Sarah Mitchell
Gregorian chants are a form of monophonic, unaccompanied sacred song in Latin that developed in Western and Central Europe during the 9th and 10th centuries. They are named after Pope St. Gregory the Great and are considered the music most suitable for worship by the Roman Catholic Church. The chants are textually rich and poetically embody numerous Catholic doctrines, beliefs, and devotional practices. They are often performed in responsorial style by a solo cantor alternating with a chorus. While they are rarely sung during services today, they can still be heard in some retired monasteries. Some of the best-known Gregorian chants include Dies Irae, Salve Regina, and Anima Christi. These chants are often used during mourning and funeral masses, with their solemn tones and references to the Last Judgment and salvation.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Language | Latin (and occasionally Greek) |
| Performance style | Alternating choruses, responsorial style, or solo cantor |
| Tempo | Monophonic or unison |
| Lyrics | Poetically embody Catholic doctrines, beliefs, and practices |
| Examples | Salve Regina, Dies Irae, Anima Christi, Da Pacem Domine, Crucem Sanctam |
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What You'll Learn
The history of Gregorian chants
Gregorian chants are named after St. Gregory I, or Pope Gregory the Great, during whose papacy (590–604) they were collected and codified. Although popular legend credits Pope Gregory I with inventing Gregorian chant, scholars believe that he only ordered a compilation of melodies from across the Christian world. Gregorian chants were initially organized into four modes, then eight, and finally 12.
Gregorian chant is the central tradition of Western plainchant, a form of monophonic, unaccompanied sacred song in Latin (and occasionally Greek) of the Roman Catholic Church. It is the music of the Roman Rite, performed in the Mass and the monastic Office. It is characterized by free-flowing melodies, sacred Latin texts, and a signature monophonic texture. Chanting has been a part of the liturgy since the early days of the Catholic Church, but Gregorian chant—which began to take shape in the 9th century—is the earliest form of liturgical music that was written and preserved for the historical record. It developed mainly in western and central Europe during the 9th and 10th centuries, with later additions and redactions.
The development of musical notation helped spread Gregorian chants across Europe. The first extant sources with musical notation were written around 930 (Graduale Laon). Before this, plainchant was transmitted orally. The earlier notated manuscripts are primarily from Regensburg in Germany, St. Gall in Switzerland, Laon and St. Martial in France. The chants can be sung by using six-note patterns called hexachords. Gregorian melodies are traditionally written using neumes, an early form of musical notation from which the modern four-line and five-line staff developed.
During the Carolingian dynasty, Gregorian chants evolved from an amalgamation of Old Roman chant and the Franks' Gallican chant. This was due to the Carolingians' desire for liturgical unity across their territories. The emergence of polyphony at the end of the medieval period marked the beginning of the gradual decline of Gregorian chants.
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How Gregorian chants are performed
Gregorian chants, named after Pope St. Gregory the Great, are performed a cappella, without musical support, and sung in Latin. They are sacred monophonic or unison liturgical music of the Roman Catholic Church, used to accompany the text of the mass and the canonical hours, or divine office.
Gregorian chants are textually rich, with lyrics that poetically embody numerous Catholic doctrines, pious beliefs, and devotional practices. The chants represent a wide variety of the Gregorian repertoire, including antiphons, hymns, and sequences, even a Mass proper. They are typically sung in unison without rhyme, meter, or musical accompaniment, with the tones rising and falling in an unstructured fashion.
The chants can be performed by a choir or by a solo cantor alternating with a chorus (antiphonal style). The solo cantor sings the opening words of responsorial chants, with the full chorus finishing the end of the opening phrase. This innovation allows the soloist to fix the pitch of the chant for the chorus and cue their entrance.
Gregorian chants are written using neumes, an early form of musical notation from which the modern four-line and five-line staff developed. The neumes indicate special vocal treatments, such as oriscus, quilisma, and liquescent, which have been largely neglected due to uncertainty about how to sing them. In square notation, small groups of ascending notes on a syllable are shown as stacked squares, read from bottom to top, while descending notes are written with diamonds read from left to right.
Today, Gregorian chants are rarely sung during services, but they can still be heard in some retired monasteries.
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The influence of Jewish worship on Gregorian chants
Gregorian chants, though no longer obligatory, are still officially considered by the Roman Catholic Church as the music most suitable for worship. They are primarily set to sacred Latin texts and intended for use during religious ceremonies and worship.
The origins of Gregorian chants can be traced back to the first centuries after Christ, where they retained elements of the Jewish synagogue. The tonus peregrinus, for instance, developed from the ancient Jewish chant for In exitu Israel, which is still sung by Jews in Yemen. The musicality of the modes with melodic formulas is also similar to traditions of the east, with patterns that are comparable to all oktoechos traditions.
The Jewish influence on Gregorian chants is evident in the structure and style of the chants, which incorporated aspects of Jewish synagogue singing. Biblical texts indicate hymn directions and chant structures that predate Christian texts. The Psalms, for example, were not merely read but chanted in public worship of God, in which Jesus himself participated as a child. This chant was further developed in the Catholic Church and became what is now known as the Gregorian chant.
