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Scan 217
Harvard Dictionary Of Music(1950), 1950
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1DEGREES AND DIPLOMAS
3in the fact that the Mus.D. may be "earned" instead of being purely honorary, the British degrees have a different meaning from the American. The Mus.M. is rather infrequently given. All the British degrees in music are concerned primarily with the candidate's possession of a technique of composition, although, in a few universities, performance or musicological research may be substituted. Several universities give Litt.B., Litt.D., or Ph.D. degrees for work in musical research. A great number and variety of diplomas are granted by various music schools in Great Britain (see Scholes. 256–257). In general three grades are observed — Associateship, Licentiateship, and Fellowship. The latter, being the highest, is sometimes purely honorary. Cf. GD, Suppl. Vol., 153f.
5b. Germany. The only degree given in Germany is the Ph.D. (Dr. phil). Since this is so, the German Ph.D. in many instances represents a lesser achievement than the Ph.D. from an American university. Indeed, some of the German dissertations are no larger, and contain little more information, than an American undergraduate's term paper. Others, on the other hand, are splendid contributions to musical research and often have the proportions of full-sized books. In addition to writing a dissertation, the candidate must pass various examinations, in music as well as in three "related" fields (e.g., Philosophy, Mathematics, Acoustics). Certain teachers' certificates and diplomas are awarded by German schools of music. These have little significance outside of Germany and are designed chiefly to maintain standards within the country.
7c. Other European countries. The remaining countries of Europe do not lay so much stress on academic degrees. In France the Doctor of Letters (Dr. ès Lettres) may be awarded for musicological research. The Paris Conservatory, however, and other similar schools (Brussels, for example) have systems of recognizing achievement by means of first and second prizes, certificates, and diplomas of various sorts.
9E. B. H.
11DESCANT
13Dehors, en dehors [F.]. "Outside," i.e., made to stand out, with emphasis.
15Delasol(re), De la sol (re). See *Hexachord III.
17Delirante [It.]. Frenzied.
19Démancher. In violin playing, the shifting of the left hand from one position to another.
21Demi- [F.]. Half. Demi-jeu, see *Plein-jeu; demi-pause, demi-soupir, see *Notes; demi-ton, semitone; demi-voix, *mezza voce.
23Demisemiquaver. See *Notes.
25Demuthsvoll [G.]. Humble, devotional.
27Denkmäler der Tonkunst, etc. See *Editions VII, VIII, IX.
29De profundis. Psalm 129 (130 of the King James Version: "Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O Lord"). See *Penitential psalms.
31Des, deses [G.]. See *Pitch names.
33Descant. (1) Older name for the highest voice in part music, i.e., the soprano [G. Diskant]. Hence, names such as descant viol, descant recorder for the highest pitched instruments. Unfortunately, there is no consistency in the use of the terms descant and *treble. As terms for the upper voice in part music, they are used synonymously; however, descant viol (recorder) is a higher (and smaller) instrument than the treble viol (recorder); on the other hand, descant clef is a "lower" clef than treble clef [see *Clefs].
35(2) As a designation for early part-music, written out or improvised, see *Discant and *Discantus supra librum.
37(3) In hymn singing, descant is a more or less florid melody sung by a few picked trebles as an addition to the normal melody and harmony of the hymn. The practice as well as the term go back to the 14th-century *discantus supra librum which was a method of improvisation to a plainsong melody. While, one hundred years or more ago, there still
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