Musica Mensurata or Cantus Mensurabilis

MUSICA MENSURATA or Cantus Mensurabilis (Measured Music). The notes of Plain Chaunt were originally of equal length; or, at least, were only lengthened or shortened indefinitely, in accordance with the accent of the words to which they were adapted. But, after the invention of Figured Music, it became necessary to design a system of Notation capable of expressing the relative duration, as well as the pitch, of every note intended to be sung; and thus arose a new species of Song,...