A cappella

A cappella [a kapˈpɛlla] (Italian for "in the manner of the chapel") music is specifically group or solo singing without instrumental accompaniment, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It contrasts with cantata, which is accompanied singing. The term "a cappella" was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato style. In the 19th century a renewed interest in Renaissance polyphony coupled with an ignorance of the fact that vocal parts were often doubled by instrumentalists led to the term coming to mean unaccompanied vocal music. The term is also used, albeit rarely, as a synonym for alla breve.

Religious origins

A cappella music was originally used in religious music, especially church music as well as anasheed and zemirot. Gregorian chant is an example of a cappella singing, as is the majority of secular vocal music from the Renaissance. The madrigal, up until its development in the early Baroque into an instrumentally-accompanied form, is also usually in a cappella form. Jewish and Christian music were originally a cappella, and this practice has continued in both of these religions as well as in Islam.

Acapella (Kelis song)

"Acapella" is a song performed by American recording artist Kelis, taken from her fifth studio album Flesh Tone (2010). The song is a departure from her past singles in that it is a dance/electronic track rather than hip hop/R&B influenced. The song was first premiered on her Twitter page and her official website in November, but was digitally released February 23, 2010 as the lead single from the singer's fifth studio album Flesh Tone.

The song's co-writer Makeba Riddick revealed that the song had previously been called "Majestic". Kelis stated that she wrote the song "with love and life in my mind" and as a tribute to her son, Knight. It has received positive reviews from critics many of whom praise the song for its inspirational lyrics and for its uptempo feel-good vibe which includes angelic harmonies. The song was listed at #20 on the NME's best tracks of 2010, which they describe it "her most thrilling tune since ‘Milkshake’".

Reception

The single has so far received universally positive reviews. Pitchfork Media gave the song a positive review, rating the track an 8 [out of a possible 10] and saying: "'Acapella' is a smooth, Donna Summer-style track with Kelis as an icy electro queen, a robotic embrace of house's metronomic bliss."About.com's "Dance Music" section reviewed the track favorably, calling the song "majestic" and named it its "Song of the Day".Entertainment Weekly called the song a "feathery dance-floor delight" and placed the song on its "The MustList" for 2010 whilst Billboard magazine added the song to its 2010's "Best Bits" listing.NME magazine also loved the song calling it "the most thrilling tune since "Milkshake" whilst Heat said the "banger" deserves four stars.

Acapella (trimaran)

Acapella is an historic trimaran sailboat, designed and built by Walter Greene in 1978 and later renamed Olympus Photo.

Walter and his wife Joan raced the in the 1978 Round Britain race, coming in 1st in class and 4th overall. Later that year, Canadian Mike Birch sailed Acapella (renamed Olympus Photo) to a first-place win in the first Route du Rhum trans-Atlantic race, establishing Walter's reputation as a multihull designer.

See also

References