A liturgical book containing the responses and verses sung by the choir during a church service.
From Medieval Latin 'graduale', derived from 'gradus' (step), because the Gradual was originally sung from the steps of the altar. The term evolved to describe the entire book of liturgical chants.
Medieval churches had no printed hymnals, so 'gradals' were massive, beautifully illuminated manuscripts that the entire choir had to gather around to read together—making church singing a collaborative, literal shared-page experience.
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