Mensural Notation


The system of musical notation that was established c. 1250 by Franco of Cologne and remained in use until 1600.

Notational signs fall into two classes;  single notes and ligatures.  The single notes are:

Mensuration is the general term for the temporal relationships between the note values, comparable to the different meters of the modern system.  Special terms are: In mensural notation the chief notes, namely L, B, and S, may equal either two or three notes of the next smallest value.  This dichotomy is indicated by the terms "imperfect" or "perfect" and "major" or "minor."  Omitting the "modus" which is usually imperfect, there results four combinations of tempus and prolatio, which constitute the four main mensurations of mensural notations and are indicated by special signs.