The Gregorian chant also shares similarities with the Syriac liturgy, which may resemble what was sung in the ancient Jewish temple. The threefold "sanctus" in Gregorian chants derives from the threefold "kadosh" of the Kedushah, and ""Amen" and "alleluia" are both words that come from Hebrew.
In conclusion, the influence of Jewish worship on Gregorian chants is undeniable. The chants retained elements of Jewish worship practices and synagogue singing, and the development of the Gregorian chant can be traced back to ancient Jewish hymnody and psalmody.
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The most famous Gregorian chants
Gregorian chants, performed a cappella and sung in Latin, first came into existence in the 9th and 10th centuries in Western and Central Europe. They are named after Pope St. Gregory the Great (540-604 A.D). Although the tradition of Gregorian chants has declined since the Second Vatican Council introduced the use of native language in the Mass in 1962, they are still performed in some retired monasteries.
Salve Regina
The Salve Regina, or "Hail holy Queen" in English, is one of the most well-known Gregorian chants. It is one of the Marian Antiphons, which are sung after Compline every night, all year round, wherever the Divine Office is celebrated. It is also commonly sung at any public gathering of Catholics. The current form of the Salve Regina is derived from the abbey of Cluny, which pioneered independent monastic houses.
Dies Irae
The Dies Irae is one of the most iconic features of the Requiem Mass. The melody has been used in many classical music pieces and movie soundtracks, including Star Wars, The Lion King, The Lord of the Rings, Frozen, and Dune. Despite its popularity, Oscar Wilde objected to its focus on judgement, preferring to find beauty in nature as a representation of God.
The Golden Sequence
The Golden Sequence is a chant for Pentecost, which falls fifty days after Easter. It is considered so beautiful that it has been called "The Golden Sequence." The text was likely written by either Pope Innocent III or Stephen Langton, the Archbishop of Canterbury, in the 13th century.
Agnus Dei
The Agnus Dei, or "Lamb of God," is a Gregorian chant that is often used in the liturgy and daily devotions. It is one of the most culturally prominent chants, frequently referenced in literature.
Crucem Sanctam
The Crucem Sanctam is another popular Gregorian chant. It is often mentioned alongside the Salve Regina as one of the first chants people are exposed to.
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The decline of Gregorian chants
Gregorian chants, which first emerged in the 9th and 10th centuries in Western and Central Europe, are a form of monophonic, unaccompanied sacred song in Latin (and occasionally Greek) of the Roman Catholic Church. They are named after Pope St. Gregory the Great (540-604 A.D.) and are typically sung in unison without rhyme, meter or musical accompaniment.
Despite their long history, the tradition of Gregorian chants began to decline with the emergence of polyphony at the end of the medieval period. This distorted the phrasing, melody and rhythm of the chants, and they were discarded by the Renaissance and Protestantism. Although attempts were made to restore Gregorian chants according to the rules of modern music from the 17th century onwards, the chants lost their purity and power of expression and were no longer able to inspire the Church's prayers.
The Second Vatican Council's decision to introduce the use of native languages in the Mass instead of Latin in 1962 further contributed to the decline of Gregorian chants. Today, they are rarely sung during services but can still be heard in some retired monasteries. However, it is worth noting that the Roman Catholic Church still officially considers Gregorian chants to be the music most suitable for worship.
Despite their decline, Gregorian chants remain a significant part of Catholic tradition and culture, with many Catholics knowing at least the simple tones of chants such as the Salve Regina. The chants are also widely recognised outside of religious contexts, with the melody of the Dies Irae chant appearing in popular culture, including movie soundtracks such as Star Wars, The Lion King, and The Lord of the Rings.
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Frequently asked questions
Gregorian chants are a form of monophonic, unaccompanied sacred song in Latin (and occasionally Greek) of the Roman Catholic Church. They first appeared in the 9th and 10th centuries in Western and Central Europe.
"Dies Irae" ("The Day of Wrath") is a Gregorian chant suitable for mourning. It is a sombre plainchant that describes the Last Judgment, with the saved delivered to heaven and the unsaved cast into eternal flames. Other mournful chants include "Salve Regina", "Crucem Sanctam", and "Victimae Paschali Laudes".
Gregorian chants are performed a cappella, without musical support. They are typically organised into 12 modes and feature characteristic ambitus and intervallic patterns. The lyrics poetically embody numerous Catholic doctrines, pious beliefs, and devotional practices.
Although Gregorian chant is no longer obligatory, the Roman Catholic Church still officially considers it the music most suitable for worship. Today, Gregorian chants are rarely sung during services but can still be heard in some retired monasteries.
The "Dies Irae" has been quoted or alluded to in numerous classical music pieces, including works by Mozart, Verdi, Berlioz, Britten, Stravinsky, and Rachmaninoff. In popular culture, references to the "Dies Irae" can be found in films such as Star Wars, The Lion King, The Lord of the Rings, Frozen, and Dune.
