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I have to admit, the most I have been exposed to Gregorian Chant has not been in the Church, but through choir experiences. Oftentimes in college, a director would pull a piece out in order to teach us about unison singing, pure vowels, or un-metered type music.
Of the pieces I have sung during Mass, some were often included in the missalette, and were fairly easy to implement. I really do appreciate the times when the priest will sing the “Lord, Have Mercy”, and the “Our Father” in those chant-like settings.
For me, it brings a sense of simplicity and reverence to the text of these ancient prayers in the Mass. And makes them very beautiful and meditative.
A lot of churches are adding Latin Masses back into their service offerings. Furthermore, the Church is promoting and encouraging that parishes make a way for the congregation to participate in them as well as the singers.
I personally have never been to a Latin Mass in the United States.
Back in 2011, I had the amazing chance to accompany my college choir on a tour in Italy! Of all places, this would have been one of my first choices! I had a wonderful opportunity to sing the Sanctus for a Mass entirely in Latin.
It was nerve-wracking for sure but so amazing to be singing a beautiful chant in a large cathedral. If I recall, we were in Padua celebrating and singing for the Mass. I will never forget that trip, and all the amazing music we sang and the churches we saw.
Named after St. Gregory 1, who was also a pope, chant came into existence in the 6th and 7th centuries.
A type of Psalm and the Alleluia was developed first, followed by the Kyrie, Agnus Dei, Gloria, and eventually all of the Mass propers. Of course, they were modified and re-written more than once, but the same basic structure of message and purpose remained the same.
From the roots of chant flow sequences and the music for each of the eight canonical hours: Matins, Lauds, Prime, Terce, Sext, None, Vespers, and Compline. (source for entire section)
So you can see the very basics and roots of almost all music the Church uses came from very early in the Church’s history. That is remarkable, and something to take note of moving forward in the rest of this article.
The really cool thing about Gregorian Chant is that it speaks to all of us music geeks in the way it incorporates so many of the basic structures of music within its pieces.
You can find the characteristics of:
Gregorian Chant, in itself, is not a simple thing to sing. Glancing at a page of chant might look simple, but it is complex in its own way. You might ask a few questions in order to decide if Gregorian Chant is something that you or your parish might want to implement.
If you are thinking about singing the Mass propers in a chant, this is certainly doable. There are many beautiful and simple versions of the Mass propers in the hymnals as well as online.
Furthermore, some missalettes or hymnals will provide you with the chant music, and change the words to English, so if learning Latin is daunting to you, you could maybe go that route.
My experience of singing more chant propers came around Lent-time (especially Holy Week) when Masses were more solemn.
Some might look at the music and say, yeah, easy enough. But there is a process and a form and purpose to each. Plus, you have to learn how to read music slightly differently based on the way it is written.
There are many websites, tutorials, and tips for learning Gregorian Chant. This is super helpful and will help you figure out the logistics of Gregorian Chant. Let me list them.
Musica Sacra – they provide a whole list of works to use during the Mass on their website. It includes the older and more complex music as well as the simplified versions that might work for smaller parishes with fewer resources. This site is the jackpot for all Latin Chant resources!
The Parish Book of Chant – this PDF provided by Musica Sacra is invaluable for those wanting to incorporate Parish Chant into their Masses. Most every part of the Mass can be sung in Latin to create a Latin Mass.
Latin Mass Society Videos – I share one example with the link about Gregorian Chant, though you could subscribe and poke around their channel if you like!
Gregorian Chant: A Guide – if you love to read, this free PDF from Musica Sacra might be a great option for you to discover more about Gregorian Chant.
Gregorian Chant Hymns – Listen and view specific Gregorian Chant hymns. Great resource if you are searching for some for your choir or to practice with!
Gregorian Chant Tutorial – There are 4 lessons involved in this online tutorial that might help you understand the basics of chant more fully.
The Gregorian Chant Home Page – resources from all around the world and different regions, and a good overview of why chant is becoming more popular.
I have made this YouTube Playlist for you to hear some examples of Gregorian chant. This type of music is still used in many monasteries and orders around the world. I will include some of their recordings, as well as the universally sung Latin Mass propers. Enjoy!
I know that not all of you will use chant in your Masses or lives at some point, but it is definitely worth considering. Many Catholic Churches in the U.S. have gone back to traditional Latin Masses, implementing these timeless pieces of chant.
Chant is beautiful to listen to, complex to look at, and challenging to sing. It is calming, meditative, and spans over centuries in the history of the Church.
I pray that this post gave you a good place to start discovering more about Gregorian chant. Use the resources that I provided to help you find what you are looking for!
What is your favorite piece of chant music?
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View Comments
Hello Gessica,
I am compiling a musicological study, more for myself really, though
it is helpful in my music lessons, etc. and have been lately glancing back
to the earliest music we know of which led me back to chant
(I have owned and enjoyed "Chant" for sometime).
I know after unison singing by the men, the next developmental step
was adding young boy singers, who would sing an octave higher than
the men. I have not found any recordings of this step.
Do you happen to know of any recordings of chant being sung
in octaves like that?
Any help is appreciated.
Thank you!
Brent
Hi Brent! Sorry for the late reply, and I do not know of any recordings with both men and young boys. Hope you have found something for your research.
Thank you, God bless!