Conductus

A conductus is an influential type of medieval Latin song or poem from the 12th and 13th centuries, often composed for vocal performance. It features a single, strophic melody—meaning the same tune repeats for different stanzas—and was used in religious or scholarly contexts. Conductus texts are usually serious or didactic in nature, and some were written to accompany rituals or festivities. Musically, they played a key role in the development of early Western sacred and secular music, marking a transition from plainchant to more complex polyphonic styles.