Berno of Reichenau (Berno Augiae Divitis)
(On the Harmonious Diversity of Tones)
Prefatory Letter
Berno, by the grace of God, and if not by merit, yet by office an abbot, to his most beloved sons in Christ, Purchardus and Kerungus, together with all others engaged in the school of the Lord's studies at Reichenau: may they advance daily from virtue to virtue, so that they may behold the God of gods in Zion.
Having been recently urged by the insistence of your prayers to hand over for your keen industry's study certain little verses composed on the harmonious diversity of the tones, I did not immediately set my mind to doing so, because I believed I would not escape ridicule among posterity if, amid abundant treasures of wisdom and a vast supply of divine and human letters flowing like a torrent, I, entirely devoid of all eloquence, should presume to utter something, and I not unjustly feared that the following saying might be thrown at me:
"Do not carry wood into the forest, nor fish into the sea."
But again considering that saying of the Lord, which says: "Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wishes to borrow from you," I did not dare to refuse completely — if not as to those who ask, at least as to those who wish a loan to be made to them — hoping to gain no small profit if, in exchange for a wordy little composition acquired from whatever source with its garrulity, I might deserve to share in your learned domestic eloquence with sobriety.
It is evident, therefore, that music consists of eight tones, through which the harmonies of musical modulation — which we now pass over for the sake of brevity — seem to agree with one another by a certain friendly affinity of their conjunction. Their names among us took their beginnings, from the first to the eighth, from the authority of their order. Of these, four — that is, the first, third, fifth, and seventh — are called in Greek "authentici," because they seem to preside over the others — namely the second, fourth, sixth, and eighth — with a certain authority of mastery; for "authenticum" means "author" or "master." Hence, just as the higher ones are called authentic, so the lower ones are called "plagal," as if parts proceeding from the side of the higher ones.
By this reasoning it has come about that he who in common Latin speech is called the first, by those trained in the mastery of this art is named the authentic protus, as if the first in authority; the second is the plagal protus, or plagal — that is, the subordinate part of the protus; the third is the authentic deuterus, because it holds the second rank of authority; the fourth is the plagal deuterus; the fifth is the authentic tritus, likewise deriving its name from the number three and from authority; to which the sixth is subordinated according to the above-stated reasoning. The seventh is the authentic tetrardus, itself so called from its ordinal position; for "tetra" means four. Then follows the eighth, which is subordinated to the seventh; hence it is also called the plagal tetrardus or plagal of the tetrardus.
Finally, not without reason are the first, third, fifth, and seventh called authentic or principal, since their sound is higher and their ascent is superior. For, just as each of them, beginning from its final, freely reaches the limit of a ninth by ascending, and descending to its neighbor sometimes reaches as far as the third note below, so the lower ones ascend only to the fifth and descend to the fourth note. Hence these lower ones — namely the second, fourth, sixth, and eighth — do not entirely depart from the higher ones, like disciples from their masters, but, joined by a certain neighboring tenor of sounds, they display a certain form of their discipleship toward the higher ones, since their ascent, as we noted above, is shorter and their descent lower.
Having therefore omitted the individual differences of the tones, which seem to disagree somewhat in certain small notations according to the diverse customs of teachers, we have attached to individual verses only the principal tenor of their sound, both in antiphons and in responsories, by way of example. Moreover, we have also taken care to add other verses of the same rule pertaining to introits and communions, with their differences nonetheless, since they are fewer and more certain. If it pleases your charity to append the differences or definitions of the antiphons in your own manner, know that this is quite agreeable to us. Furthermore, I earnestly entreat your obedience that you receive these things with the affection of charity with which they were composed by me, and that as good sons you keep the memory of your father in Christ. Farewell.
Tone 1: First Seek the Kingdom of God
Glory, World without end, Amen. Behold the name of the Lord. The Angel of the Lord. Before they came together. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. Blessed are you, Mary.
Tone 2: But the Second Is Like Unto It
Glory, World without end, Amen. Let us live justly and piously. Archangel. Jesus took up. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. Come, chosen one.
Tone 3: It Is the Third Day Since These Things Were Done
Glory. World without end. Amen. Lord, you have tested me. Lord, hope of the Saints. A certain lame man. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. Today she is born.
