Choral singing
Communal singing by a group of singers.
What it means
Choral singing is the communal singing of a group in which each voice part is doubled several times over. This distinguishes it from the vocal ensemble, in which each voice part occurs only once. Usual are four-part scorings of soprano, alto, tenor, and bass, alongside choirs of like voices made up of women's, men's, or children's voices, as well as divisions into more parts. A choir is as a rule led by one person, who gives the entries, the tempo, and the shaping.
Musical use
Multiple scoring fundamentally changes the sound: individual voices merge into an overall colour, and small deviations in pitch and vibrato blend into a broader surface of sound. From this follows the texture of choral music, which rests on shared lines, clear harmonies, and ranges that are easy to sing. The repertoire comprises sacred and secular music of all periods, with and without accompaniment. Choirs also carry a large part of the performance practice of great works — oratorios, masses, symphonic choral works — and are at the same time a field of communal amateur music-making.
Performance practice
While singing, listen to the neighbouring voices and subordinate your own voice to the overall sound; choral singing rewards adaptation, not standing out. Watch for uniform vowel colours and shared pronunciation, because blend and intelligibility of the text depend on them. Breathe where it has been agreed, and use staggered breathing for long lines. Keep eye contact with the conductor and sing from memory where possible. Warm up the voice together and avoid singing beyond your own limit of strain — in a choir this easily goes unnoticed.
Keep in mind that formation and distance change the sound strongly: a mixed formation promotes the independence of the singers, a formation by voice part the unified group sound. Try both instead of carrying on a habit. Watch for shared consonants, especially at word ends, and decide on which beat they fall. In rehearsal, sing in a circle now and then so that all the voices become audible. Plan breaks, because in a choir the voice is overloaded unnoticed, and warm it up before every rehearsal.