porrectus

Meaning of Porrectus in Music

In music, the term "porrectus" refers to a specific neume or melodic figure used in Gregorian chant notation. A neume is a symbol used to represent a musical note or group of notes in plainchant notation. Gregorian chant is a form of monophonic, unaccompanied vocal music that developed in the medieval period.

The porrectus neume consists of three ascending notes followed by three descending notes. It is represented by a diagonal line with a dot or small square at each end. The ascending notes are sung first, followed by the descending notes. The porrectus is typically used to convey a melodic contour that rises and then falls.

Here is an example of the porrectus neume in notation: **Porrectus: up-down-up**.

It's important to note that the interpretation and execution of neumes, including the porrectus, can vary depending on the specific chant tradition and the performer's understanding of the notation.