Cephalicus

(from Gk. kephalē: ‘head’).

In Western chant notations a neume signifying two notes, the second lower than the first and semi-vocalized. The name probably derives from the neume’s resemblance, in some notations, to a round head on a short neck. The cephalicus is the Liquescent form of the Clivis. Liquescence occurs on the consonants l, m, n, r, d, s and t, when these are succeeded by another consonant; on the double consonant gn; on i and j, when these follow another consonant; on m and g, when these have a vowel on either side; and on the diphthongs au, ei and eu. The second note of the cephalicus is sung to the consonant or vowel in these circumstances as a semi-vocalized passing note to the next (lower) note. (For illustration see Notation, §III, 1(ii), Table 1.)

BIBLIOGRAPHY

H. Freistedt: Die liqueszierenden Noten des gregorianischen Chorals: ein Beitrag zur Notationskunde (Fribourg, 1929)

M. Huglo: ‘Les noms des neumes et leur origine’, EG, i (1954), 53–67