A History of

Early Sacred Music

From the Temple in Jerusalem to the Middle Ages

An Exploration of Beauty

Have you wondered about the roots of sacred music and wanted to learn more? This history of early sacred music and the forces that shaped it takes you deep into Old Testament times, ancient Greece and Rome, the era of medieval kings and conquests, and the establishment of Christianity throughout the Western World.

6 DVDs, Text, and Workbook

$119

Also Available Online

Streaming Video / Same Written Materials (printable)

Suitable for grades 8-12 and college prep. 12 1-hour classes; H.S. Credit 0.5 (History, Religious Studies, Fine Arts, or Humanities)

Early Sacred Music on location across
Europe and the Holy Land

Professor Carol takes you to Aachen, Athens, Canterbury, Castellammare di Stabia, Cluny, Eisenach, Haifa, Jerusalem, Kizhi, Milan, Moscow, Paris, Prague, Rome, Speyer, St. Petersburg, Strasbourg, and Yaroslav.

Ancient and Medieval Music

Through the lens of History

Gregorian Chant plays a large role, and it will form the basis of Christian music lasting to this day. But there’s much more. We look at how the chant evolved into elaborate forms with many voices, and the critical role played by the monks who developed, preserved, and spread the music across Europe in meticulously hand-copied manuscripts.

Ancient and Medieval History

Through the lens of the Arts

Music history does not occur in a vacuum. Music reflects a time and a place. It responds to prevailing philosophies, geography, economics, politics, wars, and plagues. Learn how sacred music ties to Ancient Greece and Rome, the Merovingian kings, the Holy Roman Empire, monasteries and pilgrimages, Augustine and Aquinas, Crusades, and the dawn of the Renaissance.

Musical performances by the
Ring Around Quartet and Synaulia were filmed
in Italy and produced specifically
for this course.

Lively Commentary

Specialists in Early Sacred Music

Experts in music, history, art, archeology, theology, and philosophy (Catholic and Protestant) join Professor Carol throughout the course to provide insight into this pre-Reformation history.