ANTIPHONAL SINGING

alternate singing by two choirs or singers. Antiphonal singing is of great antiquity and occurs in the folk and liturgical music of many cultures. Descriptions of it occur in the Old Testament. The antiphonal singing of psalms occurred both in ancient Hebrew and early Christian liturgies; alternating choirs would singe.g., half lines of psalms verses. Similar instances of alternating singing occur in the folk music of modern Yemenite Jews, in African and African-American folk music, and in eastern European folk music. The principle is also used in large compositions for double choir by such composers as Johann Sebastian Bach. Compare responsorial singing.