The Testament of St Gregory

Gregorian chant and its influences on medieval music

Gregory the Great could be called the father of plainchant. During his fourteen year reign as Pope (590-604) he revised the liturgy, assigning certain chants already in use to specific services of the Church's year. So successful was he in this that by the middle ages it was widely believed that he had in fact composed the chant himself - pictures showed him receiving dictation direct from the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove. Though this may be taking things a bit far, it is certainly true that the impact he had on musical development was enormous. Even today, plainchant is still the essential liturgical music of the Roman Catholic Church.

This programme of Gregorian chant and medieval polyphony demonstrates the variety of styles within plainchant and its influence on the sacred and secular music of western Europe. Works by Guillaume de Machaut, John Dunstaple and anonymous pieces from the Old Hall Manuscript show how profoundly plainchant entered the musical consciousness, finding its way even into secular motets.

You can listen to the following pieces from this programme:

• Hec dies quam fecit Dominus      
• Agnus Dei