The "Alma Redemptoris Mater" as printed in The Liber Usualis p. 273. The representation of the music is based on medieval notation, "neums" (notes and groups of notes) on a four line "stave" (staff). The music was composed using the standard diatonic scale (in modern notiation, C D EF G A BC), a series of whole and half tones with the halves between EF and BC. The Middle Ages used the "solfegggian" system to name the same series of tones: do re me fah sol la ti do. Recall "Do, a deer, a female deer" from The Sound of Music. At the beginning of each stave there is a "do clef" (a "key" showing where "do" is on the stave); the clef looks like a"C" with fat head and tail, and here it's on the second top line of each stave. Notable in this piece is frequent use of the one "accidental" chant allowed: a flatted B (or ti--called "ter").
TO LISTEN TO THE ALMA REDEMPTORIS SUNG, choose one of the following:
using a modem (should be at least 28.8);
directly connected to a network.

The Liber Usualis ("The Common Book"), a standard collection of Latin liturgical songs, is discussed, and a full citation for it given, on the page "About the Alma Redemptoris".
Return to Top