Plainchant is a monophonic form of early Christian music in which a single melody is sung by an entire group of singers, traditionally without accompaniment. Plainchant continued to be used to recite the Christian liturgy until the 13th century, when polyphonic modes took over. Plainchant, also known as plainsong, can still be heard in some churches, and a number of musical groups have revived it, recording it for fans of this unique and distinctive musical form.
Plainchant predates Christianity, and many religions have incorporated plainchant into their liturgies and ceremonial singing in some form. Plainchant’s distinguishing feature is that it is monophonic in nature, with many voices blending into one. Plainsong can be quite moving to listen to for some people, especially when the performers are all talented and well-trained.
Pope Gregory I is closely linked to the history of plainchant, and his name is given to a specific style of plainchant known as Gregorian chanting. Although Gregory I did not invent this chant style, his name was likely associated with it due to a mix-up with a later Gregory. Other styles of chanting continued to be used even as Gregorian chanting became popular, despite the fact that Gregorian chanting is the Roman Catholic Church’s official chant.
Plainchant compositions are typically written for only male voices, reflecting the early Church’s male monks and priests. Historically, a variety of pitches and modes have been used in such compositions, as well as various plainchant styles, depending on the formality of the liturgy. Plainsing is traditionally done in Latin, as this was the language used by the early Church to celebrate the liturgy.
Plainchant is a simple form of music that uses only one melody and voices with no accompaniment. It is particularly beautiful when performed in a cathedral, where the acoustics are often ideal for amplifying the voices. It should come as no surprise that many people in the early Church offered up their plainsong performances to God, just as some modern churches do with their singing today.