Gregorian chant

Gregorian chant
Gregorian Gre*go"ri*an, a. [NL. Gregorianus, fr. Gregorius Gregory, Gr. ?: cf. F. gr['e]gorien.] Pertaining to, or originated by, some person named Gregory, especially one of the popes of that name. [1913 Webster]

{Gregorian calendar}, the calendar as reformed by Pope Gregory XIII. in 1582, including the method of adjusting the leap years so as to harmonize the civil year with the solar, and also the regulation of the time of Easter and the movable feasts by means of epochs. See {Gregorian year} (below).

{Gregorian chant} (Mus.), plain song, or canto fermo, a kind of unisonous music, according to the eight celebrated church modes, as arranged and prescribed by Pope Gregory I. (called ``the Great'') in the 6th century.

{Gregorian modes}, the musical scales ordained by Pope Gregory the Great, and named after the ancient Greek scales, as Dorian, Lydian, etc.

{Gregorian telescope} (Opt.), a form of reflecting telescope, named from Prof. James Gregory, of Edinburgh, who perfected it in 1663. A small concave mirror in the axis of this telescope, having its focus coincident with that of the large reflector, transmits the light received from the latter back through a hole in its center to the eyepiece placed behind it.

{Gregorian year}, the year as now reckoned according to the Gregorian calendar. Thus, every year, of the current reckoning, which is divisible by 4, except those divisible by 100 and not by 400, has 366 days; all other years have 365 days. See {Bissextile}, and Note under {Style}, n., 7. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • Gregorian chant — is the central tradition of Western plainchant, a form of monophonic liturgical chant of Western Christianity that accompanied the celebration of Mass and other ritual services. This vast repertory of chants is the oldest music known as it is the …   Wikipedia

  • Gregorian Chant — • Short description and history, with links to more information Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006. Gregorian Chant     Gregorian Chant      …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • Gregorian chant — Chant Chant, n. [F. chant, fr. L. cantus singing, song, fr. canere to sing. See {Chant}, v. t.] 1. Song; melody. [1913 Webster] 2. (Mus.) A short and simple melody, divided into two parts by double bars, to which unmetrical psalms, etc., are sung …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Gregorian chant — [grıˌgo:riən ˈtʃa:nt US ˈtʃænt] n [U and C] [Date: 1700 1800; Origin: Because it is said to have been introduced by Pope Gregory I] a kind of church music for voices alone …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • Gregorian chant — ► NOUN ▪ medieval church plainsong. ORIGIN named after St Gregory the Great (c.540 604) …   English terms dictionary

  • Gregorian chant — n. a ritual plainsong, monophonic and unmeasured, traditionally codified by Pope Gregory I, and formerly widely used in the Roman Catholic Church …   English World dictionary

  • Gregorian Chant —    Repertory of chant most closely associated with liturgies of the Roman Catholic Church. In Richard Crocker’s strict definition, this repertory includes about 600 propers for the mass whose earliest sources date from about 900 and originate in… …   Historical dictionary of sacred music

  • Gregorian chant — 1. the plain song or cantus firmus used in the ritual of the Roman Catholic Church. 2. a melody in this style. [1745 55; named after Pope GREGORY I; see IAN] * * * Liturgical music of the Roman Catholic church consisting of unaccompanied melody… …   Universalium

  • Gregorian chant — The Gregorian chant of monks singing in unison is so distinctive as to be instantly recognisable. The one or more notes sung to each syllable of the text of the service form the archetypal sound of pre Dissolu tion Christianity. (One to four… …   Dictionary of Medieval Terms and Phrases

  • Gregorian chant —    This term, which refers to a monophonic, unaccompanied style of liturgical singing, takes its name from Pope Gregory the Great (590 604), who promoted its use in the celebration of the Latin Mass and Divine Office; also known as plain chant or …   Glossary of theological terms

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