Glossary of musical terms
Ambitus - Pitch range of a mode, or plainchant.
Cantus Firmus - Plainchant or other melody used as a basis for a polyphonic composition.
Diasystematic - Heighted neumes.
Duplum - Voice part in early polyphonyset against the tenor.
Final - Step of a mode that is the normal closing note of a plainchant or tenor part.
Gamut - The first solmization syllable, ut, of the hard hexachord.
Hexachord - Set of six pitches.
1. If B was absent = "natural" heaxachord, as in C-A.
2. If B was natural = "hard" hexachord, as in G-E,
3. If B was flat = "soft" hexachord, as in F-D with B flat.
Neume - Sign placed above a syllable to indicate the pitch height of one or more plainchant notes.
Office - Monastic ritual celebrated at certain hours of the day and night.
Ordinary - Texts and plainchant of a Mass that remain the same throughout the church calendar, such as was found in the Kyrie and the Gloria.
Plainchant (plainsong) - Monophonic sacred chant or song of the Christian church, performed in free rhythm.
Proper - Texts and plainchant of a Massthat are assigned to particular days in the church calendar.
