plainsong

[ pleyn-sawng, -song ]

/ ˈpleɪnˌsɔŋ, -ˌsɒŋ /

the unisonous vocal music used in the Christian church from the earliest times.

modal liturgical music; Gregorian chant.

a cantus firmus or theme chosen for contrapuntal development.

any simple and unadorned melody or air.

Also called plainchant (for defs 1, 2).

Origin of plainsong

1505–15; translation of Medieval Latin cantus plānus

He appears familiar with the plainsong, and has based a symphony and portions of a quartet on Gregorian modes.

Musical Portraits |Paul Rosenfeld
And Winchester, too, has all and more than all, the surprise of the plainsong; the better you know it the more you are impressed.

England of My Heart--Spring |Edward Hutton
Florid music, or all church music that is not Plainsong, or its Lutheran equivalent the chorale-melody.

Bach |Charles Francis Abdy Williams
Descant in music is the melodious accompaniment to a simple theme, the plainsong or ground.

Bussy D'Ambois and The Revenge of Bussy D'Ambois |George Chapman

It is therefore of some interest to find that in 1548 the Master at Giggleswick had a knowledge of plainsong as well as grammar.

A History of Giggleswick School |Edward Allen Bell

plainsong

/ (ˈpleɪnˌsɒŋ) /

the style of unison unaccompanied vocal music used in the medieval Church, esp in Gregorian chant Also called: plainchant

C16: translation of Medieval Latin cantus plānus