The Communion was originally a psalm sung antiphonally, accompanying the ceremony of taking communion, but it lost its verses and now consists only of an antiphon. In style, it is like the antiphon of an Introit, from which it can be distinguished only because it lacks the Psalm Verse and Doxology that are still part of the Introit. It can usually be distinguished from the Offertory because the latter tends to be more melismatic and ornate, having once been associated with solo performance.
NAWM 3j is an example of a Communion in mode 1.
Last updated: 19 August 2006
URL: http://www.music.indiana.edu/som/courses/m401/Communion.html
This page was created by Patrick Warfield and is maintained by
J. Peter Burkholder
Copyright © 1997-2006 by J. Peter Burkholder and Patrick Warfield