Gregorian Chant, Early Research

As an important cultural and artistic form in Western civilization history, early Christian music is a symbol of early Western civilization as well as a crucial carrier of the development and evolution of Western culture. Represented by Gregorian Chant, it is a significant source of Western music in a sense. Gregorian Chant used to exist as a governing tool of the church and emperor by the name of "spiritual chains"which has been reconsidered by modern society. It is not absolute "Chains"any more. The civilization element incarnated by Gregorian Chant greatly surpasses the original state of it. This thesis lucubrates Gregorian Chant by the main line of its origin, characteristics and historic value. Chapter One mentions the background elements of the creation of Gregorian Chant. Christian music culture originated from Hebrew and Hellenistic Culture. Different chant forms tended to unify owing to the influence of the development tendency of music and the social elements, and Gregorian Chant got the better of the others and took their places eventually. Chapter Two tells of the music characteristics of Gregorian Chant. Gregorian Chant is a solemn and temperate music of church observance. Its lyric, rhythm and melody, which served for a certain music aim, became the base of both the content and form of after music. Chapter Three introduces the historic value of Gregorian Chant. All forms of music notation, polyphony, instruments, thoughts and concepts came forth one after the other along with the prevalence of Gregorian Chant. The invention of music notation, polyphony and pipe organ counts for much to the development of Western music of all times. Chant music brought more value than mentioned above indeed. Represented by Gregorian Chant, early Christian music not only provided broad space for...