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Mueller Family Schola

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Dec 12, 2023, 11:12:54 PM12/12/23
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Hello, Latinists.

A bunch of small ensembles are singing in a church named after St. Louis, and they wanted to designate themselves by number of participants. How would that be done?

— Duettum Ludovici
— Trio Ludovici
— Quartettum Ludovici
— Quintettum Ludovici
— Sextettum Ludovici
— Septettum Ludovici

Which of these designations are accurate, and which need fixing?

Thanks, as ever, for your generous expertise —

ChoirMan

Ed Cryer

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Dec 13, 2023, 4:54:22 AM12/13/23
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Hello again, Choirman. Christmas must be coming up.

I'd beware of things like "decemviri" or "duoviri". They do occur in
classical Latin texts, put always referring to members of a board or
panel of judges.

"Triennium", "quadriennium" etc. also occur; three year period, four
year period.
But I can't find anything with specific reference to a group of musicians.

I'm going to go for the easy option.
Duo musici Ludoviciani
Tres ..........
Quattuor .......
etc.

Ed

P.S. A friend of mine is taking me on Saturday to a musical evening in
our parish church. She sings in the choir, and says they're singing
Latin on Saturday. I'm expecting Karl Orff's "Carmina Burana", but your
post reminds me that it could be other things.

Mueller Family Schola

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Dec 13, 2023, 4:17:20 PM12/13/23
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Dear Ed,

Thanks for your note. I'm sure that your friend's parish choir won't be singing Carmina Burana, but I hope you'll enjoy the evening nonetheless!

Thanks again, and yours sincerely,

ChoirMan

t400ec

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Dec 13, 2023, 4:44:38 PM12/13/23
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solo = sincinium
duet = bicinium
trio = tricinium
quartet = quadricinium
quintet = quinquecinium
sextet = sescinium
septet = septicinium
octet = octocinium

Most of these are from Isidore of Seville

B. Traven

Ed Cryer

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Dec 14, 2023, 4:25:24 AM12/14/23
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I'll go with those. "Cinium" preceded by a number; fair enough.
But why "sincinium" rather than "unicinium"?

Ed

t400ec

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Dec 14, 2023, 10:22:44 AM12/14/23
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See https://latinlexicon.org/definition.php?p1=2054958&p2=s
also monodia, a bit more transparent in meaning.

b.t.

Ed Cryer

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Dec 17, 2023, 5:01:32 AM12/17/23
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Nice concert. Private choir, all women, sopranos and altos; no tenors or
basses, sounded like an angels' choir.
A real mix of songs and hymns old and recent, echoing around an old
Norman parish church.
The Latin one was "Gaudete", which I know from an old Steeleye Span album.
https://mainlynorfolk.info/steeleye.span/songs/gaudete.html

Ed

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