gregorian chant
genresgreh-GOR-ee-un chahnt
Monophonic, unaccompanied sacred song of the medieval Catholic Church.
Gregorian chant is the oldest surviving body of Western music, consisting of monophonic (single-line) melodies sung without instrumental accompaniment. Named after Pope Gregory I, who is traditionally credited with organizing the repertoire, it was the principal music of the Catholic Church for over a millennium.
The chant uses a system of eight modes rather than the major-minor key system that came later. Its flowing, free rhythm follows the natural accents of the Latin text rather than a fixed meter. In the 20th century, the monks of the Abbey of Solesmes led a major effort to restore authentic performance practices, and Gregorian chant recordings have occasionally found mainstream commercial success.
A 1994 album of Gregorian chant by the monks of Santo Domingo de Silos became an unexpected international bestseller, reaching number three on the Billboard charts.