Gregoriaanista

Gregoriaanista is a term used to describe a person who studies, preserves, or performs Gregorian chant, the medieval plainchant tradition associated with the Western Church’s Roman Rite. The word derives from Gregorianus, traditionally linked to Pope Gregory I, but modern scholarship treats the repertoire as the result of long historical development rather than the work of a single figure. A gregoriaanista may be a scholar, a choir director, or a performer dedicated to this chant tradition.

Gregorian chant is typically monophonic and unaccompanied, sung in Latin and organized into modes. It is transmitted through medieval manuscripts in neumatic notation and serves liturgical functions in the Mass and the Divine Office. The repertoire includes various chant types, such as responsories, antiphons, and psalm tones, and historically has been associated with monastic and cathedral communities. Performance practices have varied over time, influenced by regional traditions and scholarly reconstructions.

In the modern era, there was a revival of interest in Gregorian chant during the 19th and 20th centuries, leading to standardized editions and renewed performance practices developed by monastic communities, most prominently the Solesmes tradition. Today, gregoriaanisten may work in churches, universities, or professional early-music ensembles, engaging with topics such as historical notation, liturgical function, modal theory, and contemporary interpretation. They contribute to education, research, and practical training of singers and conductors in Gregorian repertoire.

The term should not be confused with references to the Gregorian calendar, which denotes a civil and liturgical calendar system rather than a chant tradition.