In order to know the meaning of the term monophony, it is necessary, first of all, to discover its etymological origin. In this case, we can state that it is a word that derives from Greek, since it is the result of the sum of three lexical components of that language:
-The word “monos”, which can be translated as “one” or “alone”.
-The noun “phone”, which is synonymous with “sound”.
-The suffix “-ia”, which is used to indicate “quality”.
Monophony is a musical texture made up of a single melodic line . It is equivalent, therefore, to monody : the singing of a single person, without any harmonic accompaniment.
If two or more voices sing the same melody simultaneously, it is also called monophony. In this case the voices and even the musical instruments develop the melody in question, either in unison or at a distance of no more than an octave.
It should be noted that the way in which the elements that are part of a composition are combined is known as texture. Nowadays, most musical works intersperse monophony with homophony , polyphony and heterophony , for example, creating different moments and styles . However, in ancient times monophony was the predominant form.
Until the 9th century , it was common for the members of a choir to perform the same melody. That was the case of Gregorian chant , to mention one modality. Over time , polyphony developed.
At those times it must be established that monophony prevailed because not only were instruments prohibited in the churches but also because what was important was not the choirs but the text of the music that was performed and the words that were addressed to God. .
Other examples of monophony are the beginning of the opera “Mathis der Maler” (1938), whose libretto was made by the German composer Paul Hindemith (1895 – 1963), and measures 17 – 21 of what is the first movement of the famous composition “Ninth Symphony” (1824), belonging to the German composer Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 – 1827).
When there are many voices singing with the same rhythm and the same pitch, that is, in unison, it is a monophonic interpretation. This happens with the different versions of plainchant . Other musical interpretations that occur in the area of religion , such as the Protestant chorale , also belong to the area of monophony.
It should be noted that plainchant was popularized centuries ago in countries such as Spain or Ireland and that it included different types of songs. Among the most significant we can highlight Byzantine chant, Ambrosian chant, Armenian chant or Mozarabic chant, for example. The latter was identifying the so-called Spanish Visigothic Church, it had a free rhythm and was essentially vocal.
The troubadours of medieval times, on the other hand, offered monophonic songs. These artists toured the stately courts providing their art , either interpreting the songs themselves or through minstrels .