View source for Reciting tone

==Reciting tones in Gregorian chant==
===Regular psalm tones===
Reciting tones occur in several parts of the [[Roman Rite]].{{cn|date=October 2018}} These include the [[Accentus Ecclesiasticus|accentus]] prayers and lessons chanted by the deacons or priests such as the [[Collect]], [[Epistle]], [[Gospel]], [[Secret (liturgy)|Secret]], [[Preface]], [[Canon of the Mass|Canon]], and [[Postcommunion]], as well as such regular texts as the [[Lord's Prayer|Pater noster]], [[Te Deum]], and the [[Gloria in excelsis Deo]]. They are also sung in versicles and responds such as the ''Dominus vobiscum'' ("The Lord be with you") of the officiant followed by the ''Et cum spiritu tuo'' ("and with your spirit") of the choir.{{sfn|Hiley|1995|pp=47–48}} Some tones, presumably from the earliest layers of chant, such as the Collect, Pater noster, and Postcommunion for [[Easter]], consist of just two notes, often a reciting tone on A or G, with inflected notes one pitch below on G or F. Other tones, from later in the medieval period, usually recited on a C or F, inflecting down to the two notes below, such as the Epistle for Easter.{{sfn|Frere|Jander|Cooke|n.d.}}

More complex patterns were used for the psalm tones, which are employed in the chanting of the [[Psalm]]s and related canticles in the daily [[Canonical hours|Office]]s. There are eight psalm tones, one for each [[musical mode]], designed so that the [[antiphon]] that is sung between psalm verses transitions smoothly into the psalm tone. Each psalm tone has a formulaic ''intonation'', ''mediant'' (or ''mediation''), and ''termination'' (or ''ending''). The ''intonation'' defines the notes for the first two or three syllables, with subsequent words sung on the reciting tone. Because of the parallel structure typical of the Psalms, psalm verses divide into two roughly equal parts; the end of the first part is indicated by the ''mediant'', a slight bending of notes above and below the reciting tone. For longer phrases, the first part is itself divided into two parts, with the division indicated by the ''flexa'', on which the accented syllable is sung on the reciting tone that preceded it, and the following unaccented syllable is sung a whole tone or a minor third lower (depending on the psalm tone), before returning to the reciting tone until the mediant. After the mediant, the second part of the psalm verse is sung on the reciting tone until the last few words, which are sung to a [[cadence (music)|cadential]] formula called the ''termination''. Several of the psalm tones have two or three possible terminations, to allow for a smoother return to the following repeat of the antiphon.{{sfn|Hoppin|1978|p=82}}

{{Anchor|tonus peregrinus}}<!-- This anchor is the target of the REDIRECT "tonus peregrinus" because this paragraph is apparently the only explanation of that term in the English Wikipedia. -->
Two sets of tones are used for the "[[Magnificat]]", the canticle of [[Vespers]], and the "[[Benedictus (Song of Zechariah)|Benedictus]]", the canticle of [[Lauds]]: simple tones, which are very close to the standard psalm tones, and solemn tones, which are more ornate and used on the more important feasts.{{cn|date=October 2018}}

The psalm verse and "[[Gloria Patri]]" ([[doxology]]) which are sung as part of the [[Introit]] (and optionally the [[Communion (chant)|Communion antiphon]]) of the Mass and of the greater responsories of the [[Matins#Matins (Office of Readings) in Roman Catholicism|Office of Readings (Matins)]] and the reformed offices of Lauds and Vespers are also sung to similar sets of reciting tones that depend on the musical mode.{{sfn|Hoppin|1978|p=84}}

===Tonus peregrinus===
{{main|tonus peregrinus}}
In addition to the eight psalm tones associated with the eight musical modes, there is a ninth psalm tone called the ''tonus peregrinus'', or "wandering tone", which uses a reciting tone of A for the first part of the psalm verse and a G for the second half. Although rarely used, it is not unique; early sources refer to tones called ''parapteres'', which, like the tonus peregrinus, have different reciting tones in their first and second halves.{{sfn|Hiley|1995|p=63}}