What is Taizé Chant?
Taizé chant is a form of contemplative liturgical music consisting of short, repetitive melodic phrases drawn primarily from Scripture, particularly the Psalms. Developed for the ecumenical Christian community at Taizé, France, these chants use repetitive structures that can easily be memorized, along with other parts for solo voices, choirs, and instruments. The music emphasizes simple phrases, usually lines from Psalms or other pieces of Scripture, repeated and sometimes also sung in canon. The repetition enables participants to internalize the text and melody, freeing the mind for prayer rather than requiring attention to hymnals or scores.
Unlike traditional hymnody or plainchant, Taizé music is designed for multilingual, ecumenical gatherings. Latin is now used for singing Taizé Chant at Taizé because of the international nature of the community. At Taizé today, most of the chants in the songbook used at daily prayer are printed with multiple texts in various languages, and are often sung in various languages simultaneously. The form supports contemplation through simplicity, accessibility, and the creation of a sonic environment conducive to silence and inner listening.
Origins & Lineage
The Taizé Community was founded by Brother Roger (Roger Schütz) in 1940, a Reformed Protestant. Only miles south of the demarcation line that separated Vichy France and the Zone occupée, Brother Roger’s home became a sanctuary to countless war refugees seeking shelter. On 11 November 1942, the Gestapo occupied Roger’s house while he was in Switzerland collecting funds to aid in his refuge ministry. Roger was not able to return to his home in Taizé until the autumn of 1944, when France was liberated. Guidelines for the community’s life are contained in The Rule of Taizé written by Brother Roger and first published in French in 1954.
In the 1960s the quiet life of the Taizé Community began to change as young people began coming in ever-larger numbers to the village. To meet their spiritual hunger, Brother Roger developed a style of worship and singing that was suitable to pilgrims hailing from many different countries. Inspired by ancient canons such as Michael Praetorius’ Jubilate Deo, in the 1970s the brothers of the Taizé Community sought to develop a style of sung prayer compatible with the international gatherings of young people at Taizé. Initially, until the 1990s, the songs were composed by Jacques Berthier and Joseph Gelineau, two renowned church musicians, in collaboration with the Taizé brothers.
Jacques Berthier (27 June 1923 – 27 June 1994) was a French composer of liturgical music, best known for writing much of the music used at Taizé. In 1955 Berthier was first asked to compose music for the Taizé Community, which was then just a monastic community of twenty brothers. In 1975, Berthier was again asked to compose for Taizé, this time for chants to be sung by the increasing numbers of young people coming to worship there. In more than twenty years, Berthier left an important corpus (232 songs in 20 different languages) in wide use today by other communities and around the world. Later Joseph Gelineau became a major contributor to the music. Today, it is the brothers themselves who continue to enrich the repertoire of Taizé songs.
How It’s Practiced
At the center of every Taizé service is a long period of silence (usually 5–10 minutes). The purpose: In a culture that fears silence, this is a radical act of trust. It is a time to let the words of the chants take root and to listen for the “still, small voice” of God. Services typically include gathering songs (2-3 chants), a sung or read Psalm, a Scripture reading, 5-10 minutes of silence, intercessions with sung responses, the Lord’s Prayer, and closing songs. Services are often lit by hundreds of candles, symbolizing the light of Christ. Icons (especially the Cross of Taizé) are placed centrally as a focal point for the gaze (a form of Visio Divina).
Musically, Taizé music often takes the structure of an ostinato (a simple melody that repeats over and over) and is meant to serve as a kind of musical centering prayer. These include ostinato responses and chorales, litanies, acclamations, and canons. Pieces from all four genres include basic harmonic support provided by keyboard and/or guitar. Some include verses performed by one or more cantors. The assembly sings the primary melodic line repeatedly while cantors, choirs, or instruments may add descants, harmony parts, or instrumental verses. In the communal prayer at Taizé, all the pilgrims sing, and as the chants change languages, those singers once on the margins might find themselves in the center, singing in their own tongue and trusted to hold the melody while others adapt. Louder voices learn to soften to make room for quieter ones. As the songs build, tenor, bass and alto singers dare to break in, confident that others can hold the melody and the song will not fall apart.
Taizé Chant Today
Taizé has become one of the world’s most important sites of Christian pilgrimage, attracting over 100,000 young people each year for prayer, Bible study, communal work, and shared reflection. Ecumenical services based on this model and music are held in many churches throughout the world. In recent years it has gained acceptance and is used in many denominations. The music has been published widely through denominational hymnals and specialized collections, making it accessible for use in Episcopal, Catholic, Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian, and other liturgical contexts.
Beyond weekly worship in local congregations, Taizé-style prayer services are commonly offered during Advent and Lent, at retreat centers, university chapels, and ecumenical gatherings. The community itself continues to host week-long pilgrimages in Taizé and organizes annual European youth meetings in major cities, drawing thousands of participants for shared worship and reflection on themes of trust, reconciliation, and peace.
Common Misconceptions
Taizé chant is not Gregorian chant. While both are meditative and repetitive, Gregorian chant developed in medieval monasteries with Latin texts and modal melodies meant for trained monastic choirs. Taizé chant was created in the late 20th century for untrained multilingual assemblies.
It is not New Age music, despite the contemplative repetition. The texts are explicitly Christian, drawn from Scripture and liturgical tradition. The theological intent is communal prayer within the context of Christian worship, not generic spirituality or individual self-realization.
Taizé chant is not denominationally specific. Though Brother Roger was Reformed Protestant and the community includes both Protestant and Catholic brothers, the music intentionally avoids doctrinal particularity. It draws from Eastern Orthodox, Catholic, and Protestant liturgical traditions to foster reconciliation across Christian divides.
Finally, repetition in Taizé chant is not mindless or hypnotic in intent. The musical structure serves contemplation by removing cognitive barriers—memorization frees attention from hymnals, repetition allows the text to move from intellect to heart, and simplicity invites participation regardless of musical training.
How to Begin
For personal practice, begin with recordings from the Taizé Community itself, available through GIA Publications and other liturgical music publishers. “Music from Taizé” volumes I-III contain core repertoire with accompaniments and descants. Popular chants for beginners include “Ubi Caritas,” “Jesus, Remember Me,” “Wait for the Lord,” and “Bless the Lord.”
To experience Taizé chant communally, seek out Taizé prayer services in your area—many Episcopal, Catholic, and Lutheran churches offer monthly or seasonal Taizé services, particularly during Advent and Lent. University chapels and retreat centers also frequently host these gatherings.
For deeper immersion, consider pilgrimage to the Taizé Community in Burgundy, France. The community hosts week-long visits year-round, with priority given to young adults aged 17-35. Meetings include three daily prayer services using the chants, Bible study in small groups, shared meals, and communal work. Information and registration can be found at taize.fr.
For those leading worship, consult resources from GIA Publications, including the “Music from Taizé” series with full scores, and the collection “Sing Prayer!” which provides liturgical frameworks. The book “Praying Twice: The Music and Words of Congregational Song” by Brian Wren includes analysis of Taizé’s theological and musical structure.