On 28 Apr 2005 at 14:34, John Howell wrote:

> the ligatures had taken on rhythmic significance for a rather 
> short time, in the rhythmic modal notation of the Parisian musicians
> in the late 12th and early 13th centuries, but from about the mid-13th
> century Franconian mensural notation (and its descendants) was used in
> polyphonic music and chant notation--without rhythmic significance
> (although modern scholars do not agree on this)--continued in use for
> free chant.

Eh? 

Franconian notation was a revision of Garlandian rhythmic notation, 
where the shape of the ligature had rhythmic significance, but it's 
actually meaning could be determined only in context. The Franconian 
innovation was to move towards fixity of rhythmic performance of a 
particular ligature shape, not dependent on context.

To say that it had no rhythmic meaning is hogwash.

Also, it is not entirely clear that the ligatures in chant notation 
did not start to convey information about rhythmic performance at the 
same time.

-- 
David W. Fenton                        http://www.bway.net/~dfenton
David Fenton Associates                http://www.bway.net/~dfassoc

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