Gregorian Chants Rock!
The earliest music of the medieval period was performed by monks of the Christian faith. The music had a single melody line and no instrument to accompany it. It was perfect for singing by one person or many people singing in unison. This chanting type of music was called plainsong or plainchant. Latin words from the Roman Catholic Mass were used with simple melodies from the church’s own seven church Modes (modes were originally developed by ancient Greeks before the fall of the Roman Empire).
Plainsong is broken into two categories: responsorial (which started from the reciting of psalms) and antiphonal (which started as pure melody). These vocal melodies were usually sung alone (no instruments) and had a rhythm based on the spoken word.
At this time in the Middle Ages the countries in Europe were isolated from each other. Different versions of the chants developed in different sections. The chants developed by region which helped the local religious sections provide a more community atmosphere. It wasn't until around 600 C.E. when Pope Gregory I changed the Mass (making it common for all churches to follow) and made music in the church part of the ritual. Rome, at this time, was the center of religion for Western Europe. So the new Mass was done by combining the Roman and Gallican regional liturgies. The end result is the chant eventually became known as the Gregorian chant after the Pope, Pope Gregory I.
Gregorian Music with a modern song - Forever Young
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