There are various different names for a group of singers. For traditional pieces of music, generally the type of music you think of to accompany religious ceremonies, the term ‘choir’ would be the most popular.
It’s not always the most accurate way to name the group of singers though, if the performance takes place outside of the church then the term ‘chorus’ is often used. The different sections of a choir are often considered ‘choirs’ themselves. The ‘brass choir’ as an example would be part of a bigger orchestra of choir. Different voices are also referred to as different choirs too. The ‘baritone choir’ and the ‘tenor choir’ are indeed parts that form the overall choir although will often work off different pieces of sheet music.
However the choir is referred to it is always lead by a conductor. The most recognisable part of the choir, he or she will use his hands and a variety of prompts to guide the choir through the entire score, prompting different speeds of music along with prompts for different parts of the choir to become involved.
Vocal chorus’ will tend be be broken into four parts. This doesn’t have to be the format though. Often composers will insist that a number of different choirs are used and may also deviate the normal format of that choir. Some composers have been known to expand choirs well beyond their normal ranges and pen pieces that need any number of different voices and sections of voices.
Twinning the performance with music is something that will differ from composer to composer. Quite often music will be sung unaccompanied, in it’s more pure form. The choice lays with the composer. He or she also has a number of other decisions to make. For example, the arrangement of the choir – some composers will insist of arranging the voices within the choir from left to right, moving from the highest voice to the lowest voice. Sometimes the composer will prefer to split the choir by sex or indeed by age, with the boy choir being separate to the adult choir. Some will argue that the parts need to be close to one another to ensure their voices stay tuned to each other, however, the composer will always endeavour to do what is write for the music.
When you reach the upper echelons of ability in the choir the voices tend to mix with one another to their own regard. Not having the backup for similar voices around you means that one’s ability and confidence has to be at a tremendous level and this kind of arrangement is rarely one favoured by composer working with anything but the most skilled vocalists. Some argue that a freely formed choir loses some of the sound quality associated with a traditional choral arrangement.
The possibilities of arrangement in the choir are endless and often the thoughts of the audience are taking into consideration when the final decision is being made. Ultimately the choir is there for the audience and the composer will decide which presentation conveys the choirs work in the best way.
Visit us and join our friendly composer forum and expand your skill set.