Gymel
Encyclopedia
In medieval
and early Renaissance
English
polyphonic
music, gymel (also gimel or gemell) is the technique of temporarily dividing up one voice part, usually an upper one, into two parts of equal range, but singing different music. Often the two voices sing a passage of intricate polyphony, beginning and finally converging on a unison
, and often, but not always, the other voices drop out for a time.
While the earliest use of gymel seems to have been around the mid-14th century, the earliest notated gymels survive from approximately 1430. It is probable that some earlier notated examples have been lost, since the vast majority of English manuscript sources from before the 1530s were destroyed during the Dissolution of the Monasteries
by Henry VIII
. Indeed, the earliest surviving notated examples are from continental sources.
The significance of the development of gymel is three-fold. First, that a single voice part could be split into two indicates that the music of the time was being sung with multiple voices on a part, as opposed to the practice of secular polyphony at the time, in which there was only one voice on a part. Second, considerable virtuosity is required for many of the surviving examples of gymel, indicating a rise in the singing standards in England in the 14th and 15th centuries. Third, the use of gymel shows that composers were becoming aware of the importance of textural
contrast as a structural device; this is one of the critical distinctions between medieval and Renaissance music, a distinction which would carry forward to the present day.
It also seems that many times gymel was improvised
by skilled singers. An anonymous treatise of around 1450, known as the Pseudo-Chilston, includes the instruction: "And alwey beginne and ende thi Countertenor in a 5 [the interval of a fifth]. And thi Countergemel begynne and ende in unisoun." (1) That the singers would be given instruction on which intervals to use to begin and end indicates that they were not reading from written music, but improvising.
Composers of gymel include John Dunstaple, William Cornysh
, Richard Davy
, John Browne
, and (much later) both Thomas Tallis
and Robert Parsons
, as well as the numerous named and anonymous composers in sources such as the Eton Choirbook
and the Caius Choirbook
, among the few collections of English music to survive from the 15th century.
Medieval music
Medieval music is Western music written during the Middle Ages. This era begins with the fall of the Roman Empire and ends sometime in the early fifteenth century...
and early Renaissance
Renaissance music
Renaissance music is European music written during the Renaissance. Defining the beginning of the musical era is difficult, given that its defining characteristics were adopted only gradually; musicologists have placed its beginnings from as early as 1300 to as late as the 1470s.Literally meaning...
English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
polyphonic
Polyphony
In music, polyphony is a texture consisting of two or more independent melodic voices, as opposed to music with just one voice or music with one dominant melodic voice accompanied by chords ....
music, gymel (also gimel or gemell) is the technique of temporarily dividing up one voice part, usually an upper one, into two parts of equal range, but singing different music. Often the two voices sing a passage of intricate polyphony, beginning and finally converging on a unison
Unison
In music, the word unison can be applied in more than one way. In general terms, it may refer to two notes sounding the same pitch, often but not always at the same time; or to the same musical voice being sounded by several voices or instruments together, either at the same pitch or at a distance...
, and often, but not always, the other voices drop out for a time.
While the earliest use of gymel seems to have been around the mid-14th century, the earliest notated gymels survive from approximately 1430. It is probable that some earlier notated examples have been lost, since the vast majority of English manuscript sources from before the 1530s were destroyed during the Dissolution of the Monasteries
Dissolution of the Monasteries
The Dissolution of the Monasteries, sometimes referred to as the Suppression of the Monasteries, was the set of administrative and legal processes between 1536 and 1541 by which Henry VIII disbanded monasteries, priories, convents and friaries in England, Wales and Ireland; appropriated their...
by Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
. Indeed, the earliest surviving notated examples are from continental sources.
The significance of the development of gymel is three-fold. First, that a single voice part could be split into two indicates that the music of the time was being sung with multiple voices on a part, as opposed to the practice of secular polyphony at the time, in which there was only one voice on a part. Second, considerable virtuosity is required for many of the surviving examples of gymel, indicating a rise in the singing standards in England in the 14th and 15th centuries. Third, the use of gymel shows that composers were becoming aware of the importance of textural
Texture (music)
In music, texture is the way the melodic, rhythmic, and harmonic materials are combined in a composition , thus determining the overall quality of sound of a piece...
contrast as a structural device; this is one of the critical distinctions between medieval and Renaissance music, a distinction which would carry forward to the present day.
It also seems that many times gymel was improvised
Improvisation
Improvisation is the practice of acting, singing, talking and reacting, of making and creating, in the moment and in response to the stimulus of one's immediate environment and inner feelings. This can result in the invention of new thought patterns, new practices, new structures or symbols, and/or...
by skilled singers. An anonymous treatise of around 1450, known as the Pseudo-Chilston, includes the instruction: "And alwey beginne and ende thi Countertenor in a 5 [the interval of a fifth]. And thi Countergemel begynne and ende in unisoun." (1) That the singers would be given instruction on which intervals to use to begin and end indicates that they were not reading from written music, but improvising.
Composers of gymel include John Dunstaple, William Cornysh
William Cornysh
William Cornysh the Younger was an English composer, dramatist, actor, and poet.-Life:...
, Richard Davy
Richard Davy
Richard Davy was a Renaissance composer, organist and choirmaster, one of the most represented in the Eton Choirbook.-Biography:...
, John Browne
John Browne (composer)
John Browne is first among the composers of the Eton Choirbook both in size of contribution and excellence of achievement. It is astonishing that work of such exceptional interest should be known to us only from the Eton Choirbook, even given the paucity of late fifteenth- and early...
, and (much later) both Thomas Tallis
Thomas Tallis
Thomas Tallis was an English composer. Tallis flourished as a church musician in 16th century Tudor England. He occupies a primary place in anthologies of English church music, and is considered among the best of England's early composers. He is honoured for his original voice in English...
and Robert Parsons
Robert Parsons
Robert Parsons may refer to:* Robert Parsons , English composer* Robert Parsons , English priest* Robert E. Parsons, American politician* Bob Parsons , American entrepreneur...
, as well as the numerous named and anonymous composers in sources such as the Eton Choirbook
Eton Choirbook
The Eton Choirbook is a richly illuminated manuscript collection of English sacred music composed during the late fifteenth century. It was one of very few collections of Latin liturgical music to survive the Reformation, and originally contained music by 24 different composers; however, many of...
and the Caius Choirbook
Caius Choirbook
The Caius Choirbook is an illuminated choirbook dating to the early sixteenth century and containing much music by Tudor-period composers. The book appears to originate from Arundel in Sussex, and to have been created sometime in the late 1520s; the then Master of Arundel College, Edward Higgons,...
, among the few collections of English music to survive from the 15th century.