Books › A dictionary of musical terms, 1889 › scan 32
Scan 32
A dictionary of musical terms, 1889
65 lines. Read by computer on 12 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. No printed page number was found. See the scan on archive.org.
1ponent of his own principles, not as a copy of any authorized edition. [Plain Song.] one of two readings
2onent of his own principles, not as a copy of any authorized edition. [Plain Song.] one of two readings
4Ambubajæ (Lat.) Companies of immoral Syrian women, who attended festivals and gatherings among the Romans as minstrels. Their instruments were called abub, or ambub, whence their name.
6Ambulant (Fr.) Wandering. Applied to strolling musicians.
8Ame (Fr.) The sound-post of a violin, or other stringed instrument of its kind.
10American Organ. An instrument having one or more manuals, and registers which control series of free reeds. It is, in its principles of construction, diametrically opposed to the Harmonium, for whereas in this, air is forced through the reeds from a bellows,—in the American Organ the action of the treadle exerts suction. When it is required to shut off a row of reeds, the putting in of the stop-handle places a thick air-tight covering of felt over the outside of the row of reeds, so that the air cannot be sucked through them,—the drawing of the stop, by removing this obstruction, allows the free passage of the air through the reeds. In short, in the Harmonium, air is blown from the bellows through the reeds; but in the American Organ, air is sucked through the reeds into the bellows. There are, however, other differences. The reeds of the American Organ are thinner than those of the Harmonium, and are slightly curved in shape, by which greater quickness of speech is insured. A very beautiful undulating tone is obtained by setting in motion a rotating fan, immediately above one of the rows of vibrators. This, by producing a variable pressure of air just outside the reeds, affects also their vibration as they draw it in. The mechanism which sets the fan in motion is called the Vox Humana stop. When there is an Expression stop it gives the player some control over the pressure of suction, and thus it is the converse of the stop of the same name in the Harmonium; but the effects which can be produced by its use are more striking in the latter instrument. The tone of American Organs is extremely melodious and sweet, but it does not travel well. For chamber music these instruments are eminently qualified, not only because of the character of their tone, but because they possess the enormous advantage of remaining for a longer period and under varying circumstances—in tune.
12A mezza aria (It.) A compromise between Air and recitative. [Aria parlante.]
14A mezza voce (It.) With half the strength of the voice. (2) The quality between the chest and head voice. (3) The subdued tone of instruments.
16A moll (Ger.) A minor, the tonality of the relative minor to the key of C.
18A monocorde (Fr.) On one string.
20Amore, con (It.) With love, affection, tenderness, ardour.
22Amorevole (It.) Affectionately.
24Amorevolmente (It.) Tenderly.
26A Moresco (It.) In the Moorish style.
28Amorosamente (It.) Lovingly.
30Amoroso (It.) In a loving style.
32Amor-schall. A horn of peculiar construction invented in the year 1760, by Kölbel, one of the musicians of the Emperor of Russia. It was intended as an improvement upon the ordinary French horn, but the introduction of the cylinder and valve system led to the disuse of the Amor-schall. A duet for these instruments was composed by Cherubini, and dedicated to Lord Cowper.
34Amphibrachys. A metrical foot consisting of a long between two short syllables, – – -.
36Amphimacer. A foot consisting of a short between two long syllables, – – -.
38Amplitude of vibration. The distance from the point of rest of a particle, to either end of its journey, when a sound-wave passes over it. [Acoustics, § 3.]
40Ampollosamente (It.) In a bombastic, Ampoloso (It.) inflated style.
42Ampoulé (Fr.) Bombastic.
44Amusement (Fr.) A short and lively piece of music. (It.) Divertimento.
46Anabasis (Gk.), ἀναβασις, a succession of ascending sounds.
48Anabathmi (Gk.), ἀναβαθμοι, the name given to certain antiphons in the Greek Church; so called because their words were selected from the Psalms called in the Septuagint ὁδαὶ τῶν ἀναβαθμῶν (Ps. 120-134 in Eng. version), "Songs of degrees," the gradual Psalms of the Roman use.
50Anakampsis (Gk.), ἀνακαμψις, a succession of descending sounds.
52Anakamptos. (Gk.) [Anakampsis.]
54Anakara (Gk.) The ancient kettledrum. A larger sort was used for battle purposes, and there was a smaller drum which a woman could hold with one hand and beat with the other. [Drum.] [Nacchera.]
56Anakarista (Gk.) A drum player.
58Anapæst. A foot consisting of a long preceded by two short syllables, – – -.
60Anaploke (Gr.) ἀναπλοκή. A combination of notes ascending the scale; opposed to καταπλοκή, a descending series of combined sounds.
62Anche (Fr.) The reed in the mouth-piece of a hautboy, bassoon, &c., the name also applied to a reed in an organ. [Reed.]
64Ancia (It.) [Anche.]
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