Repercussion (singing) explained

Repercussion (latinized form of "repeating" or "rebounding") is a special vocal singing technique consisting on singing a tone with a constant pitch.

Background

The technique has been and is especially used in Gregorian chant^{[1] [2]} where repetitions of sounds are prescribed by certain neumes, such as a distropha or a tristropha. The vocals are modulated in volume, without necessarily resulting in a pitch fluctuation, or a vibrato. If the singing is not performed by a soloist, the singers modulate their voices in unison according to the direction of the cantor. The perfect singing of repercussion requires vocal training and appropriate respiratory support.

A similar term, which means something different, is the word "repercussa". This is another name for the recitation tone, an important structural tone within the church modes.

See also

• Gregorian mode
• Tremolo

Notes and References

1. L.F. Heckenlively The fundamentals of Gregorian chant 5876262226 1978 - Page 213 "However this repercussion of the Quilisma note must be very light and delicate, such as the repercussions on the “ levé ” which we have seen in the Strophicus. This last procedure is preferable and much closer to the Gregorian Tradition; this repercussion of the Quilisma Note adds an immaterial, etherial quality to the phrase, which would be lost in the first interpretation."
2. Willi Apel Gregorian Chant 0253326508- 1958 Page 107 "Another repercussion of seven notes occurs at the beginning of the Offertory Reges Tharsis [461], and one of nine notes in the Gradual Quemadmodum [1478] on “(siti)vit.” b. "