Summary
Web: www.youtube.com.
Gospel music is exemplified by the recording of the song “Unclouded Day” by Homer Alvan Rode Heaver on September 10, 1913. The tenor vocalist is backed by primarily brass and wind instrumentation, giving the song a homophonic texture. It has a moderate tempo because it is neither fast nor sluggish and has a time signature of 4/4. With three verses and three choruses, this song follows the ABABAB structure. Before the vocal entrance, the music began with four instrumental measures. There are 8 measures in each stanza and chorus, followed by two true cadences before the next set of stanzas and choruses.
Comparison
Similar to the unclouded day song, a Gregorian chant is a type of church music performed as a single line with no discernible rhythm. Although notes may be held for a short or long period, no intricate rhythms are employed. The Unclouded Day, however, features a typical duple meter. Gregorian chant is monophonic, meaning it is sung a cappella or without any kind of accompaniment, whereas “Unclouded day” is monophonic.
In the Roman Catholic Church’s masses and canonical hours, Gregorian chants were sung and performed exclusively by male priests who were ordained as Catholics. These chants were liturgical music that was intended for church use alone. However, occasionally, they were used as a teaching tool for women who were sisters in convents. On the other hand, gospel music throughout the 1900s was recorded and sung by recording artists, both male and female, for a variety of reasons, including musical delight, ceremonial objectives, and as a commercial entertainment product. While “The Unclouded Day’s” melody is the same throughout both the stanzas and choruses, the Gregorian chant melody is free-flowing, lacks precise rhythm, and has an ABA form. On the other hand, “The Unclouded Day’s” melody is metered and has an ABABAB form.