Gregorian chant is the central tradition of Western plainchant, a
form
of monophonic, unaccompanied sacred song of the Catholic Church,
performed in the Mass and the monastic Office. Although popular
legend
credits Pope St. Gregory the Great with inventing Gregorian chant,
scholars believe that it arose from a later synthesis of Roman chant
and Gallican chant commissioned by Carolingian rulers, especially
Charlemagne. Gregorian chant supplanted or marginalized the other
indigenous plainchant traditions of the Christian West to become the
official music of the Catholic liturgy. Although Gregorian chant is
no
longer obligatory, the Catholic Church still officially considers it
the music most suitable for worship.
Read the rest of this article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gregorian_chant
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
79:
Mount Vesuvius erupted, burying the cities of Pompeii, Herculaneum,
and Stabiae with volcanic ash.
(
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Vesuvius)
410:
The Visigoths under Alaric I sacked Rome.
(
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaric_I)
1572:
St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre: a massacre of Huguenots began. An
estimated 70,000 people were killed in France in the following weeks.
(
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Bartholomew's_Day_Massacre)
1821:
The Treaty of Córdoba was signed, ratifiying the Plan de Iguala and
concluding Mexico's War of Independence from Spain.
(
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican_War_of_Independence)
1954:
President Getúlio Vargas of Brazil shot himself to death in the Catete
Palace in Rio de Janeiro.
(
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Getúlio_Vargas)
_____________________
Wikiquote of the day:
"If those in charge of our society — politicians, corporate
executives, and owners of press and television — can dominate our
ideas, they will be secure in their power. They will not need
soldiers
patrolling the streets. We will control ourselves." -- Howard Zinn
(
http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Howard_Zinn)