A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Precentor

by William Barclay Squire

PRECENTOR (Greek, Protopsaltes and Canonarcha; French, Grand Chantre; Spanish, Chantre, Caput scholae or Capiscol; German, Primicier; at Cologne, Chorepiscopus). The director of the choir in a cathedral, collegiate, or monastic church. In the English cathedrals of the old foundation, as well as in the cathedrals of France, Spain, and Germany, the Precentor was always a dignitary, and ranked next to the Dean, although in a few instances the Archdeacons preceded him. At Exeter the Precentor installed the Canons; at York he installed the Dean and other dignitaries; and at Lichfield even the Bishop received visible possession of his office from his hands. At Paris the Precentor of Notre Dame divided with the Chancellor the supervision of the schools and teachers in the city, and of the respondents in the university. The dignity of Precentor was established at Exeter, Salisbury, York, and Lincoln in the 11th century; at Rouen, Amiens, Chichester, Wells, Lichfield, and Hereford in the 12th century; and at St. David's and St. Paul's (London) in the 13th century. In cathedrals of the new foundation (with the exception of Christ Church, Dublin) the Precentor is a minor canon appointed by the Dean and Chapter, and removable at their pleasure. The duties of the Precentor were to conduct the musical portion of the service, to superintend the choir generally, to distribute copes and regulate processions; on Sundays and great festivals to begin the hymns, responses, etc., and at Mass to give the note to the Bishop and Dean, as the Succentor did to the canons and clerks. In monasteries the Precentor had similar duties, and was in addition generally chief librarian and registrar, as well as superintendent of much of the ecclesiastical discipline of the establishment. In some French cathedrals he carries a silver or white staff, as the badge of his dignity. In the Anglican Church his duties are to superintend the musical portions of the service, and he has the general management of the choir. His stall in the cathedral corresponds with that of the Dean. (Walcott, 'Sacred Archæology'; Hook, 'Church Dictionary.')

[ W. B. S. ]