Dodecachordon Data Set

Collection of symbolic music files (.xml - MusicXML), and corresponding .pdf documents from Glarean's Dodecachordon. The files are organized according to books 1-3.^[1]

Organization

The files are organized according to books 1-3, and whether they are:

• Music Theory Examples
• Music Literature Examples
  • full pieces
    • a mass movement is a full piece
    • m. 1 - final cadence
    • a larger part of a piece
      • for compositions in two or more parts
• Music Literature Example Excerpts
  • few measures of a piece
    • e.g.: mm. 4-8

Files

When uploading a file make sure to always upload a file pair (.pdf + .xml):

• De_profundis.xml
• De_profundis.pdf

Naming Conventions

File naming convention:

• Include from which book it came
• Include the name of the piece or example
• If there are two examples of the same type on the same page append the file name with the next logical number.
• Add the page number
  • If a piece or example is referenced in the text, and then shown in the appendix, look at the example below

Thus a file name should look like:

• Book-1_Example-1_p-47.pdf or
• Book-3_De-profundis_p-266_p-447.pdf (In the book, and the appendix) or
• Book-1_Alma-redemptoris-mater-2_pp-57-58.pdf

Monophonic Examples

Time Signatures and Bars

• Make each line of the example one long bar
  • Exception: If there is a key signature change in the middle of a line, divide the line into two bars (one cannot change key sigature during a bar in MuseScore2) and make the barline invisible
  • The location of line breaks may be important, so do not attempt to save space by grouping lines together
• Enter the time signature as [number of notes in the line]/4
• Make all time signatures, bar lines, and bar numbers invisible
  • In MuseScore2, you can do this from the Inspector pane.
• Enter each note as a stemless quarter note
  • In MuseScore2, you can select this option in the Inspector pane.

Key Signatures

• Put no key signature (the "X" option in MuseScore 2)
  • Exception: If the excerpt has a key signature at the beginning of the line (e.g., a B-flat), put a key signature.
• If the key signature changes during a line, divide the line into two bars and make the barline invisible

Clefs

• Employ the exact same clefs as the example, if possible
  • Since the staffs only have 4 lines, ignore the uppermost line of the modern 5-line staff
    • E.g., A baritone clef (a C clef on the uppermost line) in Glarean will become a tenor clef in your example
  • Since MuseScore2 does not have the option of selecting an F clef on the line second from the bottom or on the bottom line, I used an F clef on the third line for cases where one of these was required.
  • If the clef changes in the middle of the line, change clefs in your example exactly where the clef changes in Glarean.
    • To change clefs in the middle of a bar in MuseScore 2, drag the clef onto the first note of the new clef (it should turn blue).

Ligatures

• Enter ligatures as slurs
• These slurs should always be placed above the notes
  • In MuseScore2, select the slur and then press “x” to flip its orientation
• Rules of thumb about ligatures:
  • For ligatures with one note on top of the other, the bottom note comes first.
  • Group noteheads that are connected into one ligature
  • A note with a tail followed by diamond notes is also one ligature
    • Exception: When there are repeated pitches

Barlines

• Enter barlines as breath marks
  • In MuseScore2, you must be on the Advanced Workspace to see the Breaths & Pauses palette
• Enter double barlines as double breath marks
  • If there are double barlines at the end of each line, it is possible that the example should be broken up--Check with Julie to verify
• Generally, barlines separate complete words, but only indicate a barline where one is indicated in the example

Text

• Include the text
• Although the examples lack hyphens indicating melismas, transcribers should follow typical formatting conventions for lyrics: hyphens in between syllables of the same word
  • If MuseScore2 fails to show hyphens, select the note and press the left arrow key until a hyphen appears
• Reproduce the spelling, punctuation, and capitalization of the example, even if there are errors or inconsistencies
• Rules for text underlay:
  • Syllables do not change during neumes

Polyphonic Examples

Existing Polyphonic Examples

Many of the polyphonic examples already live in the ELVIS database as .pdf, or .xml files. Most of the times these examples still need some post editing, for example when only a Pleni sunt from a Sanctus of a mass is needed, the Pleni sunt should be an isolated individual file. When creating this file use the following conventions, so the appropriate meta data is added to the resulting .xml file:

• Title: Dodecachordon
• Subtitle: Mass - Sanctus - Pleni sunt (for example)
• Composer: Josquin des Prez
• Description (or another logical field): Hypodorian (associated mode, if any)

Non-Existing Polyphonic Examples

When creating a polyphonic example from the Miller book use the same conventions as described above under Existing Polyphonic Examples.

Notes

[1]: Book 1 is found in Clement Miller's English translation volume 1, ranging from pp. 37 to 103; book 2, also found in volume 1 of Miller's translation, ranges from pp. 103 to 223; and book 3, found in volume 2 of Miller's translation, ranges from pp. 224 to 285. Clement Miller also adds an appendix to volume 2 of his translation that includes the polyphonic music examples ranging from pp. 246 to 548.