The Origin of Polyphony in Catholicism—Taking the Medieval Organum as an Example

With the development of medieval religion, the earliest form of polyphonic music in Europe, the Organum, emerged in the 9th century.This paper takes the Organum, a core form of medieval Catholic music, as the research object and delves into the unique characteristics of polyphonic music formed in the specific environment of Catholicism, as well as its complete historical evolution from its inception to development.By employing the method of literature review combined with score analysis, this paper presents the typological characteristics of the Organum and argues that the Organum is not only a foundational practice of polyphonic music but also a combination of faith expression and artistic innovation.The study ultimately points out that medieval theological thought, liturgical practice, and social environment became a unique breeding ground for the growth of polyphony.The development of the Organum reflects the combination of sacredness and artistic autonomy in medieval Christian culture, and under the combined influence of church needs, technical standardization (notation), and socio-cultural changes, it paved the way for the subsequent evolution of Western polyphonic music.