Of Plain and Measured Music; or, as We Wish to Call It, Plainchant and Figured Song

Plain Music and Measured Music

It is now time to go on to declare the second principal member that we made of Music — which was the Organic, divided into Harmonic or Natural, and into Artificial; each of which we divided into Plain, Measured, Rhythmic, and Metric.

Taking up again these last parts, I say that Plain Music is that harmony which is born from a simple and equal prolation in the melody, which is made without any variation of time, shown by certain characters or simple figures which the practical musicians call Notes — which neither increase nor diminish from their value. For in it whole and indivisible time is placed; and it is commonly called by musicians Plainchant, or Plainsong, which is much used by religious men in the divine offices.

Measured Music I say to be the harmony which is born from a varied prolation of time in the melody, shown by certain characters or figures in the manner described above — which differ in name, essence, form, quantity, and quality — and which neither increase nor diminish, but are sung with measure of time according as they are found described. And this is commonly called Figured Song, from the figures or notes found in it of diverse form and quantity, which cause the time in the melody to increase or diminish according to their value, which represents to us slowness or swiftness of time.

On the Figure or Note

A Figure or Note — as we wish to call it — whether in plainchant or in figured song, I say to be a sign which, placed upon certain lines and spaces, represents to us the sound or voice, and the swiftness and slowness of time that must be used in the melody. Of these things we shall treat afterward in the Third Part, when we shall reason about the matter of Counterpoint — that is, of the compositions of melodies.

And because Plain and Measured Music can be born not only from natural instruments, but from artificial ones as well — therefore in the division of Organic Music, I have made them descend from both the Harmonic or Natural and from the Artificial.