Books › A dictionary of musical terms, 1889 › scan 89
Scan 89
A dictionary of musical terms, 1889
25 lines. Read by computer on 9 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. No printed page number was found. See the scan on archive.org.
1Céleste (Fr.) A direction for the use of the soft pedal.
2Céleste, voix (Fr.) A stop on the organ or harmonium. [Vox Angelica.]
3Celeusma (Gk.) κέλευσμα, or κέλευμα (from κελεύω, to urge on, to command). The word or sing-song of the κελευστής (fugle-man or leader), by which oarsmen were encouraged to row rhythmically, and by which, to this day, sailors pull uniformly and simultaneously at a rope.
4Celli. Abb. of violoncelli.
5Cello. Abb. of violoncello.
6Cembalista (It.) A pianoforte player.
7Cembalo. Clave-cembalo, cimbalo. A harpsichord. [Pianoforte.]
8Cembanella (It.) [Cennamella.]
9Cennamella (It.) A pipe, or flute.
10Cento (Lat.) (In Greek κέντρων.)
11Centone (It.) Patch-work. A musical work made up of extracts from an author's compositions, as a cento was from an author's poems. cf. pasticcio.
12Cercar la nota (It.) To feel for a note, to reach it by slurring.
13Cervalet or Cervelat (perhaps dim. of cervus, signifying a little stag-horn). An ancient wind-instrument of a small size, from which, by means of a reed, tones similar in character to those of the bassoon could be produced.
14Ces (Ger.) C flat.
15Cetera (It.) A citara or guitar.
16Chacona (Sp.) A slow dance in 3/4 time, Ciaccona (It.) frequently constructed upon a ground bass, and sometimes formerly introduced as a movement of a sonata. [Chica.] one of two readings
17Chacona (Sp.) A slow dance in 3/4 time, Ciaccona (It.) frequently constructed Chaconne (Fr.) upon a ground bass, and sometimes formerly introduced as a movement of a sonata. [Chica.] one of two readings
18It is usually stated that the chaconne is in the major mode, and that the passacaille, which is somewhat similar to it in rhythm, is in the minor. This is not the case, as the following theme, on which Bach's celebrated ciaccona for violin solo is founded, will show:
20Chair organ. A name given to the Prestant or choir-organ, from a notion that it formed the seat of the organist, when placed behind him.
21Chalameau (Fr.) Stem, or straw-pipe, from the Latin calamus, a reed. The lower register of the clarinet and the basset-horn is called the chalameau tone, from the obsolete instrument shawm, schalmey, precursor of the oboe and clarinet.
22Chamber music. Kammermusik (Ger.) Musica di camera (It.) Vocal or instrumental compositions suitable for performance in a chamber, as opposed to a concert-room. The performance in private upon single instruments of any class constituted the first chamber music properly so-called. Strictly speaking, any music vocal or instrumental played in private is chamber music; but the term is now applied not only to performances upon a single instrument, with or without accompaniment, but also to any combination of different instruments, with only one player to each part—duets, trios, quartetts, &c., for voices or instruments. It is probable that the first chamber music constructed as such was entirely vocal, and not of much earlier date than the end of the 15th or the beginning of the 16th centuries—the Scolia of the Greeks, the music of the minstrels, and of public and private musicians of later date, including among the former "the waits," "noises," and other private bands, not being of a character that could fairly be called by the title chamber music. Therefore the Madrigal will be regarded as among the first specimens of chamber music. The titles of more than one collection, for example, "Madrigali di Tavolina," "Madrigali di Camera," "Madrigali Concertati," "Madrigali et Arie per sonare et cantare," and so forth, together with the peculiar style in which many of the early books are printed,—two parts on one page intended to be read by two persons seated opposite to each other at the same table—would show conclusively that they were intended as chamber music.
23The addition of instrumental accompaniments to madrigals probably arose out of a desire to support the voices and keep them in tune, as well as to give employment to those who could play and not sing, but who were desirous of taking part in that which was going on. This practice—at first a mere conciliation to the instrumentalists—suggested the use of instruments alone for the purposes of concert. Thus we find attached to the early productions, instructions to the effect that they are "apt for Instrumentes and Voyces," as in Alison's "An Howres Recreation in Musicke," or as in Bonaffino's "Madrigali," that they are available "per cantar e sonar nel Clave cimbalo, Chitarrone o altro simile Instrumento," or as in the later editions of Byrd's Psalmes, Songs, and Sonnets, framed to be "fit for Voyces or Viols."
24Doubtless from such small beginnings the writers of the time were induced to compose "Consort lessons," "Ayres," "Fancies," "Canzone da Sonare," and the like, often written in six parts, the number of viols in a "chest." These compositions at first differed very little in point of form and treatment from the madrigals from whence they were derived, until the demand arose for pieces of less dignity, in obedience to which demand we find
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