CANONE INNODICO. - Indicates the rule to be followed in liturgical poetry. Rhythm, in this case, assumes a form or pattern already established, to which the composer must conform. A rule or c. was already observed in classical Greek poetry, both in the number of feet and of stanzas. The tendency toward artistic freedom, however, gave rise to many exceptions or substitutions, called “poetic licenses.” At a certain time, poetic compositions which least followed the said c. were called “irmos” (v. IRMO) (ἐφρός). Liturgical poetry had, and still has, its own
c., although some differ from those of classical poetry. In the East from s. Efrem, then in the West, especially through the work of s. Ilario and s. Ambrogio, poetry or hymnody was employed for popular purposes. S. Ambrogio used it to instruct the people concerning Catholic dogma and to combat the errors of heretics; in order better to adapt himself to the popular style, he replaced the quantity of classical feet with the stress or accent of words. Various kinds of composition have been adapted over the course of time for liturgical hymnody; but the classical type is the verse of eight syllables, with stanzas of four lines, resembling the “iambic-metrical” form. Of all the hymnographic c., only the number of syllables in fact remains. It is not known whether, in the beginning, the melody was absolutely and always syllabic; it is certain, however, that hymns of very ancient type already have melodies more or less ornamented, and therefore the cadential harmonic effect of the eight beats is less perceptible. In any case, at least in recitation, “elision” is observed when there are more than eight syllables; and this practice is also preferred in singing. Gregorio M. Suhol