Scan 73
The New Encyclopedia of Music and Musicians, 1924
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1section form and ternary or three-section form, in which the balance of number is usually strengthened by some studied balance in the use of related tonalities. Sometimes, also, a movement may have a sort of chain-form, the sections following each other like interlocking links. All the contrapuntal forms are held together by vigorous and constant thematic means, sometimes with some general section-plan.
3Among the leading forms are, on the vocal side, the song (lied, chanson, etc.), the recitative, the aria, the scena, the madrigal, glee or part-song, the psalm-tune, hymn-tune or chorale, the motet or anthem, the service or mass, the cantata, the opera and the oratorio, and, on the instrumental side, dances of many kinds, the romanza or song without words, the variation, many rather free forms, like the toccata, the fantasia, the serenata, etc., the suite, the overture, the sonata and all its derivatives, including the symphony, the concerto and the symphonic poem, besides the canon and the fugue, which may be either vocal or instrumental. For details, see the words. Song-form and dance-form are often put forward as typical of the regularity which is felt by many to be theoretically necessary, or at least, desirable, in form-conceptions in general. That their tendency to regularity in striking is obvious, but it is not necessarily typical.
5Forte, Fortissimo. See Terms of Performance. G.
7Fourteenth. The interval of an octave and a seventh or a tone or note at that interval.
9Fourth. The interval between the first and fourth degrees of either the major or the minor scale, or any similar interval, having the vibration ratio 4/3; also a tone or note at that interval from any starting-point; in a standard scale called the subdominant. G.
11The above standard interval is called the perfect fourth (sometimes major). Other intervals, larger or smaller by a chromatic semitone, are the augmented fourth (ratio, 25/18) and the diminished fourth (ratio, 32/25) [sometimes called minor].
13Française. See Dances.
15Fredon. A melodic embellishment, especially a roulade, trill or tremolo.
17Free. In composition, denoting various procedures, or their results, that are not executed in accordance with established rules or usages; opposed to strict; as, in free style, with licences, irregularities, etc., free canon, free fugue, a canon or fugue in which the imitations or their sequence are not exact or regular, etc.
19Free part, in canon-writing, a voice-part added to the parts that are in strict imitation for the purpose of completing or enriching the harmony.
21Free pitch or intonation, a descriptive term for instruments like the violin, the pitch of whose tones may be varied by 'stopping' at the player's will; opposed to fixed pitch or intonation.
23Free reed, see under Reed. G.
25French Horn. See Horn. G.
27French Sixth. See Sixth.
29Fret. A slightly raised cross-bar or ridge, usually of wood, ivory or metal, across the fingerboard of instruments of the lute- and zither-classes, serving as a fixed point or nut for shortening or 'stopping' the vibrating-length of the strings and thus raising their pitch. G.
31Frets were originally used on instruments of the violin-class as well, but have been given up since the development of the violin. In all cases they are placed in series so as to provide for a progressive raising of the pitch by semitones.
33In the clavichord, when there is a string for every key (digital) of the keyboard the instrument is called fret-free (bundfrei, ungebunden), but when two or more keys use the same string, fretted (gebunden).
35Fricassée. Same as quodlibet. Also an entertainment made up dances, songs, pantomimes, etc., capriciously or humorously strung together.
37Frottola. An early type of popular Italian poetry and song, akin to the ballad. Its prevailing verse-form was in stanzas of eight eight-syllable trochaic lines, while the melody was in four lines, three of which were variously repeated and the fourth served as a close. The setting was usually in four-part harmony, often rather crude, the lower parts being normally for instrumental accompaniment. G.
39The word occurs as early as the 14th century (in the text of a song by Landino), but the form gained importance in the 15th century, so that one of Petrucci's large collections (1504-08) was devoted to it. Prominent pioneers in its musical development were Cara and Tromboncino, both of Mantua. Both the frottola and the villanella were later overshadowed by the more serious and artistic madrigal.
41Fugato ('in fugue-style'). A passage or movement developed in polyphonic imitation, somewhat like a fugue, but without regularity or strictness. G.
43Fugue. The most elaborate form of polyphonic or contrapuntal composition, consisting of the orderly presentation and treatment of one or more themes or subjects, set for three or more parts, either vocal or instrumental, all of which participate somewhat equally in the total effect. The diminutive is fughetta. G.
45Fugues are said to be strict or free according as the treatment is regular or irregular. If more than one subject is used the fugue is sometimes called manifold, or specifically, double, if there are two subjects, triple, if three, etc. As to the primary imitation, a real fugue is one in which the 'answer' (see below) matches the subject interval by interval, while a tonal fugue is one in which the imitation is slightly altered to facilitate melodic and harmonic connection. The most elaborate variety is the fuga ricercata or master-fugue, in which the subject is constantly attended (after its initial statement) by the 'countersubject' (see below). As to the number of voice-parts, a fugue may be three-part, four-part, five-part, etc.
47In general plan most fugues are tripartite, the first section being the exposition or enunciation of the subject-matter, the second a free and varied development of this material and the third some sort of a recapitulation or climacteric summary.
49In the exposition the subject is given out by some one voice-part alone, followed at once by the answer in a complementary voice-part, this being the subject starting a fifth above (or fourth below) its original statement; and these two enunciations are then both duplicated (in a four-part fugue) by the remaining parts in turn, so that either subject or answer is presented by each voice-part. As the successive voices enter, all but the first are accompanied by continuations of those already in action, the continuation of the first voice with the second (or answer) establishing what is known as the countersubject, which then commonly assumes importance as a sort of supplementary subject or stated accompaniment of the subject. By this total process the chosen theme is presented in both authentic and plagal relations by all the constituent voices and, in addition, in the countersubject there is supplied further matter for later use. Other names for subject and answer are antecedent and consequent, dux and comes, guida and risposta,führer and gefährte, etc.
51In the development or free fantasia subject, answer and countersubject are used elaborately in fresh relations, often with considerable modulation and with varied forms of imitation (as by inversion, in augmentation or diminution, etc. Between the exposition and the development, or in the midst of the latter, episodes may occur which diversify the effect and provide a foil or background for the main treatment.
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