Write a brief survey of the main liturgical offices during the medieval day and year and the placing within them of the principal genres of plainsong.

Medieval monastic foundations sang nine times each day: eight Offices or Hours, and a Mass. These offices have their roots in early Christianity: before Christianity was legalised in the Roman Empire, Christians were forced for safety?s sake to hold vigils during the night, rather than worship during the day. The Jewish Sabbath (the equivalent of our modern Saturday) was replaced as the holy day of the week by Sunday, with its connection to the …

…A.; Bailey, T.; Troelsgård, C.; Doe, P.; Planchart, A.E.; Boyd, M., 'Psalm', Grove Music Online ed. L. Macy (Accessed 19th-23rd October 2003), <http://www.grovemusic.com> Steiner, R., Studies in Gregorian Chant (Ashgate, 1999) Wagner, P., Einführung in die gregorianischen Melodien: I: Ursprung und Entwicklung der liturgischen Gesangsformen [Introduction to the Gregorian melodies: I: Origin and Development of Forms of Liturgical Song] (Leipzig, 1911)