This contribution tackles the problematics of modal church music from the development of the Greek modes across the modes of the Gregorian choral to the Heinrich Glareanus' system of twelve modes. The text summarizes the pertinent terminology: ambitus, dominant chord, finalis, repercussion, and tonus.
The didactic aspect of the article is that an existent clerical tune (spiritual song) is linked to a particular church mode; moreover, an overview of the most popular spiritual songs suitable for teaching modes is presented and commented on, too.