Gregorian Chant today

Gregorian Chant always has been called 'inspired by the Holy Ghost', but even today we  often hear people saying: 'You sing like angels!'  It is 'heavenly' etc.

People feel elevated by Gregorian chant. It is because of its rich melodies and lack of  rythm. Gregorian chant is mere and free melody.  *)

Melodies which are even free from the theory of harmony. The theorie of harmony is developped only in later times (polyphony).  Gregorian chant is also free from rythm, in the way we are used to nowadays: no 'equal beats in a bar'. In the oldest manuscrips there are no indications for rythm.  

The rich melodies of the Gregorian chant make a kind and yet energetic impression.

Todays popularity of Gregorian chant is shown by the bestselling CD's of the monks of Silos and the CD 'Chant' from the monks of  Stift Heiligenkreuz in Austria, and also by the succes of Gregorian festivals like in Belgium (Wattou) and in Holland (Ravenstein), and others.

*) Plato (in his 'The State') spoke already about the influence of music on the human mind (Donald J. Grout & Claude V. Palisca in: A history of Western music, Chapter I)