Antiphon

Antiphon ( the; reformed Stationer: .. Antifon, AltGr ἀντί - φωνος anti- phonos " sounding contrary, answering ") means counter- singing or antiphonal singing. The term refers to both a kind of music-making ( Antiphonie ) as well as specific pieces in this way, especially in church music.

Antiphonie

Antiphonie in a broad sense is to be found in all cultures and at all times. It refers to types of music-making, in which predetermined musical elements of other voices or instruments to be answered. This includes call-and -response chants.

Liturgy and Sacred Music

In a narrower sense antiphon referred to Gregorian chant a refrain or chorus, framing the verses of a psalm or other Canticle. It is sung before and after the verse, repeated if necessary after several verses. The antiphonal chants are part of the proprium and therefore change according to the church year or the feast of the day. The text of the antiphon is either taken from the Psalms, which he encloses, or the daily liturgy or the Gospel of the Day, thus forming a commentative or reflective element of worship.

Antiphonal called these parts of the liturgy of the celebration of Mass and Liturgy of the Hours, because as antiphonal singing between two choirs or between cantor (s) and Schola community or accomplished, but also because antiphon and verses are facing in internal stress.

Antiphonal chants accompany the celebration within a liturgical action. They include the Introit as backing vocals for collection, the Offertory as backing vocals for the offertory and communion as backing vocals for Communion. In its length, it depends on the duration of action accompanied by more or less verses or even the antiphon sung alone.

The antiphonal chants also includes the Graduale and the singing before the Gospel in the celebration of Mass and the response song after the readings in the Liturgy of the Hours. Here we speak of however responsory.

The Latin name of the Church Sundays ( Judica, Laetare, etc.) are usually from the first words of the Introit antiphon for the particular Sunday.

Special forms

Marian antiphons

Marian antiphons are addressed to the Mother of God songs. The term antiphon has become common, although it is strictly speaking not an antiphonal singing, although earlier, followed by a short responsory and an Oration on the chorale. In the Liturgy of the Hours, the liturgical time is sung corresponding Marian antiphon as a final song at the end of the common daily prayer hours in the church year: Salve Regina, Alma Redemptoris Mater, Ave Regina coelorum, Regina Coeli. Your place she has after Compline, but maintains they sing after vespers, when this is the last common prayer of the day. In many regions, it is also custom, the Salve Regina at the funeral of a person of consecrated life or a priest to sing at the grave.

O antiphons

In the last seven days of Advent are the antiphons for the Canticle Magnificat at Vespers invocations, which relate to messianic title of Jesus Christ from the Old Testament: O Wisdom, O Adonai, O scion of Jesse Root, O Key of David, O morning star, O king of all the nations, O Immanuel. In the Roman Book of Hours, there are seven of these O antiphons, regionally are also eight sung, in the Middle Ages, there were up to twelve.