o n n o t of two d i f f e r e n t melody r e p e r t o r i e s b u t o n l y of two d i f f e r e n t versions of asingle c h a n t : one r e p e r t o r y is t h e r e s u l t of as t y l i s t i c r e v i s i o n of t h e o t h e r . A c c e p t i n g t h e more c o n s e r v a t i v e f e a t u r e s of t h e O l d - R o m a n as signs of g r e a t e r a n t i q u i t y , S t a b l e i n concludes t h a t t h e O l d - R o m a n m u s t r e p r e s e n t t h e o l d e r r e p e r t o r y a n d t h a t t h e G r e g o r i a n m u s t b e a l a t e r r e v i s i o n of i t . S t a b l e i n believes, f u r t h e r m o r e , t h a t h i s t o r i c a l evidence n o t o n l y supports his
c o n t e n t i o n b u t also allows him t o d e t e r m i n e where, when, a n d by whom this reform came a b o u t . O f t h e n u m e r o u s o r d i n e s r o m a n i t h a t h a v e survived from t h e Middle Ages, ordos giving p r e s c r i p t i o n s for some l i t u r g i c a l f u n c t i o n o r ceremony supposedly a c c o r d i n g t o t h e Roman use, t h e r e is one t h a t gives al i s t of e i g h t popes, from D a m a s u s ( 3 6 6 - 3 8 4 ) to M a r t i n ( 6 4 9 - 6 5 3 ) , who a r e supposed t o h a v e c o n t r i b u t e d t o t h e e d i t i n g o r c o m p i l i n g of a n a n n u a l l i t u r g i c a l cycle. 8O n t h e t e s t i m o n y of t h e d o c u m e n t , S t a b l e i n c r e d i t s t h e s e e i g h t popes w i t h t h e f o r m a t i o n of t h e Roman l i t u r g y , i t s a n n u a l cycle of t e x t s as well as c h a n t s . A f t e r t h e l i s t of popes, t h e ordo goes o n t o n a m e t h r e e a b b o t s of St. P e t e r ' s i n
Rome who were also t h o u g h t t o have made g r e a t c o n t r i b u t i o n s t o t h e y e a r l y cycle. 9 S t a b l e i n t h i n k s t h a t t h e a c t i v i t y of t h e t h r e e a b b o t s , i n c o n t r a s t to t h a t of t h e e i g h t popes, m u s t h a v e b e e n e n t i r e l y musical, for, he says, only popes could l e g i s l a t e l i t u r g i c a l m a t t e r s . T h e i r a c t i v i t y , t h e n , m u s t h a v e i n v o l v e d am u s i c a l reform, a r e v i s i o n of t h e c h a n t " e d i t e d " by t h e popes b e f o r e t h e m . He concludes, t h e r e f o r e , t h a t t h e O l d - R o m a n c h a n t m u s t b e t h e r e p e r t o r y c o n n e c t e d w i t h t h e w o r k of the e i g h t popes, t h a t i t existed e s s e n t i a l l y i n its p r e s e n t form by t h e y e a r 65 3 , a n d t h a t in t h a t y e a r or s h o r t l y t h e r e a f t e r t h r e e a b b o t s of St. P e t e r ' s u n d e r t o o k ar e f o r m a t i o n of this " o l d " Roman c h a n t , l e a d i n g to t h e c r e a t i o n of t h e G r e g o r i a n c h a n t . F u r t h e r - more, t h i s revision m u s t h a v e b e e n c o m p l e t e by c. 6 8 0 , t h e t i m e of t h e t r i p t o E n g l a n d of J o h n , t h e a r c h c a n t o r of St. P e t e r ' s in Rome a n d t h e supposed a u t h o r of t h e ordo, for, a c c o r d i n g to S t a b l e i n , he was s e n t to England for t h e express p u r p o s e of t e a c h i n g t h e new c h a n t . A n d since i t is t h e G r e g o r i a n t h a t b e c a m e k n o w n
t h r o u g h o u t a l l British churches, i t m u s t h a v e b e e n t h e c h a n t b r o u g h t by John, c. 680. T h u s , the r e v i s i o n a r y work on t h e O l d - R o m a n a n d t h e f o r m a t i o n of t h e G r e g o r i a n c h a n t m u s t h a v e t a k e n p l a c e c. 65 3-c . 680. 1 0 I t is no a c c i d e n t , claims Stablein, t h a t t h i s p e r i o d coincides w i t h t h e p o n t i f i c a t e
of V i t a l i a n ( 6 5 7 - 6 7 2 ) , for t h e r e is much medieval l i t e r a t u r e p o i n t i n g t o V i t a l i a n ' s i m p o r t a n c e for t h e h i s t o r y of c h a n t . First, t h e r e is t h e b i o g r a p h y by E k k e h a r d V, w r i t t e n c. 1 2 2 0 , of t h e famous N o t k e r Balbulus, w h e r e i n i t is r e p o r t e d t h a t i n Rome d u r i n g t h e p o n t i f i c a t e of V i t a l i a n , t h e c h a n t of t h e p a p a l service was performed by singers c a l l e d " V i t a l i a n i . " 11 For S t a b l e i n , t h i s means t h a t aspecial. p a p a l c h a n t was sung i n Rome d u r i n g t h e p o n t i f i c a t e of V i t a l i a n b y t h a t pope's p r i v a t e c h o i r of singers; a n d h e finds i r r e s i s t i b l e t h e t e m p t a t i o n t o e q u a t e this c h a n t w i t h t h e reform of t h e t h r e e a b b o t s . Second, t h e r e is t h e evidence of R a d u l p h de Rive, al a t e 1 4 t h - c e n t u r y c r i t i c of t h e Roman c h u r c h , who r e p o r t e d t h a t popes Gregory and V i t a l i a n " r e c e i v e d " t h e Roman c h a n t t h a t is sung t o d a y , i. e., t h e G r e g o r i a n c h a n t . 