What is Gregorian chant, and where does it come from?

What purpose does it serve, and how did it take on the form and features which make it instantly recognizable? Designed to guide students through this key topic, this book answers these questions and many more.

Contents and Focus

David Hiley describes the church services in which chant is performed, takes the reader through the church year, explains what Latin texts were used, and, taking Worcester Cathedral as an example, describes the buildings in which it was sung.

Historical Development

The history of chant is traced from its beginnings in the early centuries of Christianity, through the Middle Ages, the revisions in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, and the restoration in the nineteenth and twentieth.

Musical Examples and Notation

Using numerous music examples, the book shows how chants are made and how they were notated.

Audience and Significance

An indispensable guide for all those interested in the fascinating world of Gregorian chant.