voluntaries
Freely offered contributions
Voluntaries is the plural of voluntary, a piece of music played before, during, or after a church service—typically an organ solo performed as the congregation gathers or departs.
The term reflects that these pieces were originally improvised or chosen at the organist's discretion rather than prescribed by liturgy: The organist played Bach voluntaries while guests found their seats.
Introductory piece or event
- postludeConcluding musical piece
- interludePause between sections
- toccataImprovisatory keyboard composition
- fugueContrapuntal musical form
improvisation · recital · processional · recessional · offertory · church · worship · service
Independent decision-making capacity
- agencyPower to act
- self-determinationControl over one's fate
- libertyAbsence of unjust constraint
- independenceFreedom from external control
consent · discretion · choice · freedom · unconstrained · self-directed · self-governance · empowerment
Without advance preparation
- unplannedNot arranged beforehand
- extemporaneousDone without advance preparation
- unpremeditatedWithout advance planning
- impulsiveActing without deliberation
ad-lib · offhand · unrehearsed · instinctive · whim · sudden · unexpected · spur-of-the-moment
prelude
Introductory piece or event
- postludeConcluding musical piece
- interludePause between sections
- toccataImprovisatory keyboard composition
fugue · improvisation · recital · processional · recessional · offertory · church · worship · service · liturgy
autonomy
Independent decision-making capacity
- agencyPower to act
- self-determinationControl over one's fate
- libertyAbsence of unjust constraint
independence · consent · discretion · choice · freedom · unconstrained · self-directed · self-governance · empowerment · optionality
impromptu
Without advance preparation
- unplannedNot arranged beforehand
- extemporaneousDone without advance preparation
- unpremeditatedWithout advance planning
impulsive · ad-lib · offhand · unrehearsed · instinctive · whim · sudden · unexpected · spur-of-the-moment
enlistment
Voluntary entry into service
service · recruit · reservist · irregular · conscription · draft · compulsory · civic · duty · patriotic
voluntariesmandatories
Required elements or actions
compulsories · conscripts · draftees · requirements · obligations
voluntariesconscripts
Compulsory military personnel
draftees · levies · militia · regulars · standing army
involuntarily, voluntarism, voluntariness, involuntariness, voluntarist