Chant

Chant is the rhythmic speaking or singing of words or sounds, often primarily on one or two pitches called reciting tones. Chants may range from a simple melody involving a limited set of notes to highly complex musical structures, often including a great deal of repetition of musical subphrases, such as Great Responsories and Offertories of Gregorian chant. Chant may be considered speech, music, or a heightened or stylized form of speech. In the later Middle Ages some religious chant evolved into song (forming one of the roots of later Western music).

When performing a chant, the singer usually uses music and sacred texts to create a dialogue with the spiritual world. Such intonations using warm repeated tones and saying the names of God or spitiual beings can create vibrations which may effect the body and the mind bringing calmness, dissipating worries and opening up one's heart. These are the spiritual principles which can prepare one for a life in the spiritual world.

Chant as a spiritual practice

Chanting the Name of God is a spiritual practice that is commonly practiced. Chants form part of many religious rituals, and diverse spiritual traditions consider chant a route to spiritual development. Some examples include chant in African and Native American tribal cultures, Gregorian chant, Vedic chant, Jewish liturgical music (chazzanut), Qur'an reading, Baha'i chants, various Buddhist chants, various mantras, and the chanting of psalms and prayers especially in Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Lutheran and Anglican churches (see Anglican Chant). Tibetan Buddhist chant involves throat singing, where multiple pitches are produced by each performer. The concept of chanting mantras is of particular significance in many Hindu traditions and other closely related Dharmic Religions. For example, the Hare Krishna movement is based especially on the chanting of Sanskrit Names of God. Japanese Shigin (詩吟), or 'chanted poetry', mirrors Zen principles and is sung from the gut — the locus of power in Zen Buddhism.

The Notation of Chants

Chants were derived to enhance the parts in sacred ceremonies and religious services. Such music appeared to create the mood and atmosphere for rituals and prayers and were unwritten and passed down from generation to generation through rote memorization. As the religious services became longer and more complicated with the addition of more rituals and prayers, a way of notating the chants was needed to ensure uniformity of ritual and a facility in performance. Some of the earliest manuscripts of chant notation was from the 9th century depicting Gregorian chants. Chant notation started with notes or neumes which had no staff and although these neumes gave some hint as to the intonation and the rhythm to be used, only rarely did they have a flat or natural sign by them to indicate with a note was flate or natural. Staff notation was evidenced in the 12th century with neumes that were on or in between lines which gave the performer more of an indication as to the exact tone that was needed for the chant. Guido d'Arezzo was influential in providing the placement of notes on a staff to facilitate the memorization and performance of sacred chants.

Other uses of chant

Chants are used in a variety of settings from ritual to recreation. Supporters or players in sports contests may use them (see football chant). Warriors in ancient times would chant a battle cry. They are also used on protests, and are widely adapted with only a few words changed between topic.

Recently, musical genres such as Hardcore, Grindcore, and other aggressive forms of music have adopted this concept. Many times during a 'breakdown' (the segment of the song where the time signature is half counted or significantly slowed in some way). The singer will recite a chant, the object of this is to get everyone involved and create a feeling of passion throughout the room causing overall reaction to the music, including pits, to be more intense.

References

ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

• Apel, Willi, Gregorian chant, Bloomington, Indiana: Indiana University Press, 1958. OCLC 608792
• Bourgeault, Cynthia, Chanting the Psalms: a practical guide withinstructional CD, Boston: New Seeds, 2006. ISBN 1-590-30257-5
• Potter, John, The Cambridge companion to singing, Cambridge, UK; NY: Cambridge University Press, 2000. ISBN 0-521-62225-5

External links

• Gregorian Chant (newadvent.org) Retrieved June 9, 2007
• BBC Story on UN (bbc.co.uk) Retrieved June 9, 2007
• Guidance on Chanting Hare Krishna (krishna.com) Retrieved June 9, 2007
• A site about Vedic chants (vedamu.org) Retrieved June 9, 2007
• Chanting as spiritual practice by Spiritual Science Research Foundation Retrieved June 9, 2007
• Chants from Indian, Christian, Sufi, and Buddhist Traditions in Streaming Audio Retrieved June 9, 2007
• Traditional Buddhist Chants (Texts and Audio) as in the Buddhist Encyclopedia Retrieved June 9, 2007

Media References

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