Category:Partsongs

From ChoralWiki

A piece of music in two or more voice-parts without independent accompaniment. In theory, the term encompasses forms such as the glee, madrigal and unaccompanied anthem. In practice, however, it usually refers to small-scale secular pieces for unaccompanied choral singing. No precise definition is possible: the supposition that partsongs differ from madrigals in moving homophonically with the melody in the top voice overlooks the textural variety of both madrigals and partsongs. Nor is the text definitive, since there are sacred examples such as Sullivan's Five Sacred Partsongs (1871). The genre gained popularity in England in the nineteenth century with the growth of choral societies. Partsongs are usually single entities, but there exist lengthy multi-sectional works, possibly intended as competitive showpieces, that are susceptible to no other definition. Other languages have no exact equivalent of the term: this may be a reflection of its breadth and inexactitude in all countries where partsongs flourish.

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