neum(e)s

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neum(e)s (from Gr. neuma, ‘gesture’ or ‘sigh’). System of mus. notation from 7th to 14th cents. Orig. generating forms were grave and acute accents with a horizontal line, but developed into elaborate system for plainsong manuals of the church. Gave precise indication of pitch, but at first were merely approximate indications to singer of shape of the melody.

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