Anglican chant

Anglican chant is often sung by church and cathedral choirs such as Westminster Abbey choir
Psalm 84
A setting of Psalm 84 by Hubert Parry, sung by the choir of Trinity Church, Boston
Problems playing this file? See media help.

Anglican chant, also known as English chant,[1][2] is a way to sing unmetrical texts, including psalms and canticles from the Bible, by matching the natural speech-rhythm of the words to the notes of a simple harmonized melody.[3] This distinctive type of chant is a significant element of Anglican church music.

Anglican chant was formerly in widespread use in Anglican and Episcopal churches, but today, Anglican chant is sung primarily in Anglican cathedrals and parish churches that have retained a choral liturgical tradition. Additionally, Anglican chant may be sung in Roman Catholic,[4][5] Lutheran,[1][6][7] Presbyterian,[8][9] and Reformed[10][11] churches.

Anglican chant grew out of the plainchant tradition during the English Reformation. When singing a text in Anglican chant, the natural rhythm of the words as they would be spoken by a careful speaker governs how the music is fitted to the words. The majority of the words are freely and rhythmically chanted over the reciting notes, which are found in the first, fourth, eighth, eleventh (etc.) bars of the chant and with the other notes of the music appropriately fitted to the words at the end of each half-verse. Formerly the rhythm of the non-reciting notes was strictly observed, but nowadays the rhythm is based on the natural cadence of speech. Thus, the length of each of these notes bears little relation to the normal musical value of a note such as a minim or semibreve.[12]

Anglican chant was well established by the 18th century. The earliest known examples are single chants written by John Blow, Henry Purcell, and their contemporaries. Earlier examples by Tudor composers such as Tallis, Farrant, and others are not original. The earliest double chants are from about 1700.

  1. ^ a b Mayes, Benjamin T.G. (2002). English Chant Psalter (NKJ). Ft. Wayne, IN: Concordia Theological Seminary Press.
  2. ^ "The English Chant Psalter". Florida Parishes Publication Society LC. Retrieved 2016-05-31.
  3. ^ Scholes, Percy A. (1970). The Oxford Companion to Music (10th ed.). Oxford Univ. Press. pp. 32. ISBN 978-0-19-311306-0.
  4. ^ "EWTN Broadcast • Mass of Ordination • First Bishop of the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter". Corpus Christi Watershed. February 2016. Retrieved 2016-08-22.
  5. ^ Catholic News Service (2012-02-24), Heirs of Newman's 'Oxford Movement', retrieved 2016-08-22
  6. ^ Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (2006). Lutheran Service Book. St. Louis, MO: Concordia Publishing House. pp. 226–27 (Benedictus). ISBN 978-0-7586-1217-5.
  7. ^ Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (1982). Lutheran Worship. St. Louis, MO: Concordia Publishing House. p. 8 in "Canticles and Chants". (Te Deum
  8. ^ Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America (1973). The Book of Psalms for Singing (3rd ed.). pp. 19C, 84C, et al.
  9. ^ Presbyterian Church in the United States (1952). The Presbyterian Hymnal. John Knox Press. pp. 499 et al.
  10. ^ An Order of Worship for the Reformed Church. Philadelphia: Reformed Church Publication Board, Reformed Church in the United States. 1866. pp. 358–388. ISBN 978-1112544828.
  11. ^ Cantus Christi. Moscow, ID: Canon Press. 2002. pp. 3 et al. ISBN 1-59128-003-6.
  12. ^ Wyton, Alec, ed. (1987). The Anglican Chant Psalter. New York, NY: Church Publishing, Inc. pp. vi–vii.