N-Music of the Medieval Period & Gregorian Chant

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms, people, and concepts from the lecture on medieval Western music and Gregorian chant.

Medieval Period

Also known as Middle ages or Dark ages, that started with the fall of Roman Empire. foundation of Western religious music.

Middle Ages

Because it takes place between the fall of Rome and Early known modern europe

Gregorian Chant

Official monophonic, unaccompanied sacred song of the Roman Catholic Church, named after Pope Gregory I.

Plainsong / Plainchant

Alternate names for Gregorian chant emphasizing its simple, unaccompanied melodic style.

Monophonic Texture

Music consisting of a single melodic line without harmony or counterpoint.

Cantus Firmus

Literally “fixed song”; a pre-existing melody used as the structural basis for polyphonic composition.

Pope Gregory I (Gregory the Great)

6th-century pope called the “Father of Christian Worship” for codifying and promoting chant.

Neume

Which are notes sung on a single syllable.

Gregorian neumes

Are written in a four line staff

C Clef (Do Clef)

Movable clef in chant notation marking the position of the note Do (C).

F Clef (Fa Clef)

Movable clef in chant notation marking the position of the note Fa (F).

Syllabic Text Setting

Chant style assigning one note to each syllable of text.

Neumatic Text Setting

Chant style assigning a small group of notes (neumes) to each syllable.

Melismatic Text Setting

Chant style featuring many notes on a single syllable.

Psalmodic Text Setting

Chant style assigning many syllables to a single repeated note.

Church Modes

A series of seven musical scales each with their own unique qualities and sound

The four authentic modes:

Dorian

Phrygian

Lydian

Mixolydian

4 Text setting of a Gregorian chant

Syllabic

Neumatic

Melismatic

Psalmodic

Plagal Modes

The four secondary church modes: hypodorian, hypophrygian, hypolydian, hypomixolydian.

Organum

Early church polyphony adding one or more melodic lines above a Gregorian chant.

Polyphony

Texture combining two or more simultaneous independent melodic lines.

Guillaume de Machaut

Is a French poet and composer

Ars Nova

“New art” style of the 14th century characterized by advanced rhythm and notation innovations.

Isorhythm

Ars Nova technique featuring a repeating rhythmic pattern across one or more voices.

Léonin

12th-century composer, earliest known master of polyphonic music and organum.

Pérotin

Medieval composer who expanded organum into multiple voice parts; wrote “Viderunt Omnes.”},{