Part-song

A composition for at least 3 voices in harmony, without accomp. and for equal or mixed voices].—The irst requisite of the music is well-defined rhythm, and the second unyielding homophony... Tunefulne in the upper part or melody is desirable, and the attention should not be withdrawn by elaborate devices of an imitative or contrapuntal nature in the harmonic sub- The part-song being e entially a melody with choral harmony. the upper part is in one sense the most important... The words may be either amatory, heroic, patriotic, didactic, or even quasi-sacred in character... The Part-song...is one of three forms of secular unaccompanied choral music, the others being the madrigal, and the glee...Like the madrigal and un‘ike the glee, the number of voices to each part may be multiplied within reasonable limits. [Grove]