ANTIPHON. — From Ἀντιφανή = alternate singing between two choirs. It is a brief formula, composed of one or more phrases, which brings out the meaning of the psalm: it is like a key for interpreting the psalm itself, from which it is almost always taken, and indicates its principal thought, for example in the ferial and Sunday offices. At times, moreover, it illustrates the mystery being celebrated, as do the a. proper to feast Commune Sanctorum (v.), which are brief prayers, praises, and invocations taken from scriptural passages or newly composed, such as the rhythmical offices that were very popular in the Middle Ages. In ancient times the a. was a refrain, a brief interpolated chant in the psalms sung by two choirs, which was called antiphonal psalmody. It was repeated at every verse of the psalm; but, as time went on, both because of a shortage of singers and in order to shorten the office, it was sung only at the beginning and at the end of the psalm. In the Mass, on the other hand, at the Offertory and the Communion, once the psalm had been suppressed, only the a. remained, while at the Introit the a. remained together with the first verse of the psalm.
Properly antiphonal psalmody originated in Antioch (cf. Socrates, Hist. Eccl., 6, 8; Theodoret, Hist. Eccl., 2, 19); it was then introduced into Constantinople through the work of s. Giovanni Crisostomo, and into Milan through the initiative of s. Ambrogio, whence it subsequently spread to all the churches of the Latin rite. In the sixth century the a. ceased to be an interpolated chant within the psalms and came to assume the meaning of what is placed before the psalm, which is said before II. S. Germano di Parigi indeed says: « Antiphona dicta, quia prius ipsa anteponitur » (Ep. altera de comm. officio).
Antiphonal singing was already in use among the Jews (Esd. 2, 12, 30) and among the pagans, as is demonstrated, among the Indians, by the Regeada, among the Greeks by the hymn in honor of Apollo of Delphi, and among the Romans by the versus fescennini. Tertullian states that the more zealous Christians added the Alleluia to their prayers and to the psalms a concluding formula which those present could repeat (De Orat., 27). Silvia (v.), speaking of the night office at Jerusalem in the fourth century, writes: « Psalmi responduntur », and that one of the priests says a psalm at the morning office « et respondent omnes » (Peregr., 24, 1-9).
In the present Latin liturgy the a. is recited in full before and after the psalm at Matins, Lauds, and Vespers on days of double rite; on semidouble and simple days it is indicated at the beginning and said in full at the end of the psalm. At the minor Hours of Prime, Terce, Sext, None, and Compline it is always indicated at the beginning and said in full at the end of the three psalms. Intoning the a. is an honor which, for example, at solemn Vespers in cathedral, collegiate, and conventual churches is manifested by a pre-intonation performed by the first cantor, who, dressed in sacred vestments, goes to the place of the person who is to intone II. Filippo Oppenheim
MUSIC. - The singing of the antiphon was performed in several ways:
either by simultaneously combining the same melody in different tessituras, for example at the octave; or by following the same melody with two distinct choirs, or with different melodies. In the East, during the 3rd and 4th centuries, psalms were thus performed antiphonally: men on one side, women and children on the other. The term antiphon was also applied to a refrain or short phrase (with a prolonged note) that was intercalated between the verses of the psalms, or at least sung at the beginning and end. This manner of singing was, in a sense, opposed to another form called indirectum or sine antiphona, in which the entire psalm was executed without intercalation.
The text of the antiphon, taken from the psalm itself, has a very simple musical form, such that it could be easily memorized by all the faithful alternating with the clergy or the soloist. However, when the text was later drawn from other biblical books, hagiographic compositions, or was specifically composed, the melody was sometimes more developed. The tone of the psalm depends entirely on the mode of the antiphon; indeed, the very ending of the saeculorum amen (E.U.O.A.E.) is chosen by preferring the one that best facilitates the transition from the psalm to the antiphon—a necessity even more pressing when the antiphon was repeated between the verses of the psalm. On certain solemnities, this repetition, for example in the singing of the Magnificat, was called "making the antiphon triumph." The choice of a single dominant was fixed in Gregorian chant for the convenience of the singers, but it is not always the one required by the construction. In Ambrosian chant, the dominant of the psalm is taken from that of the antiphon. Sometimes the musical theme of the antiphon, especially if the text is from the same psalm, is so well-cadenced and harmonious in its proportions that it has been used as a melodic formula for small responsories with the Alleluia. The hypothesis has been advanced that several themes of these simple antiphons might be taken from secular popular songs to better facilitate the singing of the faithful. Nothing concrete can be affirmed, though it must be said that this is not impossible, just as it is not impossible that there are Oriental themes. In any case, the Church has known how to assimilate and adapt such themes perfectly, sanctifying them.
The music in antiphons follows, almost step by step, the phraseology of the text, with its own melodic accentuation. It cannot be denied that some melodies, originally composed for a specific text, became types and models to be adopted for various texts that present a similar literary arrangement, even with cadential modifications or simple passing notes, which reveal an entire system proper to Gregorian chant. In antiphons, we find in particular the form of centone with its nomoi. This very ancient procedure, even predating Gregorian chant, constitutes musically a true mosaic of wandering formulas, but one that reveals exquisite taste. At other times, the melody of the antiphon, due to the text, is arranged as in a strophe, in the manner of a hymn or εἰμνος (v. IRMO). The construction of antiphon melodies presents especially the arch form, corresponding to the melody of the word; beginning from the lower notes, it develops upward toward the center and returns to the base. However, cases where the melody begins high, as if ex abrupto, are not rare, particularly inspired by the very expression of the text.