Mass for Christmas Day
Music's earliest and most basic for can be traced back to chant. Roman plainchant is considered one of the greatest treasures of Western civilization. One of the main uses of chant is in church music. The most recognizable, and most important, service of the Catholic church is the Mass. The Mass contains two principal text settings, the Ordinary and the Proper. The Ordinary contains fixed texts which include the Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Benedictus, and Agnus Dei. The Proper contains text that changes according to the time of year. It includes the Introit, Gradual, Alleluia, Tract, Offertory, and Communion.
Hiley describes chant as "music to be performed during the celebration of a divine service." These chants are primarily text driven, which influences the functionality of the music. The varying melodies, which are melismatic, solemn, or monotone, were considered a more worthy way to worship God than plain spoken words. The music......
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