 A |
 |
 |
THE GREGORIAN CHANT HISTORY
The Gregorian chant is the oldest musical manifestation of the Occident and
it has its roots in the songs of the old synagogues, since Jesus Christ`s
times.
The first Christians and disciples of Christ, were converted Jewish that,
persevering in prayer, continued to sing the psalms and songs of the Old Testament
as they were used, although with other sense. As long as the Greek, not Jews
and Romans were also becoming Christian, elements of the music and the Greek-French-Roman
culture were being included to the Jewish songs.
The formation period of the Gregorian chant includes the centuries I to VI,
reaching the peak in the centuries IX, X and XI, beginning of the Medium Age;
it begins, then, its decadence.
The
name is an homage to Pope Gregory I (540-604) that did a collection of pieces,
publishing them in two books: Antiphonarium, group or referring melodies at
the Canonical Hours, and the Graduale Romanum, containing Santa Mass`s songs.
He also began the “Schola Cantorum” that gave great development to the Gregorian
chant.
Starting from the initiative talent of D. Moquereau, at the end of XIX century,
the Saint Pierre
of Solesmes Monastery, in France, became the great center of studies and
practice of the Gregorian chant. Its monks, at that time, led off a paleography
work (the study of the old manuscripts) of Gregorian chant and a recovery
of the signs written in the centuries VII and IX. Then, appears the Gregorian
semiology, which is the interpretation of the signs, back to the source, establishing
a more authentic interpretation of the Gregorian chant; among others it appears
the talent work of Eugène Cardine, OSB.
At the beginning of XX century, Pope Pious X asks the Benedictine monks to
make a modern edition of the manuscripts, appearing then the Vatican Edition.
In 1985 another edition called “Graduale Triplex” with three notations of
the Gregorian chant: the Vatican, the one of Laon (France) and the other of
Saint Gaal (Switzerland).
After the accomplishment of the Vatican II Council (1965), Latin stopped being
the official language in the liturgy of the Church, and the liturgical celebrations
became accomplished of the vernacular language of each country and the practice
of the Gregorian chant was then restricted to the monasteries and admirers`
groups, who were found of the beauty of this “word-song”.
The principal characteristics of the Gregorian chant, also known as “plain
song”, are: the melodies are sung in unison (monodic), without predominance
of voices, in other words, strictly homofonic. with free rhythm, without compass,
just based on the accentuation and it`s sung “a capella”, that is, without
accompaniment of any musical instruments and the lyrics are in Latin, removing,
in its great majority, of the biblical texts, specially the psalms.
In 1994 it happened a “renaissance” of the Gregorian chant when it was released
by EMI, in CD, a record which have been recorded for more than 20 years ago
for the monks of Santo Domingo Monastery, of Silos, north
of Spain. The record reached the first place in sales in several countries,
and sold the mark of 5 million copies.
After that success several CDs were released by monks or laymen and some sang
in rock style, as for example the one of the German rock groups Enigma,
they recorded a CD “MCMXC A.D.” with great success all over the world and
Gregorian with beautiful CDs
recorded Masters of Chant, Lesiem.
Besides this, other groups recorded CDs: The Ultimate Compilation – Real Sadness
& Other Gregorian Mysteries, Gregorian Dance and Chantmania, recorded
by the Benzedrine Monks of Santo Domonica.
GREGORIAN CHANT IN THE INTERNET
Besides
the links that you found here, you can listen our first CD Rorate (male and
female voices) at the channel of Radio
Set with Gregorian chant and
sacred music. If you want to know more, search for the word Gregorian Chant
in other language in several: search
engines sites you can see here in this page:
| German | Gregorianische Gesäng |
| Spanish | Canto Gregoriano |
| French | Chant Grégorien |
| Latin | Cantus Gregorianus |
| Italian | Canto Gregoriano |
| Dutch | Gregoriaans |
