polychoral

Polychoral refers to choral music composed for two or more separate choirs that perform either antiphonally (alternating) or in combined forces, frequently placed in different locations within a liturgical space to create spatial effects. The approach is commonly described by the Italian term cori spezzati, meaning “split choirs.”

The style developed in late Renaissance Italy, reaching a peak in Venice at St. Mark’s Basilica. Composers such as Giovanni Gabrieli wrote works specifically designed for multiple choirs and instrumental ensembles, exploiting the acoustic opportunities of large churches. Gabrieli’s Sacrae symphoniae and In Ecclesiis are among the best-known examples. The Venetian model influenced composers elsewhere and later expanded into the northern European Baroque, where the antiphonal technique was adopted by figures such as Heinrich Schütz.

Practically, polychoral writing often involved separate vocal groups placed in different church locations, sometimes with separate instrumental groups or organ accompaniments. The result is a spatial dialogue—dialogue between choirs, between voices and instruments, and between different acoustic fields within a single piece. Dynamic contrasts, antiphonal responses, and carefully designed entrances characterize the texture.

Legacy and usage: Polychoral techniques continued to appear in sacred music into the early Baroque period and influenced subsequent choral-writing by fostering new uses of spatial and antiphonal effects. Beyond its historical context, the concept remains a reference point in discussions of choral texture and liturgical performance practices.