Refrain

A chorus (French ) is a refrain or burden, as it often occurs in poems and songs: The Return of lyrically / musically ( at least mostly ) identical lines at the end of a verse or between the verses as striking outline feature.

The formal design of the chorus as well as its place in the whole poem / song are no limits. Thus, it is possible to vary slightly each occurrence of the refrain to individual adapt it to the surrounding verses. On the other hand, in the Rondo - form the verses of significantly different shape, so that the chorus gets a converging, loop back function here. Another technique of formal increase the delay of the chorus entry by inserted at specific points between parts.

The use of a refrain so also generates a return in the general sense, because as a pure poetic device, such as the deliberate return of a certain voltage, situation, etc., which amplifies a " Wanted " poetic image.

A special form of the refrain is the chain refrain, in which the refrain after each stanza to an element (eg, a line) is extended. When this chaining runs in reverse order, it is called a backward -running chain refrain, as it occurs for example in the song January Hinnerk.

In the pop music of the chorus is the actual load-bearing portion around which a song is often downright around composes. It often happens that a piece of music in its second half consists only of constant repetitions of the chorus, the possibly for the purpose of a recent increase or a semitone higher moved ( sequenced ), before then disappears slowly ( fade out ). Often, this native of the English term is used chorus.

• Part of a musical form
• Literary term