Haven’t had time to post recently.  I’ll try to get back on my game.  In the meantime, enjoy this description from Aelred (c. 1109-1166).  He doesn’t appear to be very pleased with the new music the kids are trying out in church.

“This voice sings afterwards, that one below, another above, another divides and cuts into the middle of certain notes.  A note is sung rapidly, then broken, then thrust against another note, then drawn out in extended sound…Sometimes you may see a man with an open mouth, not to sing but as it were to expire by shutting in his breath, and with a ridiculous interception of his voice to threaten silence.”