The Origin and Spread of Chant

This French video features many stars of the Gregorian chant world.

It is in French but still very enjoyable if you can’t understand the words. Most interesting is to compare the variety of styles of singing chant, with rhythmic variety and the introduction of harmonizations. We have here some beautiful demonstrations of the purest and fluid approach of the “old Solesmes” school and the most elaborate and speculative of modern schools.

In the 8th century, the Cantors traveled to monasteries throughout Europe to teach a unified Gregorian chant , named after a greatpope. But to spread this chant wider,one needed to write it down .. How to this write music? How to design the vocals?? With the greatest contemporary scholars, musicologists, singers, monks and nuns,we discover the fascinating history of this treasure of Western catholic Christain heritage, its cultural, artistic and historical depth of its spirituality.