Accentus (or Accentus Ecclesiasticus; Ecclesiastical accent) is a style of

church music Church music is a genre of Christian music written for performance in church, or any musical setting of ecclesiastical liturgy, or music set to words expressing propositions of a sacred nature, such as a hymn. History Early Christian musi ...

that emphasizes spoken word. It is often contrasted with ''concentus'', an alternative style that emphasizes harmony. The terms ''accentus'' and ''concentus'' were probably introduced by Andreas Ornithoparchus in his ''Musicae Activae Micrologus'', published in Leipzig in 1517. "''Concentus'' might be chief ruler over all things that are sung...and ''Accentus'' over all things that are read," according to Ornithoparchus. The style is also known as liturgical recitative, though it differs in some important ways from other types of

recitative Recitative (, also known by its Italian name recitativo () is a style of delivery (much used in operas, oratorios, and cantatas) in which a singer is allowed to adopt the rhythms and delivery of ordinary speech. Recitative does not repeat lines ...

. In the medieval church, the whole portion of the liturgical song performed by the

choir A choir ( ), also known as a chorale or chorus (from Latin ''chorus'', meaning 'a dance in a circle') is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform or in other words ...

(or by sections of it) was called ''concentus;'' thus

hymn A hymn is a type of song, and partially synonymous with devotional song, specifically written for the purpose of adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification. The word ''hymn'' d ...

psalms The Book of Psalms ( , ; ; ; ; , in Islam also called Zabur, ), also known as the Psalter, is the first book of the third section of the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible) called ('Writings'), and a book of the Old Testament. The book is an anthology of B ...

mass ordinary The ordinary, in Catholic liturgies, refers to the part of the Mass or of the canonical hours that is reasonably constant without regard to the date on which the service is performed. It is contrasted with the '' proper'', which is that part of ...

, and

alleluia ''Hallelujah'' (; , Modern Hebrew, Modern ) is an interjection from the Hebrew language, used as an expression of gratitude to God. The term is used 24 times in the Hebrew Bible, Tanakh (in the book of Psalms), twice in deuterocanonical books, ...

s were usually included under this term, as well as anything with more complex or distinctive melodic contours. On the other hand, parts of the liturgy which the

priest A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deity, deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in parti ...

deacon A deacon is a member of the diaconate, an office in Christian churches that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions. Major Christian denominations, such as the Cathol ...

subdeacon Subdeacon is a minor orders, minor order of ministry for men or women in various branches of Christianity. The subdeacon has a specific liturgical role and is placed below the deacon and above the acolyte in the order of precedence. Subdeacons in ...

, or

acolyte An acolyte is an assistant or follower assisting the celebrant in a religious service or procession. In many Christian denominations, an acolyte is anyone performing ceremonial duties such as lighting altar candles. In others, the term is used f ...

sang alone were called ''accentus''; this included the

collect The collect ( ) is a short general prayer of a particular structure used in Christian liturgy. Collects come up in the liturgies of Catholic, Lutheran, or Anglican churches, among others. Etymology The word is first seen as Latin ''collēcta'' ...

epistle An epistle (; ) is a writing directed or sent to a person or group of people, usually an elegant and formal didactic letter. The epistle genre of letter-writing was common in ancient Egypt as part of the scribal-school writing curriculum. The ...

and

gospel Gospel originally meant the Christianity, Christian message ("the gospel"), but in the second century Anno domino, AD the term (, from which the English word originated as a calque) came to be used also for the books in which the message w ...

, the

preface __NOTOC__ A preface () or proem () is an introduction to a book or other literature, literary work written by the work's author. An introductory essay written by a different person is a ''foreword'' and precedes an author's preface. The preface o ...

, and anything which was recited chiefly on one tone, rather than sung, by the priest or one of his assistants. The ''accentus'' should not be accompanied by harmonies, whether of voices or of instruments, although the ''concentus'' may receive such accompaniment. The intoning words ''

Gloria in excelsis Deo "" (Latin for "Glory to God in the highest") is a Christianity, Christian Hymn#Christian hymnody, hymn known also as the Greater Doxology (as distinguished from the "Minor Doxology" or Gloria Patri) and the Angelic Hymn/Hymn of the Angels. The na ...

'' and ''

Credo in Unum Deum The Nicene Creed, also called the Creed of Constantinople, is the defining statement of belief of Nicene Christianity and in those Christian denominations that adhere to it. The original Nicene Creed was first adopted at the First Council of N ...

'', being assigned to the celebrant alone, should not be repeated by the choir or accompanied by the

organ Organ and organs may refer to: Biology * Organ (biology), a group of tissues organized to serve a common function * Organ system, a collection of organs that function together to carry out specific functions within the body. Musical instruments ...

or other musical instrument. There were originally seven types of ''Accentus Ecclesiasticus'', depending on how the voice should be inflected at the punctuation marks ending phrases or sentences: * ''Accentus immutabilis –'' voice remains at the same tone * ''Accentus medus'' ''–'' voice falls by a third at a colon * ''Accentus gravis'' ''–'' voice falls by a fifth at a period * ''Accentus actus'' ''–'' voice falls by a third and returns to the original tone at a comma * ''Accentus moderatus'' ''–'' voice rises by a second and returns to the original tone at a comma * ''Accentus interrogata'' ''–'' voice falls by a second and returns to the original tone at a question mark * ''Accentus finalis –'' voice rises by a second and then falls stepwise to a fourth below the original tone at the end (Digital edition by Google Books; also republished 2006 by Adamant Media as .)

References

{{Mass 16th-century neologisms Church music Order of Mass Latin religious words and phrases Musical terminology Choral music genres