antiphon
/ˈantɪf(ə)n
/noun
1(In traditional Western Christian liturgy) a short sentence sung or recited before or after a psalm or canticle.The way the monks moved echoed the antiphons of the psalms themselves....
- For each Psalm an antiphon is given as a recurring theme phrase to be sung by the choir or the people.
- From these he inwardly confected a honey of antiphons, responsories, hymns, and other items pertaining to the Office and stored it in the hive of his wax tablets.
1.1A musical setting of an antiphon.Early Elizabethan anthems were modelled on the Latin antiphon or motet, but they cautiously followed the queen's injunction by being largely syllabic, with a minimum of counterpoint....
- He was looking inwards, which meant he didn't need to write 4O-voice motets, or antiphons which last 20 minutes.
- The newer work was commissioned for a concert of music derived from a Gregorian antiphon imploring the Lord for peace now, not later, ‘because there is no one else who will fight for us, if not You, our God.’
Origin
Late Middle English: via ecclesiastical Latin from Greek antiphōna 'harmonies', neuter plural of antiphōnos 'responsive', from anti 'in return' + phōnē 'sound'.