Anthem

[William Hupy]

A composition sung in alternate parts. From Latin, from Greek. Antiphona. Against voice? Meaning responsive or sounding in answer.

[Perry Lassiter]

The above definition reflects the etymology, but current church usage has moved away from antiphonal pieces, calling such works by what they are - antiphonal. Anthems are larger works intended for choirs with trained singers as opposed to congnregational singing. A special usage refers to national anthems, usually heroic pieces celebrating a nation. Sometimes "anthem" may be downgraded to serve for a smaller group. Our fraternity's anthem was Gaudeamus Igitun.

Some divide church music on the following scale:
Gospel music is emotional reflecting feelings. Uses personal pronouns.
Hymns praise God and are addressed to Him or in third person.
Anthems are choral pieces.
Cantatas are a collection of 5-10 or more anthem-like works. The Messiah is probably the best known, and there is a huge gap in the cantatas turned out by today's publishing houses and the Classical works by Hayden, Bach, and Mozart.
Two other comments on gospel music. Southern Gospel often refers to the music mace popular by quartets such as the Blackwood Brothers or the early Oak Ridge Boys. SG can also refer to the distinctive soul music from African-American churches. Here we come full circle, for in slave days, the music was often call and response, antiphonal.