N. Shymanskiy

Problems of early polyphony during the period of Notre-Dame school (organums by Perotin as examples)

The author of the article examines the problems of the West-European medieval early polyphony which are elaborated by contemporary musicology. He applied to the liturgical practice that was caused the specifics of the Notre-Dame school creative intentions and found expression in the 3rd- and 4th-voiced organums by Perotinus Magnus. The researcher introduces and thoroughly comments a number of concepts associated with the different aspects of syncretic artistic thinking of the Gothic époque such as «foot music», «tone-rhythm», «initial tonic character». Hence the essentially important thesis that early system of modal counterpoint had borne a highly remote relation to classical polyphony is postulated. The author gives a particular attention to specific functions of «stable» and «unstable» in conditions of the Western Octoechos which determine the fundamental features of medieval polyphony. Its main foundations in opinion of researcher should be comprehended by contemporary musician because of the historical-typological point of view. It provides on the one hand to expose the appropriate logic of historical polyphony evolution (from oral or semi-oral to written forms); on the other hand to make inevitable alterations depended on this logic belonging of the definite cultural environment and suitable model of thinking.

Key words

West-European Medieval early polyphony, Notre-Dame school, Perotinus Magnus, «foot music», metrised organum.

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