Enriching the Gregorian heritage
Michael McGrade
In 843, Charlemagne's descendants met at the city of Verdun and divided Carolingian empire into three kingdoms. By this time churches monasteries from Aquitania to Saxony were, for most part, observing a common liturgy based on Roman practices. The stability Gregorian rite, its ability survive political division empire, rests success educational programmes Charlemagne established in late eighth century. emphasis literacy, musicianship accurate reproduction books all provided solid foundation new liturgy, ninth-century canons monks who inherited newly forged rite developed wide variety tools – tonaries, theory treatises, musical notation itself preserve pass down legacy.
Cambridge University Press eBooks