Medieval liturgical chant, between sing and meaning

Abstract

In light of the phenomenon of musical descriptivism, characteristic of the symphonic poems of the Romantic era and preceded by the 'programme' music born in the 18th century, the cradle century of rationalist theories based on the principle of imitation of natural beauty, the question is raised here whether this idea is also applicable to the Gregorian liturgical chant repertoire. From the proposed examples, accompanied by textual analysis even before the musical analysis of the pieces, it is evident how the melodic component, which in this liturgical music repertoire always assumes an ancillary role with respect to the textual content, serves both as a vehicle for a better transmission of the Word to the faithful and as an aid to the memory of the Gregorian choristers themselves.