Gregorian mode

9.9

A musical scale used in old church singing that gives chants a special sound

noun
/ɡrɪˈɡɔːriən moʊd/

Specialized

: modo gregoriano

Many compositions were written in the Dorian mode, one of the eight Gregorian modes.

Examples

Musicians studying early music often explore the unique characteristics of the Phrygian mode in Gregorian chant.
The Gregorian mode used in this chant evokes a sense of peace and spirituality.
Accidentals are limited to F, G, C-sharp, B, and E-flat, found in plainsongs and related to Gregorian modes.

Academic text (2018)

Synonyms

mode

vsGregorian mode

Specialized

10 7.0

A set of notes used to make a musical scale, like major or minor

is the specific historic eight-mode chant set rather than any diatonic scale

medieval mode

vsGregorian mode

Specialized

9.9

A pattern of notes used in old Western music like Gregorian chant

is the specific eight-mode system used for chant rather than broader historical use

ecclesiastical mode

vsGregorian mode

Formal

9.9

A pattern of notes that church singers use in medieval chant

is limited to a named eight-mode chant system rather than all church music

church mode

vsGregorian mode

Specialized

9.9

A pattern of musical notes used in old church music that gives a melody its own sound

is one of a fixed eight-mode chant system rather than any early scale

musical mode

vsGregorian mode

Specialized

7.4

A pattern of eight notes that gives a piece of Western music its typical sound

is a specific chant-based eight-mode system rather than a general scale type

Surface Forms

Gregorian mode singular

Gregorian modes plural

Morphology

Gregorian + mode

The term is fully compositional: 'Gregorian' specifies relation to Gregorian chant and 'mode' denotes a musical scale or diatonic sequence, so together they mean a musical mode used in Gregorian chant. Although the concept is somewhat technical, a B1 learner who knows both constituents (and basic musical sense of 'mode') can derive the meaning; the modifier+noun logic is cross-linguistically common.

Etymology

Gregorian mode may come from Pope Gregory I, who was said to collect and organise early church songs, and mode simply means a musical 'scale' or pattern. So a Gregorian mode is one of the special scales used in Gregorian chant that gives each chant its own mood.