The expression "to sing a capella" appeared among amateur musicians relatively recently. It comes from the term "to sing a cappella", that is, to perform vocal works without instrumental accompaniment. This type of singing has existed for many centuries, since the first "instrument" that a person has learned to use is the voice.
When did the term appear
Despite the fact that singing without musical accompaniment appeared at the dawn of human history, the term a capella itself appeared in the 17th century. Literally translated, it means “as in a chapel,” that is, as during a Catholic service. Initially, the term was used mainly in relation to choral singing, but now it refers to any performance of a vocal piece without accompaniment. A capella can be sung by a small vocal group or soloist.
Singing a cappella in church music
Acapella chanting was widely used during worship in the early Catholic and Orthodox churches. Later (around the 7th century), Catholics began to use the organ, and then other musical instruments. In the Orthodox Church to this day, the choir and soloists sing without accompaniment on any musical instrument. The polyphonic style of a cappella singing was formed by the end of the Middle Ages. Spiritual works for the choir were written by such famous composers as Palestrina and Scarlatti, as well as Lasso and other musicians of the Dutch school. In Russia, a-cappella singing became the basis for the emergence and development of a unique phenomenon - the partisan concert.
Singing a cappella in secular art
Singing without instrumental accompaniment was popular not only in temples, but also in secular salons. One of the most famous genres of acapella singing is madrigal. In both sacred and secular acapella music, a solo instrument was sometimes used in the West. Usually it was a violin or bass general. Russian composers did not introduce the instrument.
Singing without an instrument in folk music
Acapella singing is an indispensable part of European folk culture. Practically all peoples have samples of folk songs that were performed without an accompanying or even a solo instrument. Such songs could be monophonic or polyphonic, depending on the genre and traditions.
Acapella singing in modern culture
This type of singing reached its peak in Russia at the beginning of the last century. Rachmaninov, Taneev Sviridov, Shebalin and many other outstanding composers wrote for the chorus without accompaniment. Academic a-cappella singing is performed in temples and concert halls. Singing instruction is an obligatory part of the curriculum for vocalists and choir conductors. You can learn this art in a specialized educational institution, as well as in a church choir. In recent years, unaccompanied singing has become extremely popular with young people, as interest in various folk cultures has sharply increased.
