Two Roman communions were transmitted directly from Rome to other major centers in medieval Europe without Frankish intermediation. The communions Sint lumbi vestri and Domine si tu es failed to be transmitted to Francia during the mid-eighth century but still appear in medieval books outside Rome. This rare occurrence raises questions about how Roman liturgical and stylistic elements were manipulated and preserved in territories other than Francia. Specific considerations include the different degrees of reliance on orality throughout Italy, modal variations in Frankish and peninsular chant dialects, and patterns of conservation of Roman texts and melodies within and outside of Rome. The case of Sint lumbi vestri is especially significant because, since it was transmitted with music notation, the numerous versions of the chant offer evidence of the stylistic specificities in Italian chant dialects before the twelfth century. The melody circulated particularly well in the Beneventan region, with the Abbey of Montecassino being the most likely outpost for its reception outside of Rome. Analyses of the Beneventan melody reveals that the cantors manipulated the received melody according to regional tastes, but did not modify its grammar, retaining the melody’s relationship with the text as well as leaving the modal profile unchanged.

A list of manuscript sigla is provided in the Appendix, listing the other known appearances of these communions.

Works: Sint lumbi vestri; Domine si tu es.

Index Classifications: Monophony to 1300

Contributed by: Elizabeth Stoner