1 2 A n d t h e r e a r e s t i l l o t h e r medieval r e p o r t s to which S t a b l e i n refers, such as t h a t of M a r t i n u s Polonus, who, i n t h e 1 3 t h c e n t u r y , c r e d i t e d V i t a l i a n n o t only w i t h composing t h e G r e g o r i a n c h a n t b u t also w i t h w r i t i n g o r g a n u m u p o n i t ! 1 3 F i n a l l y , for a n e x p l a n a t i o n of why t h e O l d - R o m a n was s t i l l i n use in t h e
1 1 t h - 1 3 t h centuries, l o n g a f t e r i t s presumed 7 t h - c e n t u r y revision i n t o t h e G r e - g o r i a n , S t a b l e i n suggests two uses a t Rome: t h a t of t h e b a s i l i c a n m o n a s t e r i e s of t h e L a t e r a n , t h e " o r i g i n a l , " O l d - R o m a n c h a n t , a n d t h a t of t h e p a p a l p a l a c e i n t h e L a t e r a n , t h e reformed, G r e g o r i a n c h a n t . 1 4
M o s t s u b s e q u e n t w r i t e r s h a v e n o t b e e n too c h a r i t a b l e towards S t a b l e i n ' s view of t h e O M - R o m a n - G r e g o r i a n p r o b l e m ; i n p a r t i c u l a r , t h e y h a v e l o o k e d more crit i c a l l y a t his h i s t o r i c a l witnesses. F i r s t , t h e r e seems to be l i t t l e d o u b t t h a t some k i n d of s t r o n g t r a d i t i o n t h a t a t t r i b u t e d t o V i t a l i a n a n i m p o r t a n t role i n t h e h i s t o r y of c h a n t h a d existed in t h e l a t e r Middle Ages; b u t , as Jacques Handschin p o i n t s out, t h e e a r l i e s t evidence t h e r e o f t h a t has r e a c h e d us comes from c. 500 years a f t e r t h e f a c t s - w h a t e v e r t h e y may h a v e b e e n . 15 I n a n n a l s more c o n t e m p o r a r y w i t h V i t a l i a n t h e r e are no such a t t r i b u t i o n s . T h e r e f o r e , t h e r e is r e a l l y no r e a s o n t o assume t h a t t h e p a p a l singers during t h e p o n t i f i c a t e of V i t a l i a n sang any new, reformed c h a n t , or t o t h i n k t h a t E k k e h a r d reveals a n y t h i n g m o r e t h a n t h e 1 3 t h - c e n t u r y b e l i e f t h a t V i t a l i a n h a d ap r i v a t e c h o i r of singers who c h a n t e d Mass when he c e l e b r a t e d . T h e f a c t is t h a t n e i t h e r we n o r E k k e h a r d h a v e t h e s l i g h t e s t i d e a w h a t t h e V i t a l i a n i sang. 1 6
As for t h e ordo l i s t i n g t h e e i g h t popes a n d t h r e e abbots, i t is all t o o e v i d e n t how h e a v i l y S t a b l e i n has relied u p o n its t e s t i m o n y t o s u p p o r t his t h e o r y . He has a c c e p t e d i t s a t t r i b u t i o n t o John, t h e A r c h c a n t o r of St. P e t e r ' s , h e has d a t e d i t s c o n t e n t a c c o r d i n g t o events i n J o h n ' s life, and, most i m p o r t a n t , he has assumed its t e s t i m o n y t o be h i s t o r i c a l l y a c c u r a t e . T h e l i t u r g i s t M i c h e l A n d r i e u , who has s t u d i e d and p u b l i s h e d t h i s among fifty Roman ordos, has q u e s t i o n e d t h e v a l i d i t y of t h e e n t i r e d o c u m e n t a n d has i n t r o d u c e d considerable d o u b t i n t o those very issues u p o n whose a c c u r a c y a n d c o n t e m p o r a n e i t y so m u c h of S t a b l e i n ' s t h e o r y depends. A n d r i e u argues q u i t e c o n v i n c i n g l y t h a t t h e ordo is t o t a l l y u n a u t h e n t i c , aforgery c r e a t e d t o e n h a n c e t h e p r e s t i g e of t h e Roman c h a n t i n France. I t was n o t w r i t t e n by J o h n ; i t was n o t w r i t t e n i n Rome; i t was n o t w r i t t e n i n t h e 7 t h c e n t u r y . A n d r i e u sees i t as t h e w o r k of a n 8 t h - c e n t u r y , F r e n c h monk. 1 7
Finally, aside from t h e d a t e of t h e d o c u m e n t and i t s a u t h e n t i c i t y , one m u s t q u e s t i o n t h e c o n t e n t itself. Is t h e r e any compelling r e a s o n t o t h i n k t h a t t h e work of t h e t h r e e a b b o t s c o n s t i t u t e d arevision of t h e c h a n t , or to see i n t h e supposed c h a n t c o n t r i b u t i o n s of t h e e i g h t popes a n d t h r e e a b b o t s t h e O l d - R o m a n a n d G r e g o r i a n r e p e r t o r i e s t h a t we know t o d a y ? C e r t a i n l y n o t . And, in fact, t h e ordo tells us r e a l l y n o t h i n g a b o u t t h e w o r k of t h e s e men.
