Tonary

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A tonary is a liturgical book in the Western Christian Church containing various chants which is organized according to the eight psalm tones of Gregorian chant. It may include antiphons from the Mass and Offices, as well as responsories and other chants. Although they can be standalone works, they were frequently copied with other liturgical books, including antiphoners, graduals, tropers, prosers, and collections of musical treatises.

Tonaries were particular important before a clear musical notation system was developed, as the ordering assisted in the memorization of the chants. The earliest tonary is from the 8th century, and they were used mostly in the 11th and 12th centuries, with some still in use in the 13th century, mainly in Germany. They are also frequently a bridge between theory and practice of the singing of chants and psalms.