The Origin of the Sequence: F.J.E. Raby

 

In the Mass, according to the Roman rite, there are interposed between the Epistle and the Gospel, two chants, the Gradual and the Alleluia coupled with the verse of a psalm. ln the singing of the Alleluia, it was customary to prolong the initial a, in what was known as a Jubilus, a lengthy melody,the singing of which required considerable musical skill. This Jubilus or prolongation of the last syllable followed the melody of the Alleluia, and is properly called a Sequentia or a Sequence. Sequentia was therefore originally a musical term and could be used indifferently with melodia, neuma, or jubilus to describe the melody on the final a of the Alleluia. This melody was itself divided into parts (clausulae) each of which could be termed a Sequentia. The practice grew up, apparently in the eighth century, of adapting a text or Prose to some of these divisions, but the Prose or Sequence proper began when a text was, for the first time, set to the whole of the melody. The correct description of such a production would be Sequentia cum Prosa (i.e. a melody with a text). In France the term Prose was employed, while in Germany the less correct and later designation of Sequence was used to describe the whole composition.

. . . it will be clear that in considering the origin of the Sequence, it is necessary to begin with the Alleluia-Jubilus. 

The original Sequences, therefore, were texts or proses fixed to an existing melody. . . . 

So the original structure of the text was bound to follow the structure of the melody, and the text was, in fact, a piece of  unrhythmical prose, written as a rule, in corresponding double strophes of equal length.

While Proses continued to be adapted to already existing melodies, it was not possible for any advance to be made in the direction of artistic form. But, when once the text and melody were composed together, the Prose tended to become the determinant part of the production, and the development of a rhythmical form based on accent easily followed. To rhythm was added assonance and then rime. Delivered from the bondage imposed by a pre-existing melody, the Prose was free to assume a regular poetical form, with a rhythmical structure and, ultimately a fully developed system of rime.

The history of the Sequence in the twelfth century centers round the name of Adam of St. Victor, to whom tradition assigns the glory of having brought to perfection this most characteristic achievement of medieval poetry.

To be continued.