Antiphon

   Chant preceding and following a chanted psalm or canticle with text from the Bible or hagiography. The term and its association with psalmody has been traced to St. Ambrose in the late fourth century, and some documents indicate a performance practice of splitting the choir to sing in antiphony. The choir may sing the antiphon in alternation with verses of the psalm, or sets of verses, or may frame the psalm by singing the antiphon once before it begins and once after it ends. In any case, the psalm tone for chanting the psalm is chosen according to the mode of the antiphon for the particular occasion. Some scholars believe that the melodies of the older antiphons derive from the formulas of the psalm tones.

   Antiphons will occur first of all whenever psalms are sung in Roman Catholic liturgy, principally in the divine office, but also in certain propers of the mass. Actions of the celebrant—his entrance (introit), prayer over the gifts (offertory), and prayers during communion— are thought to have been at one time accompanied by psalms and antiphons. In the Gregorian tradition (ninth century), only the antiphons, without psalm verses, remain at offertory and communion; with the Introit enough psalm verses are sung to cover the procession.

   See also Byzantine Chant; Psalm Tone; Sticheron; Votive Antiphon.