Accentus (orAccentus Ecclesiasticus;Ecclesiastical accent) is a style ofchurch music that emphasizes spoken word. It is often contrasted withconcentus, an alternative style that emphasizes harmony. The termsaccentus andconcentus were probably introduced by Andreas Ornithoparchus in hisMusicae Activae Micrologus, published in Leipzig in 1517.[1][2] "Concentus might be chief ruler over all things that are sung...andAccentus over all things that are read," according to Ornithoparchus.[3] The style is also known asliturgical recitative, though it differs in some important ways from other types ofrecitative.
In the medieval church, the whole portion of the liturgical song performed by thechoir (or by sections of it) was calledconcentus; thushymns,psalms,mass ordinary, andalleluias 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 thepriest,deacon,subdeacon, oracolyte sang alone were calledaccentus; this included thecollects,epistle andgospel, thepreface, and anything which was recited chiefly on one tone, rather than sung, by the priest or one of his assistants. Theaccentus should not be accompanied by harmonies, whether of voices or of instruments, although theconcentus may receive such accompaniment. The intoning wordsGloria in excelsis Deo andCredo in Unum Deum, being assigned to the celebrant alone, should not be repeated by the choir or accompanied by theorgan or other musical instrument.
There were originally seven types ofAccentus Ecclesiasticus, depending on how the voice should be inflected at the punctuation marks ending phrases or sentences:
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Accentus Ecclesiasticus".Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.