Singing without musical accompaniment is extraordinarily beautiful. The voices themselves are already music. To understand this, you just need to listen. Even the text of the song is not important, only the music that human voices give birth to. This performance is called a cappella.
Instructions
Step 1
The term "a cappella" appeared in the 17th century. Singing in those days was closely associated only with religious traditions, so a cappella originates from the tradition of church services that took place in the Sistine Chapel.
Step 2
Today, in addition to widespread use in church music, this type of singing is used in folk art. Suffice it to recall the ritual poems and songs: without music, they flow in every way.
Step 3
There is also a secular a cappella performance. It is precisely the secular form of such singing that has passed the most interesting path of its development. By the end of the Middle Ages, masters from the Netherlands were considered the real professionals of a cappella singing in the choir. The Roman school of secular singing was glorified in those days by Palestrina, Scarlatti, Benevoli.
Step 4
It is curious that in the 17th and 18th centuries, background musical accompaniment was allowed for this kind of performance. It could have been one musical instrument. The role of an accompanist could also have been assigned to the bass general, but such a deviation from the rule did not take long, and soon they switched to the traditional form: only a voice and nothing more.
Step 5
Contemporary church choral art adheres to the traditions established several centuries ago. At divine services, chants are performed only a cappella. Although it should be noted that at the beginning of the 19th century, an unsuccessful attempt was made to introduce musical instruments into church singing by the composer Alexander Grechanin. However, neither the church nor the secular authorities supported this decision. But in the churches of the East, on the contrary, musical accompaniment is allowed purely on folk instruments (African and Asian).
Step 6
And drip singing is widespread throughout modern vocal art. Anyone who thinks that a cappella can be heard only in churches is deeply mistaken. New-fashioned popular musical directions: rock, pop, jazz - have a wealth of experience in performing compositions without musical accompaniment.
Step 7
Another deeply widespread misconception is that a cappella is a form of choral singing. Here, as in vocal art in general, the quantitative range of performers is very wide: solo, duet, trio, group, and, of course, the chorus.
Step 8
The world tradition of a cappella performance keeps pace with modern trends in scientific and technological progress. Modern practice has brought this rather ancient form of performance closer to the now popular dances and light shows. In modern drip performance, singing is only a small but significant part of a large-scale multi-faceted show.