Quilisma

The quilisma (of the Greek külío (?), to roll, turn) are a specialized sign used in the notation of Neume S, for the Plain-chant and in particular the Gregorian chant. In square notation, it is represented by a note " barbelée".

The quilisma form always a movement ascendent, and always joins together a note lower than a higher note (and always on the same syllable). In almost the whole of the cases, the notes thus joined together are with an interval of a third. Generally, this third is minor, and the quilisma takes seat on the lower semitone: Semi (of transition from D to F) or If (transition from to C).

It is a weak note, which watch the fact that it disappears easily during the historical evolution from the parts. The quilisma of Solesme often result in simple Podatus without intermediate note in the gradual Dominican one; and the restitution bénédictine itself reveals such evolutions, when one compares the edition vaticane and the cursive neumes of Graduale Triplex.

In cursive notation, its representation is very individualized, that it is in the cursive one of St Gall where it takes the form of a " oméga" tiny, or in that of Laon where it corresponds to the " dent" on the basis of higher virga (or neume which follows).

Its interpretation is largely discussed, and does not make consensus.

Note transition

The quilisma is not strictly speaking a neume. Its simplest form and most frequent (that one also calls quilisma by extension, and wrongly) is that which joins together a Punctum with a Virga. The quilisma itself is only the note of transition " barbelée" , that one always finds between two neumes, and who can join together any forms of neumes. However, one never meets but one quilisma by made up Neume.

The image gives an example of Quilisma in complex position (Alléluia Ostend nobis of first Sunday of the Advent): behind a Podatus, and in front of a Porrectus Subpunctis Resupinus (the transcription of Solesme taken again by the vaticane is faulty here, and breaks up the Porrectus into a Clivis followed by a Virga).

Interpretation of musical ornament

Musical interpretation " classique" quilisma is reflected in the comment of the edition vaticane, which indicates in its foreword " There exists another trembled note, it is the quilisma; it occurs in the song like a " flower mélodique" , and it is qualified " round note and progressive". That which did not learn how to produce these trembled sounds and round-offs, or which, there being exerted, does not only sing, that it strikes simply the note which precedes the quilisma with more by corrosive, so that the sound of this quilisma arises more subtle, rather than faster. "

It is the idea of tremor and rolling up (present in the medieval texts) which led to many interpretations that one finds in the traditional musical dictionaries, where the quilisma corresponded to small a Trille, more or less marked (" a light tremor of the voice "), a Tremor, or a Appoggiatura. Modern research in this direction is very marginal, and shows in any case that this interpretation, technically difficult for a non-specialist, cannot be retained for the practice of the collective song.

Rhythmic interpretation " classique"

Indications given by the " 800" are a little contradictory, and often led to faulty interpretations. This traditional of Solesme indicates indeed correctly (p. ix) that " its execution is always prepared by a ritardando marked well note or group which precedes; when a group precedes the quilisma, it is the first note of this group which is delayed ". On the other hand, some pages further (p. xii), it indicates that " is affected rhythmic ictus all the really long notes, namely the note which precedes the quilisma. ".

Many parishioners retained only the indication concerning the ictus , the more so as the editions of Solesme practically always make precede the quilisma by a point will mora in the complex groups. The interpretation which results from it summarizes to double the note which precedes the quilisma (two preceding notes, if the penult is marked of a point will mora). This interpretation (which has the undeniable merit to be easy to practice in assembly) is however faulty, insofar as it introduces a mechanical rupture into what should be a fluid sequence (legato rhythmic).

Execution of the rhythmic sequence

To obtain an execution " fluide" quilisma, a rhythmic legato, it is better to interpret it like a note of restarting :

the neume which precedes it (even the preceding incidental clause) is slowed down gradually, as if it were necessary to prepare with a stop (final rate/rhythm) on the last note of the first neume; all occurs as if the quilisma were replaced by the two bars of end of part.
the quilisma awakes the general deceleration, while starting on the last note of the group without him to leave the duration which would have been natural for a final. It is a note of attack, and a recovery with against time, but not accentuated (that it is in force or duration).
This alarm clock starts again the rate/rhythm, and allows the additional addition of one or several neumes.

It is this " blow of fouet" alarm clock, which the hand of the chief of chorus gives, results graphically by the rolling up of St Gall, or in the impulse on the Virga of Laon. Rhythmic imbalance that the quilisma causes by this restarting over a weak time must lead to the accent of the neume according to, where it is solved. When the quilisma is at the beginning of incidental clause, as in the " Sursum corda" (introduction of the Foreword), the group which precedes it is limited to only one note, which cannot obviously give by itself the idea of a deceleration. In this case:

the the initial receives the attack, and an accent of duration and intensity. It is the principal note of the group, which must open out and fill out all the sound volume to maintain its echo.
the If of Quilisma is short and weak, it does nothing but spare one space to introduce the following note.
the Do carries out the pitch of the word Sursum , and receives a secondary tonic stress, but remains short and relatively discrete, not to erase the echo of the the initial.
the If according to weaker and is slackened (it is the weak syllable of the word).

If there is a favorable reverberation (what is frequent in the churches), the auditive impression will be finally dominated by the third The-C , as so at the end of the neume the two notes had been emitted simultaneously in polyphony, to mark the tonic accent of the Latin word.

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