Choirs and Choral Singing. Choir properly denotes the body of singers who perform the musical part of a church service, but has lately been applied also to independent choral societies, such as the Bach Choir in London. The composition of a choir is so variable that only a few general principles can be indicated. The commonest and typical form is that of the four-part choir of mixed voices—i.e. both male and female; the soprano part, however, is often taken by boys, and the next by male alto voices. While it is desirable that the individual voices should themselves be good and well trained, there are requisites over and above those looked for in solo singing. These are briefly: (1) An equal balance of voice-power in each part; (2) adaptation of the number of voices to the size of the building where they sing; (3) an exact sense of time and rhythm in the singers, and the power of maintaining each part independent, while still in agreement with the others; (4) facility in singing at sight; and (5) frequent practice together. Though many choirs are guided by the organist alone, or have merely a leader, a conductor is always of the greatest advantage, much of the expression and effect depending on him, and the more so in proportion as the choir and the works sung are larger. It is a much debated point whether the choir should sing alone, or guide the singing of the congregation. In not a few American churches the former principle is developed in a singular form, the quartet choir consisting merely of four solo singers, by whom alone the whole music of the service is sung.
In the Eastern Church the music is unaccompanied, and is sung by the priest and choir alone. The choir of the Imperial Chapel in St Petersburg consists of about 120 voices, men and boys, who have no other occupation. In the Church of Rome the most notable is the Sistine or papal choir in Rome. Its genealogy is traceable to the singing schools established by very early popes, but extensively developed by Gregory the Great. It has for a long while consisted of thirty-two choral chaplains, occasionally supplemented, and has generally possessed specimens of the rare adult male soprano voice, the leader in 1888 being one. They sing unaccompanied, but the organ is generally used in other Roman Catholic services. The effect of their singing during the Passion-week has been well described in Mendelssohn's letters. A body of some thirty-five of them were brought by the pope to the coronation of Napoleon in Notre Dame, Paris, and entirely eclipsed a large chorus accompanied by eighty harps which was expected to produce an unprecedented effect. Since 1870 this choir has been very seldom heard at all. In the Lutheran churches in Germany, when there is a choir, as a rule they sing alone, and the congregation alone. The choir sing (unaccompanied) polyphonic motets, or less familiar hymns, the congregation singing the chorales in unison, with organ accompaniment. The most celebrated German choirs are those of the cathedral in Berlin and of the Thomas Church at Leipzig. The English cathedral choirs are more or less richly endowed, Durham standing at the head with £2400 a year. As a specimen, some details may be given in regard to Norwich. Here the choir consists of fourteen choristers (boys) and eight lay clerks (men). For the purpose of antiphonal singing these are divided into two sides, denominated (from the seats of the precentor and dean respectively) the Cantoris and Decani. The lay clerks are appointed by the dean; the choristers are trained by the organist, and have two rehearsals daily. A full rehearsal of all the choir is held weekly; they all attend on Sundays and festivals and (with the exception that each lay clerk is entitled to one week's absence in six) at the daily services. The precentor has the whole control of the choir, selection of music, &c., while the organist is responsible for the accompaniments, the training of the choristers, &c. The late Dr Buck of Norwich was perhaps the most celebrated trainer of cathedral choirs in the 19th century. Among the noted English choirs are those of the Temple Church in London and Magdalen and New College Chapels, Oxford. There is almost no literature on this subject, but much information is contained in Curwen's Studies in Worship Music (two series, Lond. 1885-88). See CHORUS, INTONING, SERVICE (Musical).