"Antiphonal singing"
  • Maureen
    Posts: 675
    I need some definition help. I've got a book here that I'm supposed to review (sort of a general knowledge Mass book). I think I've found an error, but maybe it's me that's wrong.

    They say that "antiphonal singing" is singing that has everybody together on an antiphon, by which they mean a responsorial psalm chorus or what-have-you.

    My impression was that "antiphonal singing" is when you divvy the singers into two equal parts, and one sings half of a verse and the other sings the other half. (Sort of like strophe and antistrophe in Greek plays.) Thus, Tertullian saying that one of the great joys of Christian marriage was him and his wife singing the psalms back and forth to each other.

    (I mean, the whole point of that quote was the equality part of Christian marriage. If you picture Tertullian as Lord High Cantor, and his wife as restricted solely to singing the response, it's not the same.)

    Please let me know. I don't like to criticize, but this seems like a fairly important point to get wrong. Especially since they quote the bit about the vision of seeing angels do it in heaven, and associating that with the responsorial just doesn't seem to be what I remember from CMAA classes or other books.
  • Abbot Jonathan CoelAbbot Jonathan Coel
    Posts: 167
    from the Encyclopedia Britannica

    "Antiphonal Singing - alternate singing by two choirs or singers. Antiphonal singing is of great antiquity and occurs in the folk and liturgical music of many cultures. Descriptions of it occur in the Old Testament. The antiphonal singing of psalms occurred both in ancient Hebrew and early Christian liturgies; alternating choirs would sing—e.g., half lines of psalm verses."

    "Similar instances of alternating singing occur in the folk music of modern Yemenite Jews, in African and African American folk music, and in eastern European folk music. The principle is also used in large polychoral compositions (for two or more choirs) by such composers as Giovanni Gabrieli and Johann Sebastian Bach. The term cori spezzati (“split choirs”) was used to describe polychoral singing in Venice in the later 16th century."

    "Responsorial Singing - style of singing in which a leader alternates with a chorus, especially in liturgical chant. Responsorial singing, also known as call-and-response, is found in the folk music of many cultures—e.g., Native American, African, and African American. One example from the rural United States is the lining out of hymns in churches: a leader sings a hymn line, which is then repeated by the congregation. Responsorial singing of the psalms was practiced in ancient Hebrew and early Christian liturgies."
  • Maureen
    Posts: 675
    Thank you very kindly. That's what I kept finding, too, but I was afraid I was missing something. You relieve my mind greatly.
  • Ruth Lapeyre
    Posts: 341
    Maureen,

    Perhaps they are referring to the antiphon - psalm - antiphon of the Office. They might be confused by the terminology.
  • incantuincantu
    Posts: 989
    This is one of those terms that means different things in different contexts (e.g., time period), not unlike "motet," "neume," "obbligato," and "a capella" (to name but a few). That's not to say the term isn't being used incorrectly in terms of its context, but it does have multiple legitimate meanings.
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