3 Organa

ORGANUM is the first form of polyphony. At the very beginning (IX Century) the organum consisted of two voices:

1st: An original or plainsong melody, called vox principalis

2nd: An added second voice, in parallel fifths or fourths, called vox organalis.

This is the Parallel Organum.

In the Free Organum the vox organalis gains more independence and is led in oblique or contrary motion (about the year 1000).

In the XII Century, the Organum developed into a more complex structure with the vox principalis in long notes and several free voices organales.

The first Organum for Four Trombones is based on a free organum “Cunctipotens genitor” from the XI Century.

The second Organum is based on the oldest parallel organum (c. 850 from “Scholia enchiriadis.”

The third Organum is based on two historic sources:

The beginning, repeated at the end, originates in a “Clausula (a specific form of organum) Domnio” (c. 1200). The middle section (meno mosso) is a balata by Francesco Landino (1397).

The THREE ORGANA may be performed by a solo quartet or a whole choir of trombones. The singing quality of the human voice should be the first criterion for playing these compositions.

V.N.