▁Ang lic an ▁chant , ▁also ▁known ▁as ▁English ▁chant , ▁is ▁a ▁way ▁to ▁sing ▁un met rical ▁texts , ▁including ▁ps al ms ▁and ▁cant icles ▁from ▁the ▁Bible , ▁by ▁matching ▁the ▁natural ▁speech - rh ythm ▁of ▁the ▁words ▁to ▁the ▁notes ▁of ▁a ▁simple ▁harm on ized ▁mel ody . ▁This ▁distinct ive ▁type ▁of ▁chant ▁is ▁a ▁significant ▁element ▁of ▁Ang lic an ▁church ▁music . ▁ ▁Ang lic an ▁chant ▁was ▁formerly ▁in ▁w ides p read ▁use ▁in ▁Ang lic an ▁and ▁Epis cop al ▁churches , ▁but ▁today , ▁Ang lic an ▁chant ▁is ▁s ung ▁primarily ▁in ▁Ang lic an ▁c athed r als ▁and ▁parish ▁churches ▁that ▁have ▁retained ▁a ▁ch oral ▁lit urg ical ▁tradition . ▁Additionally , ▁Ang lic an ▁chant ▁may ▁be ▁s ung ▁in ▁Roman ▁Catholic , ▁Luther an , ▁Pres by ter ian , ▁and ▁Re formed ▁churches . ▁ ▁Ang lic an ▁chant ▁grew ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁plain chant ▁tradition ▁during ▁the ▁English ▁Re formation . ▁When ▁singing ▁a ▁text ▁in ▁Ang lic an ▁chant , ▁the ▁natural ▁rh ythm ▁of ▁the ▁words ▁as ▁they ▁would ▁be ▁spoken ▁by ▁a ▁careful ▁speaker ▁gover ns ▁how ▁the ▁music ▁is ▁fitted ▁to ▁the ▁words . ▁The ▁majority ▁of ▁the ▁words ▁are ▁freely ▁and ▁rh ythm ically ▁ch anted ▁over ▁the ▁rec iting ▁notes , ▁which ▁are ▁found ▁in ▁the ▁first , ▁fourth , ▁e ighth , ▁ele vent h ▁( etc .) ▁bars ▁of ▁the ▁chant ▁and ▁with