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Page:The seven great hymns of the mediaeval church - 1902.djvu/176

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The Alleluiatic Sequence.

THE ALLELUIATIC SEQUENCE.


THIS famous Sequence, which may be regarded as the parent of every Hallelujah Chorus that has been written ſince, was compoſed by Godeſcalcus, prior to the year 950—the year of his death. The little that is known of him is given by his tranſlator.

"There is only one thing," ſays Dr. Neale, "with reſpect to the uſe of any of my hymns that has grieved me—the rejection of the noble melody of the Alleluiatic Sequence, and that for a third-rate chant. What would be ſaid of chanting the Dies Iræ? And yet I really believe that it would ſuffer leſs than does the Cantemus cuncti by ſuch a ſubſtitution. Further, be it noticed, every ſentence—I had almoſt ſaid every