Scan 48
Pronouncing and Defing Dictionary of Music, 1896
89 lines. Read by computer on 15 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. No printed page number was found. See the scan on archive.org.
1Alternativo (äl-těr-nä-tě'vō), It. A movement alternating with another. A sort of trio, of less importance than the movement with which it alternates.
3Altgeige (äl't'gī-ghē), Ger. The viola, or tenor violin.
5Alt horn. A cornet in E-flat.
7Alti (äl'tē), It. High; the plural of alto.
9Altieramente (äl-tě-ër-ä-měn'tě), It. With grandeur; haughtily.
11Altisonante (äl-tī-sō-nän'tě), It. Loud-sounding.
13Altisono (äl-tě'sō-nō), It. Sonorous.
15Altisonous. High-sounding. A term formerly used to denote the highest part intended for the natural adult male voice.
17Altiso (äl-tě'zō), It. An abbreviation of Altissimo.
19Altissimo (äl-tī'sī-mō), It. The highest; extremely high as to pitch. It is applied to all the high treble notes which are more than an octave above F, on the fifth line of the treble staff.
21Altist. An alto singer.
23Altista (äl-těs'tā), It. One who has an alto voice.
24Altiste (äl-těst), Fr. One who has an alto voice.
26Alto (äl'tō), It. High. (1) One of the four chief classes of the human voice; the deeper of the two classes of the female voice, which in England is more commonly called contralto. There are to be distinguished three different kinds of alto voices: those of women, boys, and men. Among the latter are again to be distinguished those of the castrati and of the alti naturali, tenori acuti, or falsetti. The last-mentioned male altos, in England also called counter tenors, make use of a developed falsetto (head voice). The English music written for this kind of voice demands a compass from g to c''. The alti naturali, who, till the introduction of the castrati, sang in the churches of Italy and elsewhere the soprano and alto parts, are said to have sung up to a''. For the compass of the female alto see Contralto. (2) Alto is also one of the names of the stringed instruments, which is a little larger and a fifth lower in pitch than an ordinary violin. Viola, Tenor, and Bratsche are synonyms. The three upper strings of the viola correspond with the three lowest of the violin. The question very naturally arises why the term alto (high) should be applied to the lowest voices and a low-pitched instrument. The reason is probably to be found in the fact that this part was formerly sung by very high male voices, and the notes representing its usual range were written by means of the C clef, which brought them upon the highest lines of the staff and upon added lines above.
28Alto basso (äl-tō bā'sō), It. A primitive instrument formerly in use in northern Italy, consisting of a wooden box, over which were stretched a few gut strings, which the former struck with a stick held in his left hand, while he played on a flageolet held in his right hand.
30Alto clef. The C clef on the third line, which makes the note on that line c'. It is used for the alto voice, viola, etc.
32Alto concertina. A concertina having the compass of a viola.
34Alto flauto (äl-tō flā-oo'tō), It. An alto flute, used in bands.
36Alt' ottava (äl-tōt-tā'vā), It. The same notes an octave higher.
38Alto primo (äl-tō prē'mō), It. The highest alto.
40Alto secondo (äl-tō sē-kōn'dō), It. The lowest alto.
42Alto tenore (äl-tō tě-nō'rē), It. The highest tenor.
44Alto trombone. A trombone with the notation on the alto clef. Its compass is from the small c or e to the one-lined a or two-lined c.
46Alto viola (äl-tō vē-ō'lā), It. The viola, or tenor violin.
48Alto violino (äl tō vē-ō-lē'nō), It. Small tenor violin on which the alto may be played.
50Altposaune (äl-tō-pō-sou'nē), Ger. Alto trombone.
52Altra (äl'trā), It. Other, another.
53Altro (äl'trō), It. Others.
55Altri (äl'trē), It. Others.
57Altro modo (äl'trō mō'dō), It. Another mode or manner.
59Altsänger (äl'tsäng-ër), Ger. Alto singer, counter tenor singer.
61Altschlüssel (äl'tshlūs-s'l), Ger. The alto clef; the C clef on the third line.
63Altus (äl'toos), Lat. The alto or counter tenor.
65Altviole (äl'tī-ō-lē), Ger. The viola, or tenor violin.
67Altzeichen (äl'tsī-k'n), Ger. See Altschlüssel.
69Alzamento (äl-tsā-měn'tō). It. An elevating of the voice; lifting up.
71Alzamento di mano (äl-tsā-měn'-tō dē mā'nō), It. To elevate the hand in beating time.
73Alzando (äl-tsān'dō), It. Raising, lifting up.
75Al. zop. An abbreviation of Alla zoppa.
77Amabile (ä-mä'bī-lē), It. Amiable, gentle, graceful.
79Amabilita (ä-mä-bī-lī-tā'), It. Tenderness, amiability. one of two readings
80Amabilita (ä-mä-bī-lī-tā'), It. Tenderness, affiability. one of two readings
82Amabilita, con. With amiability.
84Amabilmente (ä-mä-bīl-měn'tě), It. Amiably, gently.
86A major. The major mode founded on it.
88Amarezza (ä-mä-ret'zā), It. Bitterness, sadness.
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