A [Brief] Overview of Gregorian Chant

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[Salvation]

Gregorian Chant

In the three centuries following the death of Saint Benedict, there emerged in the Western Church a marvelously unified tradition of liturgical music known as Gregorian Chant, taking its name from the sixth century Pope Saint Gregory the Great, who did much to promote the use of the chant.

Characterized chiefly by its purely melodic form, without even the simplest harmonies, Gregorian Chant is sometimes known as "plainsong"; the word "plain" being used to distinguish it from the later harmonic music rather than to denote any lack of charm or interest.

Noteworthy also is the unmeasured or "free" rhythm: the melodies do not have the regular "beat" which is characteristic of nearly all the music of the last millennium. This tends to give the music a very spiritual quality, since it has no echoes of dance or martial display and certainly not of contemporary popular music.

Today we are fortunate in having a very rich selection of Gregorian Chant available in books, largely owing to the work of the monks of the Abbey of Solesmes in France. For a century and a half they have made careful researches into the most authentic traditions of the chant, comparing manuscripts from all over Europe, in order to produce a selection of liturgical books that can be used for all the monastic Divine Office and for the celebration of the Mass.

[Salvation]

I am sure some of you who are more musically inclined have much more information here.

I invite you to post links, music, recordings, more information, etc.

[Salvation]

Catholic Music Ping!

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[Salvation]

Ping!

[Salvation]

FR search on Gregorian Chant

And a few more links

[Chode]

my personal favorite is CHANT by the Benedictine Monks of Santo Domingo De Silos on Angel Records.

[Salvation]

Sounds good. Thanks for coming on board.

[pieces of time]

Thanks for the information.

[johnb838]

The reason this sort of music and sacred choral music in general is known as "chorus angelorum" is because the technique of "staggered breathing" where the members take turns breathing, gives the impression that breath is never taken, adding to the supernatural effect.

[Salvation]

That would make it beautidul.......seemingly going on forever. (And very possible since it is not measured.)

[Salvation]

You're welcome!

[Aristotle721]

Given that today is the Double Feast of Pope St. Pius X in the 1962 Missal, and the Memorial of Pope St. Gregory the Great in the 1970 Missal, chant is an apt topic. Gregorian Chant derives its name from the latter, and was a focus of revival for the former.

Humbly submitted for your edification, enjoyment, and in certain cases, a higher use for your mp3 players:

• A Lay Apostolate for Chant: mp3s and notation
• A Musical Journey through GIRM: Primary-source documentation surrounding implementation of sacred music (1970 Missal)
• Church music vs. the average church musician: should it be that way?
• Credo in MP3: all seven currently published Credos in mp3 and notation; see also Why sing the Creed in Latin?
• De Musica Sacra and the call for psalmody at Mass: 1958 document applicable to 1962 and 1970 Missals
• Gregorian Chant Psalm Tones: used for singing psalm verses
• Jubilate Deo: the minimum plainchant repertoire as issued by the CDW in 1974 (yes, 1974) as a personal gift of Pope Paul VI
• The Blueprint: Sacred Music in Your Parish
• The Gregorian Missal for Sundays: a review
• Towards vocalized contemplation: for the mystical types
• Why not following explicit Vatican II musical directives can be expensive for a parish: for the beancounters on the liturgy committee

[js1138]

[ninenot]

You get the idea--it SHOULD sound 'like it goes on forever.' Ratzinger said that when the Temple curtain ripped, it signified the beginning-again of Cosmic Worship--that it was no longer confined to the Temple.

Thus, Chant (and all sacred music) represents not only the song of the Angels, but the cosmic worship/music of the spheres.

[livius]

Another link:

http://www.mjballou.com/sacredsong.htm

This has got bits on different types of chant. She's working very hard to bring back Gregorian in a parish in a small Southern city - actually, I shouldn't say "bring back," because I'm not sure they ever had it in the first place.

[Conservative til I die]

I got a pleasntly big kick out of the Gregorian-style chant being done at the greta Our Saviour parish in NYC when I attended Mass there a few times. In English no less.

[Salvation]

**when the Temple curtain ripped, it signified the beginning-again of Cosmic Worship--that it was no longer confined to the Temple.**

I had never seen this put into words before!

[Salvation]

Thanks for the link.

[Salvation]

I would love to hear it.

[AlguyA]

Bookmark, and thanks for this. Its an answer to a prayer.

[Prod Convert]

Many thanks for the links and your astute thoughts. I am a bass singer and instrumentalist for our church choir. I cannot stand the insipid post VII music by the contemporaries such as Schutte. Even the old Prod hymns are better, or black Baptist spirituals. The idea of singing the Ordinary in Latin is very compelling. I'll bring it up with our new priest. What about instrumental participation (French horn) in the ordinary?