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Scan 44
A dictionary of musical terms, 1891
49 lines. Read by computer on 16 September 2026. No printed page number was found. See the scan on archive.org.
1unison in pitch, e.g.: double-bass, an instrument whose sounds are an octave below those of the violoncello.
2Double backfall. An ornament in old music.
3—— bar. A sign formed of two single bars showing the end of a piece or movement of a work; the end of a portion to be repeated; the commencement of a change of key or of time; the end of a line of words set to music, as in a hymn-tune. [Bar.]
4—— bassoon. The deepest-toned instrument of the bassoon family. Its compass is from the B♭ below CCC to tenor F, and its sounds are actually an octave below those written.
5—— beat. An ornament of old music, consisting of a beat repeated.
6—— bourdon. An organ-stop of 32-ft. tone.
7—— chant. [Chant.]
8—— chorus. A chorus for two separate choirs.
9—— counterpoint. [Counterpoint.]
10—— demisemiquaver. A note whose value is one half of a demisemiquaver.
11—— diapason. An organ-stop of 16-ft. pitch.
12—— drum. A drum with two heads, used in the bands of foot regiments, and beaten at both ends.
13—— flageolet. A flageolet having two tubes and one mouthpiece, admitting of the performance of simple music in thirds and sixths, &c.
14—— flat. A sign (♭♭) used before a note already flat, which depresses it another half-tone. It is contradicted by a natural and a flat.
15—— fugue. A fugue on two subjects.
16—— harp. A harp with two rows of strings.
17—— octave. The interval of a 15th.
18—— pedal point. A portion of a fugue or melody in which two notes are long sustained.
19—— quartet. A composition for two sets of four voices or instruments soli.
20—— reed. (1) The vibrating reed of instruments of the oboe class. (2) A reed-stop on an organ of 16-ft pitch.
21—— relish. An ornament in old music.
22—— sharp. A sign (x) used before a note already sharp, to raise the pitch by a semitone. It is contradicted by a natural and a sharp.
23—— sonata. A sonata for two solo instruments, as pianoforte and violin, or two pianofortes, &c.
24—— stopped diapason. [Bourdon (2).]
25—— stopping. The stopping of two strings simultaneously with the fingers in violin-playing.
26Double-tongueing. A peculiar action of the tongue used by flute-players, to insure a brilliant articulation of staccato notes; the rapid repetition of notes in cornet-playing.
27—— trumpet. An organ reed-stop similar in tone and scale to, but an octave lower in pitch than, the 8-ft. trumpet.
28—— travale. An effect in tambourine-playing produced by drawing the wetted thumb across the skin.
29Double-action pedal harp. The harp now generally used for concert or orchestral purposes; invented by Erard. The compass is 6½ octaves, and the pitch of each note can be raised two semitones by means of the pedals.
30Double-bass. The largest of the stringed instruments played with a bow. The strings are usually tuned a fourth apart to the following notes when three strings are employed:—
32with the addition of the lower E, when there are four strings. The actual sounds produced are an octave lower than written.
33Double concerto. A concerto for two solo instruments and orchestra.
34Doublette (F.) A compound organ-stop consisting of two ranks, generally a twelfth and fifteenth.
35Douce } (F.) Soft, sweet.
36Doux } Doucement (F.) Softly, sweetly.
37Douzième (F.) A twelfth.
38Down-beat. The first beat in each bar.
39Down-bow. The bow drawn over the strings from the heel or holding part of the bow to the point.
40Doxologia magna (L.) The version of the angels' hymn, "Gloria in excelsis Deo," sung at the celebration of the Holy Eucharist; the greater doxology.
41Doxologia parva (L.) [Doxology.]
42Doxology (Gk.) The hymn or song of praise—the Gloria Patri—used at the end of the Psalms in the Christian church; also any metrical form of the same.
43Drag. (1) An ornament consisting of descending notes in lute music; strascino, portamento, glissade. (2) A rallentando.
44Dramma lyrica or per musica (I.) [Opera.]
45Drammaticamente } (I.) In a dramatic style.
46Drammatico }
47Drechörig (G.) The triple stringed grand pianoforte; a trichord.
48Dreigestrichen Octave (G.) The notes of the octave above C in alt.
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