Responsory tones at Klosterneuburg

Abstract

Despite their formulaic nature, the tones sung to the verses of responsoria prolixa in the medieval office pose certain problems of identification and classification. Some contain neume patterns which suggest a modal association but do not match the “standard” tones, some are similar to the standard tones but deviate at cadences or other significant points, and others appear to be newly-composed. With reference to three twelfth- and fourteenth-century antiphoners from the abbey of Klosterneuburg, I begin by identifying melodic features which are usual in the majority of responsory tones for this liturgical centre. Then, in order to provide a clearer understanding of verse-tones and their variants, I examine some of the more elaborate responsory-verse melodies sung at Klosterneuburg.