Gregorian chant

Gregorian chant is also called plainchant. It is music that is monophonic, which means a melody of one note at a time. Gregorian chant began during the Middle Ages in Europe, which refers to the period from about the 5th century to the 15th century. It was music of the Catholic Church, so it was ceremonial in purpose.

There was a special kind of music sung in some churches, the chant. A chant is simple, slow, and always religious. Usually, chants are sung "a cappella", which means without musical instruments.

Like the rhythm of a calm heartbeat, Gregorian chant fosters peace within ourselves and those around us. It is not music for the sake of music – but rather prayer that inspires prayer.

The whole point of Gregorian chant is to bring a sense of awe to the listener, since it was meant to be used during the Divine Liturgy (mass) which, most of the time, is in a church and can be used in the divine office (Brevarium/Liturgy of the Hours).

Modern music allows the repeated division of the whole note, symbolized by darkening the oval note, attaching a vertical stem, and attaching pennants. Gregorian notes, on the other hand, are never divided.

Alan Watkins, a neuroscientist at Imperial College of London, has shown that the Gregorian Chant can lower blood pressure and help reduce anxiety and depression. A 2012 study from the University of São Paulo School of Nursing discovered that Gregorian chant helped reduce anxiety for mothers with hospitalized children.

As a monophonic melody, a plainchant is sung a cappella without any added voices or instruments. Gregorian chant is a subset of plainchant written on a four-staff scale. However, Gregorian chant uses modern-day notes and is polyphonic.

The Gregorian Chant And Its Benefits It positively charges the central nervous system and the cortex of the brain in such a way that it actually reduces the number of hours of sleep one properly needs to function at its best.

Based on the cadence of the human breath, Gregorian chant creates an impression of space and of time standing still, which helps the mind focus, reduces stress, and lowers blood pressure, making it a beneficial tool for both work and meditation.

Alan Watkins, a neuroscientist at Imperial College of London, has shown that the Gregorian Chant can lower blood pressure and help reduce anxiety and depression. A 2012 study from the University of São Paulo School of Nursing discovered that Gregorian chant helped reduce anxiety for mothers with hospitalized children.

Although Gregorian chant is no longer obligatory, the Roman Catholic Church still officially considers it the music most suitable for worship.

Gregorian chant had a significant impact on the development of medieval and Renaissance music. Modern staff notation developed directly from Gregorian neumes. The square notation that had been devised for plainchant was borrowed and adapted for other kinds of music.