Chant Made Simple

A book introducing the earliest neumes which were the precursors to the current-day square chant notation. This is a wonderful resource leading to the use of the Graduale Triplex and Offertoriale Triplex, two chant books which contain notation from the earliest chant manuscripts printed above the standard square notation.

Enjoy learning about the ancient notation with Dr. Robert Fowell’s handbook: Chant Made Simple: An introduction to the Ancient Neumes. Dr. Fowells shares insights on the practical and symbolic meanings of the ancient neumes, as well as the rhythm, melody, and basics of Latin pronunciation. He takes a selection of well-known chants, from the Graduale Triplex, and uses these as teaching tools, offering probable interpretations of the ancient neumes while learning these pieces.

Dr. Robert M. Fowells is the founder of the renowned Los Angeles Gregorian Schola at California State University, where he is also Emeritus Professor of Music.