Edrian Z.

Espedillon
MAPEH 9
MEDIEVAL PERIOD
AND GREGORIAN
WHEN did the Medieval
Period began?
 Medieval Period or
sometimes called Middle Ages.
 800 CE – 1400 CE –
Charlemagne was crowned
Emperor of the holy Roman
Empire
 450 CE – 1450 CE
 600 CE – 1450 CE
 GREGORIAN CHANT
Referred to as plainchant or
plainsong
Gregorian chant is the official
sacred music of the Roman Catholic
church over 1000 years.
Hymns , or praise songs which
are derived from Biblical
Scripture, were from
Byzantium.
 Syria developed
antiphonal singing (alternate
singing of choirs) and
responsorial singing ( a solo
voice part followed by singing
in unison of the choir).
BRANCHES OF
CHANT
MOZARABIC CHANT- It was
used in Spain and was
influenced by the Moors who
invaded the Iberian Peninsula.
BYZANTIUM CHANT-
It became the official
chant of the Greek
Orthodox Church.
GALLICAN CHANT- It was
used by the Franks
(members of the Germanic
tribes that established the
Frankish Empire) until the 8 th

century.
AMBROCIAN CHANT- It
was well- known for its
hymns and antiphonal
singing.
GREGORIAN CHANT- It
dominated all other
Western plainchant. It
was organized by Pope
Gregory the Great.
 CHARACTERISTICS OF
GREGORIAN CHANT
Usually performed without
instrumental accompaniment or a
capella.
Monophonic texture
Limited range
Sung in Latin
Unmetered (i.e., does not have time
signatures)
 Text Setting of the Gregorian Chant
Text Setting is the relationship
between the melody of the
chant and the text. This are
divided into four classifications.
A. Syllabic
One syllable of the text
is set to one note of the
chant melody
4 beats 1 beat 1/4 beat

2 beats 1/2 beat 1/16 beat

Types of Musical Rest
Whole
(4 Beats)
Half
(2 Beats)
Quarter
(1 Beat)
Eight
(1/2 Beat)
Sixteenth
(1/4 Beat)
◦In syllabic text setting, each syllable of a word is broken
up and assigned to an individual note.
B. Neumatic
One syllable of the text
is set to a few notes of
the chant melody.
◦Neumatic is a style of plainsong (such as Gregorian
chanting) in which each syllable is sung as two to four
notes.
◦It denotes multiple notes sung for each syllable.
C. Melismatic
One syllable of the text
is set to many melodic
notes of the chant.
D. Psalmodic
Numerous syllables of
the text are set to only
one repeated note of
the chant melody.
THE ROMAN
CATHOLIC
LITURGY
THE ROMAN MASS
Gregorian chant melodies
are used to composed the
different parts of the Mass.
The Mass is divided into two
main parts:
A. PROPER
Includes the six sections that
use music such as the Introit,
Gradual, Alleluia, Tract,
Offertory, and Communion.
◦ Introit – Sung at the beginning of a mass or opening song.
◦ Gradual - The fourth sung item of a Proper Mass, sung
between the Epistle and the Alleluia (or Tract).
◦ Alleluia - "Alleluia" is also used to refer to a liturgical chant in
which that word is combined with verses of Scripture, usually
from the Psalms.
◦ Tract
◦ Offertory - During the offertory or immediately before it, a
collection of money or other gifts for the poor or for
the church is taken up.
◦ Communion
B. ORDINARY
Contains the constant portions of
the mass which include Kyrie
(Lord, have mercy on us), Gloria
(Glory), Credo (Creed), Sanctus
(Holy), and Agnus Dei (Lamb of
God)
 THE REQUIEM MASS
The Requiem mass is the mass for the
dead. It is called Missa pro defunctis. This
special funeral mass has sections from
the Ordinary such as Kyrie, Sanctus, and
Agnus Dei and the Proper like Introit,
Offeratory, and communition.