What is an anthem?
Q: What is an anthem?
A: An anthem is a piece of music written for a choir to sing at an Anglican church service. It is usually sung in English and often accompanied by an organ. The word “anthem” has also come to mean “a song of celebration”, and can be patriotic songs adopted by countries of the world.
Q: How long is the longest anthem in the world?
A: The longest anthem in the world is Greece's "Hymn to Liberty", which has 158 stanzas.
Q: When did composers start writing music for Anglican churches?
A: Composers started writing music for Anglican churches after King Henry VIII argued with the Pope and founded (started) the English Anglican church, around 1502.
Q: What are two kinds of anthems?
A: Two kinds of anthems developed over time - Full Anthems, which were sung by the full choir, and Verse Anthems, which were longer and had several verses that would be sung by soloists with choruses for the full choir in between.
Q: How are anthems different from motets?
A: The difference between an anthem and a motet is that an anthem is sung in English whereas motets are usually composed in Latin or other languages.
Q: Who are some famous composers of anthems?
A: Some famous composers of anthems include Fayrfax, as well as many other music directors from cathedrals or large churches who have written their own compositions.
