Christian music

Christian music is music created by or adapted for the Christian church.

Gregorian chant

Main article: Gregorian chant

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Around the 8th to 10th centuries, Gregorian chant, a form of monophonic, unaccompanied singing, developed in the Catholic church. While its roots are somewhat obscure, the chant was classified into eight modes derived from Byzantine chant. The texts that are chanted are mostly from the Bible, and mostly in Latin (there are some Greek texts such as Kyrie eleison and Hagios Theos}. Gregorian chant has gone through periods of decline and revival, most notably, the revival at Solesmes, where an official Vatican Edition of the Chant was produced. Most editions of Gregorian chant available today can be traced to the work of the Solesmes monks.

Related Topics:
8th - 10th centuries - Monophonic - Catholic church - Modes - Byzantine chant - Solesmes - Vatican Edition

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Since Vatican II, the use of liturgical Latin has declined, and with it, Gregorian chant. However, the immense popularity of the recordings of the Monks of Santo Domingo de Silos in the 1990's has suggested that there is an enthusiastic audience for chant.

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