c. 800–1000 CEReputable sourceWell documented
Gregorian Chant and the Sacred Song of the Church
On the timeline · around c. 800–1000 CE · The Medieval World
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
Related timelines
- The Middle Ages → — Music of the medieval Church