A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Mediation

by William Smyth Rockstro

MEDIATION (Lat. Mediatio). That division of a Gregorian Tone which lies between the Intonation, and the Ending, forming, as it were, the main body of the Chaunt.

The Mediation begins, like the Ending, with a Reciting-Note—the Dominant of the Mode—whence it passes on to a short melodious phrase, the character of which differs, considerably, in different Tones. Each Tone has, in reality, only one Mediation; though that one exhibits itself, in most cases, in at least three different forms—one, used for the Psalms, one, for the Introits, and a third—commonly called the 'Festal Form'—for the Canticles. Moreover, Tones II, IV, V, VI, and VIII have each a special form of Mediation, used only when the first half of the Verse to which it is sung ends with a monosyllable, or Hebrew proper name. For examples of these different forms, see Tones, the Gregorian; under which heading will also be found a detailed account of the connexion of the Mediation with the other members of the Chaunt.

In addition to these recognised forms of the Mediation, certain others have attained, from time to time, a considerable amount of local popularity, in consequence of the claim put forth, by particular Dioceses—especially in France—to a peculiar 'Use' of their own. The utter abolition of such Diocesan Uses—almost all of which can be proved to have originated in a corrupt method of chaunting is one of the objects contemplated by the compilers of the Ratisbon Office-Books, as revised by the Sacred Congregation of Rites, and formally sanctioned by the authority of the Holy See. Should this object be attained, and a fixed standard adopted, free from modern innovations, and conformable, in every respect, to the antient purity of the Plain Chaunt, it will have the effect of silencing a few Gallican Mediations, which have long been established favourites, and the absence of which will, at first, perhaps be regretted: but it cannot fail to result in a vast improvement of the general style of chaunting the Psalms, and Canticles. [See Macicotaticum .]

[ W. S. R. ]