Tone 4: At the Fourth Watch He Came to Them
Glory, World without end. Amen. I believe I shall see. Go, announce. To the saints who are on earth. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. Who is she?
Tone 5: The Five Wise Virgins Entered the Wedding
Glory. World without end. Amen. Alleluia, whom do you seek? Behold, he will come now. I still have many things. The heavens are opened. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. I beseech you, Lord.
Tone 6: At the Sixth Hour He Sat Upon the Well
Glory. World without end. Amen. Moses built. Other sheep. Blessed be the Lord. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. Blessed are you.
Tone 7: There Are Seven Spirits Before the Throne of God
Glory. World without end. Amen. Jerusalem, look back. Wisdom has built herself a house. This now the third time. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. Of the Glorious Virgin.
Tone 8: There Are Eight Beatitudes
Glory. World without end. Amen. Their angels. The souls of the just. Amen, amen I say to you. He will destroy the wicked wretchedly. Adorn the bridal chamber. God helps. Blessed is the man who endures. If fires are applied. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. They shall call me blessed.
Glory be to the Father. World without end. Amen.
First, for the summit of your justice, Lord, make us also the light of the true Most High; we ask that in heaven we may ever sing joyfully to you. Amen.
Drop dew, ye heavens. We have received. Let us rejoice. World without end. Amen. Rejoice in the Lord. For they sat. The Lord established for him. Amen. The Lord will give. Behold a virgin. All have seen. Glory be to the Father, etc.
Glory. World without end, Amen.
And according to the mutual word of the law, by which you commanded us to cultivate love of God and neighbor — of Christ — may we render what is due through these precepts of twofold observance. Amen.
Come and show. Your face. Behold, he comes. Amen. Jerusalem. The word went out. The Lord Jesus. Glory be to the Father, etc.
Glory. World without end. Amen.
On the third day, O Christ, we believe you rose again, bringing light to the world. O gracious one, make us ever praise your name, and in the region of the eternal fatherland, beholding you, to sit. Amen.
But I. Confession and beauty. Let it be filled. Amen. Blessed is the servant. Christ rising. Taste. Glory be to the Father, etc.
Glory. World without end. Amen.
At the fourth watch of the night, O Christ, granting heavenly consolation to your disciples, we humbly confessing, singing to you, praising you — grant us to know the protection of your name and power through the fourfold voice of your Gospel. Amen.
Be near. Your priests. All the earth. World without end. Amen. I have risen. Mercy. In your will. Amen. Exult. We have seen. I have executed judgment. Glory be to the Father.
Glory. World without end. Amen.
You, Lord, deigned to receive into heaven the five virgins, to reveal yourself to your people by words, and to manifest yourself by signs. Behold, we pray you, Lord, to direct our senses toward you. Amen.
I was speaking. They surrounded me. Rejoice, Jerusalem. Lord, in your. Amen. Lord, our refuge. My words. Behold, God. Amen. Serve the Lord. The Lord is just. Sign them. Glory be to the Father, etc.
Glory, World without end, Amen.
At the sixth hour, then, O Christ, when the hour of your bodily presence shines forth, grant to the Church a fountain of living water springing up to life, and with the fervor of full grace ever set it ablaze.
Today you shall know. In the midst. As newborn babes. Amen. Grace is poured forth. In splendors. Our Passover. Glory be to the Father, etc.
Glory. World without end. Amen.
We earnestly beseech you, gracious Paraclete, to be present to us now also in your sevenfold form, that our minds may ever overflow with the perfect gift of your grace; extinguish whatever harms, and ever kindle with the fire of love all things that bring growth.
A child is born. Come, blessed ones. Men of Galilee. Amen. Say to the fainthearted. Take the child. It happened suddenly. Glory be to the Father, etc.
Glory. World without end. Amen.
O Christ, pious and radiant, graciously bestow upon your people the eight beatitudes of evangelical grace, and mercifully refresh with eternal rest those who believe in you without end.
To you I have lifted up. Lord, be not far. The Spirit of the Lord. Amen. The just man shall rejoice. He called upon me. You have tested, Lord. Amen. I see the heavens. The answer. This body. Glory be to the Father, etc.