Concept Revision - Plainchant

Plainchant

·         Also known as Plainsong and Gregorian Chant

·        Unaccompanied melody set to words of the Catholic Liturgy such as the Mass, or traditional Catholic prayers.

·        Plainchants are modal and have no regular time meter. They follow the rhythm of the Latin words. 

·        Plainchant is usually in unison but sometimes there are simple harmony parts - this is called organum (2 parts which move together that same distance apart all the time, usually a 5^th.) This is the earliest form of harmony.

   Video: ‘Ubi Caritas’ :

Can you see how the written music is not in a clef nor does it have a time signature?

When you listen to a plainchant you will hear:

No instruments - a plainchant is A Cappella

Male Voices - Traditional Plainchants were only sang by monks and priests - who are only ever men!

Latin language - Roman Catholic prayers or parts of the Mass!

As you listen to the following playlist, try to identify the following features:

A Capella

Latin

Male Voices

Unison

Solo

Organum

Modal

Melismatic