Gregorian Chant Question

[cmk]

I'm interested in this listing, but I have a question. To me the wording implies no accompaniment at all. I think traditional Gregorian Chant has no accompaniment. On the other hand, it feels a bit strange to send in a piece with only vocals. I would love to know what everyone thinks. Here is the listing:

TRADITIONAL GREGORIAN CHANT needed by a very successful Production Music Library who has placements with ABC, CBS, NBC, WB, Disney, Discovery, Lifetime, Fox, USA, etc. Tracks can range between 1-4 minutes in length. NO modern elements please, tracks need to remain authentic. Broadcast quality is necessary (excellent sounding home recordings are fine). Please submit one to three songs online or per CD. All submissions will be screened on a YES/NO BASIS - NO CRITIQUES FROM TAXI - and must be received no later than 4:00pm (PST) on Thursday, May 6, 2010. TAXI #D100506GC

Thanks for taking the time!

[mazz]

Traditional Gregorian Chant is all vocals. In fact, it's often just a melody line sung in unison. Part of the aesthetic is actually the space in which the music is sung. The long reverb times of the cathedrals actually help create the sense of harmony and counterpoint due to the natural echos of the space.

In this line of work, you give the clients what they want, even if you think it is strange. If they want Traditional Gregorian Chant, and if you can produce it, make it as close to Traditional Gregorian Chant as possible. Since we have no idea of the intended usage, we have to go by what they are asking for. If we were mind readers, we'd be on the Psychic Friends Network, right? Besides, they're also asking for "no modern elements". That's a big clue there!

These kinds of things are good for stretching your boundaries as a composer.

Go for it!

Mazz

[fusilierb]

Also traditional gregorian chant is modal, (not the ionian and Aeolian modes!) Dorian is a safe bet. The phrases rise and fall to accommodate words, but the real meat of this sound, to my ear, is how the phrases modally resolves. Listen to some traditional chant and pay special attention to the end of each phrase and how they work their way back to the home note. That note almost becomes like a drone anchoring the pieces. There really isn't any harmony is real traditional chant, just a lot of voices singing the same lines in long gentle (hypnotic) ways.

hth's
B

Is there a Chant listing I missed?

[cmk]

I think you're both right, so I'm going to go ahead and submit my a cappella latin chant. Why not!
Thanks!