A cappella
A cuneiform tablet from around 2000 BC contains the earliest known instructions for performing music. This artifact predates the Seikilos epitaph, a Greek piece from the first century AD that survives in its entirety as the oldest complete musical composition. Research suggests early humans used singing and vocables to communicate before language itself emerged. The term a cappella originally differentiated Renaissance polyphonic styles from Baroque concertato forms. In the 19th century, renewed interest in Renaissance polyphony led people to believe vocal parts were performed without instruments. This misunderstanding caused the phrase to evolve into meaning unaccompanied vocal music exclusively.
Christian polyphony began developing in Europe around the 9th century AD with organum practices. Composers like Guillaume Du Fay, Johannes Ockeghem, and Josquin des Prez reached the height of this style between the 14th and 16th centuries. Some early pieces by Palestrina intended for the Sistine Chapel were actually accompanied by organs doubling voices. Martin Luther, Ulrich Zwingli, John Calvin, and John Wesley vigorously opposed instruments in worship during Protestant Reformation eras. Written opposition to instruments in Christian worship began near the turn of the 5th century according to church history records. The Free Methodist Church lifted its ban on organs entirely in 1955 after allowing local decisions since 1943. Present-day groups including Old Order Anabaptists, Amish communities, and many Oriental Orthodox Churches conduct services without instrumental accompaniment.
The earliest documented barbershop quartets all began in barber shops involving African American performers. In 1938, the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America formed as the first formal men's organization. This group rebranded itself in 2004 to become the Barbershop Harmony Society with about 22,000 members across 800 chapters today. Sweet Adelines International emerged in 1945 as the first formal women's organization before becoming international in 1953. By 1991, it officially changed its name to reflect global reach encompassing choruses in Australia, Canada, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands. Harmony Incorporated started in 1959 as a breakoff from Sweet Adelines due to ideological differences. It maintains about 2,500 members in the United States and Canada while registered in Providence, Rhode Island.
The Rensselyrics of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute established in 1873 is perhaps the oldest known collegiate a cappella group. The Whiffenpoofs of Yale University formed in 1909 remains the longest continuously singing group ever created. Peter Christian Lutkin founded the Northwestern A Cappella Choir in 1906 as America's first permanent organization of its kind. F. Melius Christiansen began an a cappella tradition at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota during 1911. Groups like the Tufts University Beelzebubs and Boston University Dear Abbeys popularized new styles using voices to emulate modern rock instruments starting in the 1990s. John Legend graduated from the Counterparts at the University of Pennsylvania while Sara Bareilles attended Awaken A Cappella at UCLA. The International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella competition now draws hundreds of groups submitting tracks annually for recognition.
Television show The Sing-Off aired on NBC beginning December 2009 featuring eight groups competing for $100,000 and recording contracts. Pitch Perfect released in late 2012 caused coed a cappella groups to rise far more sharply than previous years. The movie series became more focused on a cappella music than Glee which emphasized traditional musical theater instead. Recording artists like Bobby McFerrin gained fame through instrumental emulation techniques using vocal cords alone. Pentatonix won The Sing-Off fourth season while Home Free took fifth place. Straight No Chaser and Rockapella emerged as professional examples creating pop/rock/gospel sounds entirely vocally. Peter Paul and Mary included Norman Normal on their 1966 Album where all sounds came from Paul's voice without actual instruments used.
The Mills Brothers recorded early 1930s pieces clearly stating instrumentation was done vocally according to label text. Swingle Singers used voices to emulate Baroque and Classical music during the 1960s. Vocal artist Bobby McFerrin became famous specifically for his instrumental emulation capabilities. Beatboxing serves as vocal percussion popularized by hip-hop communities where rap often performed a cappella. Naturally Seven recreates entire songs using vocal tones for every instrument present. Groups such as Vocal Sampling and Undivided emulate Latin rhythms a cappella exclusively. Twinkling Zone by 2 Unlimited sung a cappella appeared on comedy television series Tompkins Square. The New Addams Family theme song on Fox Family Channel demonstrates emulating instrumentation instead of singing words directly.
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Common questions
What is the earliest known evidence of a cappella music?
A cuneiform tablet from around 2000 BC contains the earliest known instructions for performing music. This artifact predates the Seikilos epitaph, which is a Greek piece from the first century AD that survives in its entirety as the oldest complete musical composition.
How did the term a cappella evolve to mean unaccompanied vocal music?
The phrase originally differentiated Renaissance polyphonic styles from Baroque concertato forms. In the 19th century, renewed interest in Renaissance polyphony led people to believe vocal parts were performed without instruments, causing the misunderstanding to make the phrase evolve into meaning unaccompanied vocal music exclusively.
When did the Free Methodist Church lift its ban on organs?
The Free Methodist Church lifted its ban on organs entirely in 1955 after allowing local decisions since 1943. Written opposition to instruments in Christian worship began near the turn of the 5th century according to church history records.
Which organization was formed in 1938 to preserve barbershop quartet singing?
In 1938, the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America formed as the first formal men's organization. This group rebranded itself in 2004 to become the Barbershop Harmony Society with about 22,000 members across 800 chapters today.
What is the oldest known collegiate a cappella group?
The Rensselyrics of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute established in 1873 is perhaps the oldest known collegiate a cappella group. The Whiffenpoofs of Yale University formed in 1909 remains the longest continuously singing group ever created.
How did television shows influence modern a cappella groups?
Television show The Sing-Off aired on NBC beginning December 2009 featuring eight groups competing for $100,000 and recording contracts. Pitch Perfect released in late 2012 caused coed a cappella groups to rise far more sharply than previous years.