Verse anthem

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

In religious music, the verse anthem is a type of choral music, or song, distinct from the motet or 'full' anthem (i.e. for full choir).[1][2]

In the 'verse' anthem the music alternates between sections for a

Restoration of Charles II enthusiasm for the older 'motet' style of anthem returned, but composers continued to write verse anthems, sometimes on a grand scale, particularly for the Chapel Royal
.

Notable composers of verse anthems include William Byrd, Orlando Gibbons, Thomas Weelkes, Thomas Tomkins, John Bull and Pelham Humfrey.

The "Star Anthem" by John Bull was the most popular Jacobean verse anthem, occurring in more contemporary sources than any other. Of the Jacobean anthems, the best-known in the 21st century is

Archbishop Laud to his alma mater St. John's College Oxford. Verse anthems have been frequently transposed to suit modern English cathedral choir voices, so Record of John exists as an alto solo as well as the original tenor
.

symphony anthems as they include, in addition to sections for 'verse' and 'full choir', passages for string instruments and organ alone, e.g. "O sing unto the Lord" and "Rejoice in the Lord alway
".

References

  1. ^ Temperley, Nicholas, "Verse Anthem" The Oxford Companion to Music, Ed. Allison Latham, Oxford Music Online, 16 March 2011.
  2. ]
  3. ^ "Category:Purcell, Henry - IMSLP/Petrucci Music Library: Free Public Domain Sheet Music". imslp.org. Retrieved 5 October 2015.