He was one of the greatest practitioners and researchers of Gregorian chant from the 20th century. He sparked controversy by “adapting” the chant from Latin into German. 
By Claus Fischer
“Unison is the supreme discipline of choral singing.” At least, that is what Gregorian chant enthusiasts claim. Said to date back to Pope Gregory the Great, Gregorian chant was the dominant liturgical style of music in European churches from the 6th to the 16th century. However, the rise of polyphonic singing in the late Middle Ages and the increasing use of musical instruments never managed to completely supplant it. One of the most outstanding figures in this field—both as a practitioner and as a scholar—was Godehard Joppich. Born on December 10, 1932, in the Silesian capital of Breslau under the name Reinhard Joppich, he passed away on December 19 of last year in Rodenbach, near Hanau in Hesse, Germany.
A Fundamental Maxim: Gregorian Chant is a Prayer
“The singers devoted to this art were not actually making music. They were not even aware that they were making music. They were learning about the Word of God and proclaiming it—through liturgical singing.” Such statements were often heard at Gregorian chant seminars led by Godehard Joppich. I was fortunate to attend one myself, and I still remember the charisma radiated by this soft-spoken man of a humble nature.
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