A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/A Capella

A CAPELLA, or ALLA CAPELLA (Ital., 'in the church style'), is used in three senses, (1) as showing that the piece is for voices without accompaniment; or (2) where instruments are employed, that these accompany the voices only in unisons or octaves and have no independent parts; or (3) as a time indication, in which case it is equivalent to Alla breve.