The word ‘anthem’ (from the Greek _Antiphona_, through the changing forms, _antefne_, _antem_, _anthem_) naturally suggests the idea of antiphonal or responsive music, and it originally had this application, but not since the restriction of its use to a specific and distinctive form of church music. Its text is usually taken from the Psalms or other portions of the Bible, or from the liturgy. The anthem has never been a real part of the liturgy in the same sense as musical portions of the ‘service,’ for its words have never been authoritatively prescribed for the various days of the church calendar, a wide latitude being allowed in this respect. Four kinds of anthems are recognized and named according to the vocal forces employed in performance. They are called ‘full’ when written for chorus throughout; ‘verse’ when written for chorus and various groupings of solo voices, the chorus being of secondary importance; ‘solo’ when written for chorus and one solo voice; and ‘double’ when written for a double choir singing antiphonally. The ‘full’ anthem is the natural successor to the earlier Latin motet; the ‘verse’ and ‘solo’ anthems clearly show the influence of Italian solo-forms applied to the problems of church-music. The utmost freedom of form is now permitted in the anthem and its dimensions vary from those of a simple hymn-tune to extended compositions in several movements constructed with elaborate contrapuntal skill and employing independent organ, and sometimes orchestral, accompaniment. In this larger form it approaches closely the character of the cantata, although not so individualized in its parts. The earliest anthems date from the beginning of Elizabeth’s long reign (1558-1603) and the cultivation of this form has gone on from this period in unbroken continuity, save for the brief ascendency of Puritan ideals during the Commonwealth. The literature of Anglican Church music divides itself into four periods of quite distinctive characteristics: I. (1550-1660) in the contrapuntal style of the unaccompanied motet; II. (1660-1720) the beginning of the modern free style; III. (1720-1850) middle modern; and IV. 1850 to the present.