Some chapters have sub-chanters, those of Arras being among the honorary resident canons", where also the quoted statutes of the Bishop of Dijon may serve to illustrate the modern idea of the office of precentor: "The Précenteur or Grand Chantre is the head of the choir and. "In the dioceses of Aix, Carcassonne, Coutances, Dijon, Metz, Orléans, the dignity of Precentor is still the highest in the chapter. This "baton cantoral" is a silver or white staff. "In France, some chapters retain traces of the dignity of Precentor, and one may see sometimes an archdeacon, sometimes a titular or honorary canon, carrying the baton cantoral, the insignia of his office". But from the fourteenth century the title and dignity were largely handed over to incumbents whose musical knowledge did not fit them for the duties to which the name of precentor owed its origin the dignities remained, but the duties became obscured. In some instances a precentor's sphere of activity was much broader, including the duty of installing deans, canons, and other dignitaries and in some monasteries, the duties of librarian and registrar. In the cathedrals of England, France, Spain, and Germany, a precentor sometimes ranked next to the dean, sometimes next to the archdeacon. His office was obviously one demanding much learning and executive ability, and his dignity corresponded with his duties. The schola was always in attendance when the bishop officiated in his cathedral, and to the precentor was assigned a place near the bishop and high in dignity. Gregory the Great in acting as directors of chant-schools. In the Middle Ages the principal dignitaries of cathedral, collegiate chapters, and monastic orders, imitated the example of St. Hugo tells us that in the care of the primicerius were placed the acolytes, exorcists, lectors, and psalmists (chanters).
He was variously styled capiscol (from the Latin caput scholæ, head of the choir-school), prior scholæ, magister scholæ, and primicerius (a word of widely different implications). gave the pitch or tone to the bishop and dean at Mass (the succentor performing a similar office to the canons and clerks) recruited and taught the choir, directed its rehearsals and supervised its official functions interpreted the rubrics and explained the ceremonies, ordered in a general way the Divine Office and sometimes composed desired hymns, sequences, and lessons of saints. Anciently, the precentor had various duties such as being the first or leading chanter, who on Sundays and greater feasts intoned certain antiphons, psalms, hymns, responsories etc. The term precentor described sometimes an ecclesiastical dignitary, sometimes an administrative or ceremonial officer.
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