Gregorian Chant was sung daily at the monastic hours of prayer and at mass. Chant was named in honor of Pope Gregory the Great who had insisted that certain chants be sung on certain days of the liturgical year. The images here are from an actual Gregorian Chant manuscript taken from a book by Louis Lambillotte, of a chant that was composed during the course of fifteen centuries. Each mark above the words represents a stroke, which denotes an elevation of voice. Depending upon what shape the accent is determines the degree of elevation.
Gregorian chant has neither meter nor regular rhythm.
There are no obvious patterns and the music is intended to encourage pious reflection. The authorship of much plainsong is anonymous. But some composers are known. With some composers of Gregorian Chant, it seems that they believed themselves to be expressing the voice of God, actual vessels in which the message of divine authority might be channeled to those on earth. She contributed over seventy-seven chants to the collection of Gregorian chant.