gregorian, chant, capella, recitative, greeting songs

Angels playing music 4
gregorian

The homophonic cultic music of the Roman church, formed in the antique times, developing till the 15th century. Tradition attributes this music to Pope St Gregory the Great (the beginning of the 7th century).

MJ


chant

Non-liturgic, stanzaic church song sung in Latin or the mother tongue. First these were sung by students, but later common people also sang them.

MJ


capella

The company of clergymen or boys who performed regular singing and/or juristic, administrative duties in the church or chapel. In a close sense it was a choir performing church or secular singing duties.

MJ


recitative, recitation

Singing talk, developing from ceremonious, stylised - public or individual - speeches. The rhythm, separation and motifs are subordinated to the performance of the text. There were many types of it, depending on the situation and application (for example, declarative, reading, begging, rethoric...etc) It might have been in contact with different musical forms.

MJ


greeting songs (recordation = reminding)

Medieval tradition of students. Smaller groups of students go from house to house and reminded the people to the forth coming feast or just greeted people on the occasion of their name-days...

MJ