A Few Notes on the Kοινὴ Ὁρμασία and Some Musical Examples of the Old Organum

Abstract

The article discusses – on the basis of manuscript readings and the wider context – two musical examples from the Old organum (Musica enchiriadis 14 and Micrologus 19), both with respect to an occursus at the end of the melody. These examples were previously used by the author for the illustration of similar features in the κοινὴ ὁρμασία, but without the critical discussion given here. The discussion shows that the Micrologus example most probably must be renounced as an illustration for the sequence b♭-b and that the Musica enchiriadis example can serve as an illustration for parallel fourths, but that it remains ambiguous with respect to the occursus. In addition, a few further musical examples from the Musica enchiriadis and from an associated treatise (De organo, with the Alleluia/Benedicta) are discussed which may help us to understand the role of the tritone in Gaudentius and in some of the restored hormasia tables.