Chant
A form of composition in which reciting notes alternate with phrases sung in time. There are two forms of chant, Anglican and Gregorian. The Anglican chant may be single, i. e., with the reciting notes and two inflections (phrases in time) or double, that is, the length of two single chants. The Gregorian chant consists of: (1) The intonation. (2) The dominant or reciting note. (3) The mediation (analogous to the inflection, but not in strict time). (4) The dominant again. (5) Ending or cadence.
The chant was undoubtedly first sung to metrical words, therefore was as rhythmic as a modern melody. This rhythmic character has been lost by adapting prose words to it.