Gregorian Chant and the Sacred Song of the Church

What happened

The unaccompanied, single-line sacred song of the Western Church — plainchant, later called Gregorian chant after Pope Gregory I — was gathered and standardized across Europe from the era of Charlemagne. Sung in Latin by monks and clergy, its flowing, wordless-feeling melodies became the common musical language of Christendom.

Why it matters

Gregorian chant is the bedrock from which Western music grew. The effort to preserve and share it across a vast territory created the very need for a way to write music down.

Sources

• Medievalists.net. Medieval Music: Introduction to Gregorian Chant · Reputable source