plainchant
Unaccompanied sacred melody
Plainchant is unaccompanied vocal music used in Christian liturgy, especially the medieval tradition of Gregorian chant.
The melodies follow the natural rhythm of the text rather than a regular beat, sung in unison without harmony.
The term emphasizes the music's simplicity compared to later polyphonic styles: The monks sang the psalm in plainchant.
Named for a pope
- antiphonAlternating liturgical song
- psalmodySacred vocal music practice
- MassCatholic worship service
- introitOpening liturgical music
offertory · communion · Kyrie · Gloria · requiem · alleluia · benediction · gradual
Simultaneous identical action
- melodyPleasing sequence of notes
- monodySolo vocal lamentation
- single-lineContained to one row
- unaccompaniedWithout others present
modal · a cappella · intonation · recitation · syllabic · melismatic · drone · precentor
Religious seclusion dwelling
- abbeyMonastic house of worship
- monksCloistered religious men
- BenedictineMonk following ancient rule
- scriptoriumMonastery manuscript workshop
parchment · codex · manuscript · Hildegard · notation · medieval · cloister · refectory
Rhythmic repetitive vocalization
- intoningUttering in measured pitch
- singingVocal music-making
- recitativeSpeechlike operatic singing
- vocalizationProducing sounds with voice
breath control · choir · soloist · call-and-response · processional · recessional · acoustics
Gregorian
Named for a pope
introit · offertory · communion · Kyrie · Gloria · requiem · alleluia · benediction · gradual · tract
unison
Simultaneous identical action
- melodyPleasing sequence of notes
- monodySolo vocal lamentation
- single-lineContained to one row
unaccompanied · modal · a cappella · intonation · recitation · syllabic · melismatic · drone · precentor · soloist
monastery
Religious seclusion dwelling
- abbeyMonastic house of worship
- monksCloistered religious men
- BenedictineMonk following ancient rule
scriptorium · parchment · codex · manuscript · Hildegard · notation · medieval · cloister · refectory · chapter house
chanting
Rhythmic repetitive vocalization
- intoningUttering in measured pitch
- singingVocal music-making
- recitativeSpeechlike operatic singing
vocalization · breath control · choir · soloist · call-and-response · processional · recessional · acoustics
Dorian
Hellenic people or name
- sacred musichymns, hymn, anthem, anthems, gospel
- choral musicchoral music, choral works, choral arrangements, choral arrangement, choir arrangements
- church musicanthems, hymnal, masses, hymnbook, canticles
- Classic MusicBach, Beethoven, Mozart, Handel, Vivaldi
- Liturgical Musichymn, psalm, antiphon, Gloria, introit
- melodytune, melody, theme, air, phrase
plainchantpolyphony
Simultaneous independent melodic lines
counterpoint · fugue · madrigal · motet · four-part harmony
plainchantcoloratura
Elaborate vocal ornamentation
orchestral music · symphony · opera · baroque music · bel canto
plainchantsecular music
Non-sacred musical works
popular music · drinking song · dance music · cabaret · vaudeville
plain, chant, cantor, canticle, descant, plainsong, chanty, Gregorian chant