Gregorian chant is the most important and for many centuries the only type of liturgical singing used in Roman Catholic churches. It is distinguished by its special magnificence and beauty. The word "Gregorian" is derived from the name of one Pope. You can already guess what his name was. This is Gregory I, who was often called the Great. This man lived in the VI century AD. He did not suspect that the Gregorian chant among the descendants would be associated with him. Although not everyone remembers him.
Canon of chants, old recordings of chorales
However, Gregorian chant appeared much earlier. Its roots stretch back from synagogue singing. And it has been around for a long time. Pope Gregory the Great was the first to record and collect synagogue monodies. Later, he compiled a canon of chants based on them, performed in Latin. Old recordings of Gregorian chant (they are marked with neumes - the forerunners of modern notes) date back to the 9th century. What a long time ago… People already knew then what Gregorian chant was.
The popularity of Gregorian chant and Umberto Eco
It is curious that Gregorian chant, which for a long time was performed only within the walls of churches, it was in the twentieth century that it becamebe popular with a wide range of listeners. It would seem that plain pop music was erected on a pedestal in the last century, but this is only at first glance…
The general fascination with Gregorianism started about 30 years ago. It may seem strange, but it was the cinema that laid the foundation for it, or rather, the film adaptation of Umberto Eco's work called The Name of the Rose. It has been a hit with many fans of good films. A composer named James Hornor and director Jean-Jacques Anot used only Gregorian chant as the soundtrack for a film about mysterious events in an ancient monastery, and did not spoil it with excessive processing. Some directors took note of this coup, and soon Peter Jackson included similar chorales in his film The Lord of the Rings, as did George Lucas in Star Wars. Perhaps this is partly why these paintings have become cult. Gregorian chant made these films successful.
Gregorian pop
Back in 1990, a significant event took place: a new style appeared in popular music. Which one? Of course, Gregorian pop. He had many followers. But the most famous are the groups "Gregorian", as well as "Enigma", firmly entrenched in the charts and in the souls of fans of popular music, saturated with some kind of mysticism. However, in their songs, undistorted monophonic vocals were often replaced by a synthesizer. To be honest, it wasn't quite a real Gregorian chant. But that didn't detract from the merit.compositions of these groups.
Natives of monasteries
And in the next decade, a large number of choirs appeared, coming out of monasteries, as well as churches. Some of them began to be attributed to popular music. The first example that comes to mind is a group of Cistercian monks who came out of a monastery named after the Holy Cross of the Lord, which is located in Vienna. They became famous in 2008. Correspondents wrote that this is a typical “boy group”, which differs from other similar groups only in that its members are dressed in cassocks. A couple of years later, the Benedictine monks who lived in Avignon won the same popularity.
Gregorian chant after school
It is curious that the majority of Gregorian fans are teenagers. This conclusion can be drawn on the basis of research and surveys. In addition, to make sure of this, you can simply read the comments left on the websites of the bands by their fans. Young people admit that such music is the best thing in their life.
Probably, Gregorianism allows teenagers to slightly open the door to another, mysterious world, to get aesthetic pleasure. Apparently, the charm of the chorales lies in their simplicity. At the same time, one gets the impression that this is music from another, mystical and mysterious dimension. These are the features of Gregorian chant. Perhaps the number of his fans will increase, because this, at first glance, calm singing can cause a storm of emotions, and manyand need.
