recessional

Recessional is a term used to describe either a ceremonial piece of music or a published poem, depending on context. In music and ceremony, a recessional is the piece played as a group exits a service, ceremony, or procession. It serves as the opposite of a processional, which accompanies entrants. Recessional music is typically brief and ceremonial in character and may be performed by an organ, a band, or a choir. In many traditions, the closing music is followed or accompanied by the congregation’s departure and the clergy’s recess to the vestry.

In liturgical and wedding contexts, a recessional often accompanies the departure of participants, including the newly married couple or the congregation, from the ceremony space. It is sometimes a standalone composition or a selection drawn from a larger suite, such as a march or a fanfare. The choice of tempo, mood, and instrumentation can convey a sense of conclusion, celebration, or solemnity, depending on the occasion.

Recessional also refers to a famous poem by Rudyard Kipling, written for Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee in 1897. The poem, frequently anthologized, reflects on imperial pride and the limits of human power, urging humility before divine authority. Its enduring presence in literary and ceremonial contexts has helped popularize the term beyond music, making “recessional” a recognizable label for closing or departing moments in both arts and public life.

Etymology: the term derives from recess, meaning a retreat or going back, with the suffix -al, indicating a relation to the act of recessing.