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Titre L'organum aux xiie et xiiie siècles : le discours musical comme stratégie de communication ou la légitimation implicite de l'autorité épiscopale
Auteur Guillaume Gross
Mir@bel Revue Revue historique
Numéro no 659, juillet 2011
Rubrique / Thématique
Enjeux de pouvoir à Notre-Dame de Paris
Page 487-510
Résumé Quelle place a tenu la polyphonie (organum) à partir de la seconde moitié du XIIe siècle et de quels enjeux sont révélateurs son avènement au sein des grandes fêtes liturgiques de la cathédrale Notre‑Dame de Paris ? Au cours de l'affrontement subtil et permanent que se livrent autorité spirituelle et pouvoir temporel dans la Cité, la promotion exceptionnelle de la polyphonie dans l'église de Paris nouvellement reconstruite montre une hiérarchie ecclésiale désireuse de renforcer son prestige. Elle tend également à affirmer la puissance d'un pouvoir épiscopal fragilisé par la politique expansionniste de la Curie romaine sous le pontificat d'Innocent III. Le développement de l'organum lors des grandes célébrations va ainsi contribuer à valoriser l'image de l'évêque et renforcer encore son autorité morale, spirituelle et politique dans son diocèse. Autour des notions de plenitudo potestatis et d'aberratio fidei se concrétise ainsi, dans la seconde moitié du xiie siècle, une manifestation inédite de la parole sacrée : l'organum... pro servitio divino multiplicando. Les organa sont les « miroirs » de l'évêque qui reflètent son pouvoir à travers leur fonction liturgique et, à ce titre, le discours musical se mesure en termes d'efficacité et entre dans une véritable « stratégie de la communication » menée sous le ministère d'Eudes de Sully (1196‑1208).
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Résumé anglais What place did polyphony (organum) take up from the second half of the twelfth century onwards and what issues are revealed by its advent in the great liturgical feasts of Notre‑Dame de Paris cathedral? During the constant and subtle confrontation engaged by the spiritual authority and the temporal power in the City, the special promotion of polyphony in the newly rebuilt church of Paris shows an ecclesiastical hierarchy keen to enhance its prestige. It also tends to affirm the power of an episcopal authority weakened by the expansionist policy of the Roman Curia under Pope Innocent III. In a context of oppositions and tensions, the development of polyphony during services contributes to enhance the image of the bishop and to further strengthen its moral, spiritual and political authority in his diocese. Thus, in the new decor of Notre Dame, an unprecedented revelation of the sacred word takes shape in the second half of the twelfth century : organum... pro servitio divino multiplicando. The organa, virtuoso solo songs, are not only an illustration and a special beautification of the texts of the psalms, they are also « mirrors » that reflect the bishop's power through their liturgical function.In this regard, we will focus on the Viderunt omnes response sung in four voices which gives a reinforced image of the plenitudo potestatis – not the one that Innocent III hoped and prayed for but that of a bishop who is the legitimate multi‑secular custodian and who intends to preserve both his spiritual authority over the souls of his diocese and his podestat over the subjects of his field. The Sederunt principes response emphasizes the struggle of pure souls against « evil » ones : it is indeed the aberratio fidei which is here stigmatized – faith gone astray and more surely fought and stifled by the beauty in which souls are shrouded during divine services. In the fight against delinquency, the bishop does not intend to let the precedence of pastoral action in his own diocese be stolen. A pragmatic prelate, anxious to keep control over the affairs of his domain, Eudes de Sully shows its power via the organum and he gathers the community around him.If the organum held an important role in this perspective of cohesion of the « ecclesia Paris », we will then wonder whether the compositions were directed only at a highly restricted circle of clerics, the only ones to be able to taste all their subtlety? In the light of the conditions accompanying the promotion of polyphony in the church of Paris, we will raise the question of the audience: which « public » for this music? Was it only reserved to a small number of well‑informed listeners? All are invited to see and hear : the organum, relying on the senses, is part of the promotion and enhancement of the image of Notre Dame and his bishop and as such, the musical discourse is also measured in terms of efficiency and is involved in a true « communication strategy » conducted by the ministry of Eudes de Sully (1196‑1208).
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