The principal genres of the Middle Ages are a reflection of the lifestyle of the church and court of the time. These music genres include: plainchant, secular songs and dances of the troubadours, Notre Dame organum, and ars nova motets. Describe the two basic characteristic features of plainchant. Listen to one of the plainchants recordings and try to imagine yourself as a medieval monk or nun in prayer and contemplation during a religious observance for which it was written. After listening to the plainchant of your choice, ask yourself whether chant is prayer, or if is it music? When discussing the plainchant of your choice mention the title of the chant and composers’ names in your post. Contrast your experience of listening to a plainchant with that of listening to the music at court.