Responsory

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A responsory is a type of chant in Christian liturgies that involves one section singing a respond, answered by another section singing a verse, then the respond is sung again by the first section, followed by a different verse from the second, et al. Famous responsories include the Matin Responsory by Palestrina, translated into English from a medieval chant that includes the following text:

(soloist) I look from afar: and lo, I see the power of God coming, and a cloud covering the whole earth. Go ye out to meet him and say:

(refrain) Tell us, art thou he that should come to reign over thy people Israel?

(soloist) High and low, rich and poor, One with another, go ye out to meet him and say: Hear, O thou shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a sheep.

(refrain) Tell us, art thou he that should come? (unison) Stir up thy strength, O Lord, and come to reign over thy people Israel.

(soloist) Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.