responsorial singing

What is responsorial singing? Singing in which the congregation responds to cantor's lines.

psalmody, singing of psalms in worship. In biblical times professional singers chanted psalms during Jewish religious services. Occasionally, the congregation interpolated a short refrain between the chanted verses. The alternation of soloist and chorus was called responsorial psalmody (see responsory).

The psalms, primarily written by King David were originally prayers in the form of songs. In the spirit of their original intent, it is most appropriate that they be sung and should be sung.

In responsorial singing, the soloist (or choir) sings a series of verses, each one followed by a response from the choir (or congregation). In antiphonal singing, the verses are sung alternately by soloist and choir, or by choir and congregation.

In music, a call and response is a succession of two distinct phrases usually played by different musicians, where the second phrase is heard as a response to the first.

The Catholic Dictionary defines the responsorial psalm as: Antiphonal psalm that is said or read before the Gospel at Mass. Normally the psalm is taken from the lectionary and has some bearing on the particular text from Scripture.

Literally a psalm is a poem written to be sung to the accompaniment of stringed instruments. It was a term that would have been especially familiar to the Jews. Psalms were the established music of God's people, sung since the days of the Old Testament in the tabernacle and Temple.

Article Talk. Exclusive psalmody is the practice of singing only the biblical Psalms in congregational singing as worship. Today it is practised by several Protestant, especially Reformed denominations.

"After the first reading comes the responsorial Psalm, which is an integral part of the Liturgy of the Word and holds great liturgical and pastoral importance, because it fosters meditation on the word of God. "The responsorial Psalm should correspond to each reading and should, as a rule, be taken from the Lectionary.

Psalms, book of the Old Testament composed of sacred songs, or of sacred poems meant to be sung. In the Hebrew Bible, Psalms begins the third and last section of the biblical canon, known as the Writings (Hebrew Ketuvim).

The looser term antiphony is generally used for any call and response style of singing, such as the kirtan or the sea shanty and other work songs, and songs and worship in African and African-American culture. Antiphonal music is that performed by two choirs in interaction, often singing alternate musical phrases.

noun Responsive or antiphonal singing or chanting. noun A composition that is sung responsively; an antiphon. noun A responsive or reciprocal interchange, as of ideas or opinions.