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Scan 141
A dictionary of musical terms, 1889
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1the open and stopped. Open diapasons on the manuals are nearly always of metal, but on the pedals are often of wood. Stopped diapasons were formerly, in most cases, of wood, but now are frequently made of metal. When two or more open diapasons are on the same manual, they are of different scales. (3) Fixed pitch; normal diapason, a recognised standard of pitch. [Pitch.]
3Diapason cum diapente. The interval of a 12th.
5Diapason cum diatessaron. The interval of an 11th.
7Diapente (Gk.) The interval of a 5th.
9Diapentissare (med. Lat.) To descant at the interval of a 5th.
11Diaphony. [See under Descant.]
13Diaschisma (Gk.) διάσχισμα. An approximate half of a limma.
15Diastema (Gk.) διάστημα. An interval.
17Diatessaron (Gk.) The interval of a fourth.
19Diatonic. (1) One of the three genera of music among the Greeks, the other two being the chromatic and enharmonic. [Greek Music.] (2) The modern major and minor scales. (3) Chords, intervals, and melodic progressions, &c., belonging to one key-scale. A diatonic chord is one having no note chromatically altered. A diatonic interval is one formed by two notes of a diatonic scale unaltered by accidentals. A diatonic melody is one not including notes belonging to more than one scale. A diatonic modulation is one by which a key is changed to another closely related to it.
21Diaulion (Gk.) διαύλιον. An air played upon the aulos or flute during an interval in the choral song.
23Diazeuxis (Gk.) διάζευξις. The separation of two tetrachords by a tone: opposed to synaphe (συναφή), or the overlapping of tetrachords. [Greek Music.]
25Dichord. (1) An instrument having two strings. (2) An instrument having two strings to each note. [Bichord.]
27Di colpo (It.) Suddenly, at once.
29Diecetto (It.) A composition for ten instruments.
31Diesare (It.), Diéser (Fr.) To sharpen.
33Dièse (Fr.) A sharp, #.
35Diesis (Gk.) δίεσις. Originally the name of a semitone, called afterwards a limma. In later writings, applied to a third or quarter of a tone in the enharmonic and chromatic scales. The modern enharmonic diesis is the interval represented by 125:128; that is, the difference between three true majorthirds and one octave.
37Dièze (Fr.) A sharp, #.
39Diezeugmenon. [Greek Music.]
41Difficile (It.) Difficult.
43Di gala (It.) Merrily, cheerfully.
45Digitorium. The name of a small portable dumb instrument, invented by M. Marks, for the purpose of strengthening and giving flexibility to the fingers for pianoforte playing. It consists of a key-board with five keys, kept in their places by springs of metal.
47Di grado (It.) By conjunct intervals.
49Dilettante (It.) [Amateur.]
51Diludium. An interlude.
53Diluendo (It.) Wasting away, diminishing; decrescendo.
55Diminished. Made less. (1) Diminished intervals are those made less than minor, e.g.: G# to F# is a diminished 7th, because G to F being a minor 7th, G# to F contains one semitone less than the minor interval. Some authors, however, apply this term in a manner liable to lead to much confusion, namely, to a perfect interval when made smaller by one semitone, and to an imperfect interval when made less by two semitones; thus, according to them, C to Gb is a diminished 5th, but C to Eb or C# to Eb a diminished 3rd. [Interval.] (2) Diminished subjects or counter-subjects are subjects or counter-subjects introduced with notes half the value of those in which they were first enunciated. (3) A diminished triad is the chord consisting of two thirds on the subtonic, e.g., B, D, F in the key of C.
57Diminué (Fr.), Diminuito (It.) Diminished.
59Diminuendo (It.) Decreasing in power of sound.
61Diminution. [Canon.]
63Di molto (It.) Very much; as, allegro di molto, very fast.
65Din-din. An Indian instrument of the cymbal class.
67Di nuovo (It.) Anew, again.
69Dioxia (Gk.) The interval of a 5th. This term was afterwards superseded by diapente.
71Direct. A sign (w) placed at the end of a line or of a page of music, to indicate the note next to be sung or played:
73Directeur (Fr.), Direttore (It.) Director. Manager, guide, conductor of an orchestra.
75Direct motion. [Motion.]
77Dirge. A solemn piece of music, of a funereal or memorial character, so called from the first word of the Antiphon, "Dirige, Domine Deus meus, in conspectu tuo, viam meam." The office of burial of the dead was called in the Primer (cir. 1400) Placebo and Dirige, and in the Primer of Henry VIII. (1545) is called The Dirige.
79Diretta, alla (It.) In direct motion.
81Dis (Ger.) D sharp.
83Di salto (It.) By a leap, spoken of melody progressing by skips.
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