Need help reading a score

• Mar 25, 2010 - 12:58

Out of suject, but useful for me.

It is from Freillon Ponsin.
I know it is in 3/1 , though the first mesure is false :
I read a round e, then a blank f...
The second measure also is false...
But who can say what are the two symbols before the measure indication, perhaps a silence?
looks like 09. I am sure they are not a key.

Attachment Size
freillon.png 12.16 KB

Comments

I don't know anything about mensural music. But is it possible that the time signature is actually 3/2?

The mark that looks like "1" underneath the 3 could be a minum (half-note) rest (i.e. "3 minums per measure"). If you continue with this assumption it would be impossible to write the rhythm of the third measure without using ties. (Is it correct to assume ties weren't invented yet?). It looks like they combined two measures together instead. In modern notation the third measure would be written as a semi-breve, minum tied over a bar line to another minum, semi-breve.

Then again, I could be completely wrong.

In reply to by David Bolton

It cannot be 3/2 :
these are samples of the tongue action in playing woodwind instruments for each type of measure.

Here we are in the 3/? measures part : the first sample is the first in the pic, the second sample is a 3/2, the third is a 3/4, and so on.

While answering you, I looked at the pic and saw that the two first measures make a valid 3/1 : three rounds....
Yes they used the ties. The score is from 1700, and the modern notation is in use.

Thanks

Attachment Size
freillon1.png 13.9 KB

Hi,

1) The two characters before the time signature look a good deal like "Og". Now, about what they mean, there is less light: 'O' may mean tempus perfectus (i.e. 3 breves for a longa or, in this period, 3 tactus for a measure; in which case 3/1 is not the time signature), but for 'g' I'm at loss.

2) I doubt the time signature are 3/1 and 3/2; more probably, they are both simply '3' (i.e. 3 tactus per measure), while '1' and '2' are something else.

OR

The '3/1' may be conventional (again, 3 tactus for 1 measure) and the '3/2' may mean "3 notes in the time of 2", i.e. "In time you played 2 notes of some kind before, now play 3 of the same kind"; I do not remember having seen this notation in France, but it was common in XVII c. England.

3) For the last measure: any change he simply forgot the stems and the notes are 3 minimae?

More context could make guessing easier...

M.

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