A distinguished group of chant scholars examine the formation of the liturgy, issues of theory and notation, and Carolingian and post-Carolingian chant. Special studies include the origins of musical notations, the nuances of early chant performance, musical style and liturgical structure in the early Divine Office, and new sources for Old-Roman chant.

This volume, which originated as a series of papers presented at a symposium in honour of Jim McKinnon, discusses problems in chant scholarship. The essays emphasize the wide range the field contains, but are inter-related, complementing each other within the scope of the book.

'The list of contributors is in itself almost a roll-call of the leading chant scholars, and their presence makes it superfluous to draw the attention of those interested in the subject to the book: there's no way they would miss it.' Early Music Review 'This volume provides a window onto the central questions being addressed by some of the most distinguished scholars working on western chant. Essential reading for specialists, it has plenty to offer the general reader.' Choir and Organ 'The essays compiled in Western Plainchant in the First Millenium are the beginning of an engagement with McKinnon's challenging ideas. This commendable [...] collection explores a number of methodologies, including manuscript studies, exegetical concerns of genre and liturgy, and problems of medieval music theory and chant analysis. Its breadth documents the state of the field, testifying to the depth and richness of chant studies... The sheer bounty and diversity of scholarship contained within Western Plainchant in the First Millenium is a fitting tribute to the life and work of James McKinnon.' Current Musicology