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Scan 157
The New Encyclopedia Of Music And Musicians, 1929
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1Sea-Trumpet. See Tromba Marina.
3Second. The interval between the first and second degrees of the major scale or any similar interval, having the vibration-ratio 9/8 (but see below); also a tone or note at that interval from any starting-point; in a standard scale called the supertonic. G.
5The above standard interval is called the major second. Other intervals are the minor second, which is a semitone shorter, and the augmented second, which is a semitone longer. But it is necessary to distinguish two forms of the major second, the greater (9/8), as above, and the lesser (10/9). In the standard scale the steps 1–2, 4–5, 6–7 are examples of the former, while the steps 2–3 and 5–6 are examples of the latter. Either form of major second is also called a whole-step, whole-tone or simply tone, while a minor second is one of the forms of the half-step or semitone.
7For chord of the second, see under Thorough-bass.
9The term is also used in its ordinary sense in various ways, as of a voice or part (lower than first), of a string on a stringed instrument (also lower than first) and of a line or space in a staff (higher than first).
11As a noun, second may designate the alto in either vocal or instrumental combinations or any other part subordinated to another, as in a duet; in the latter sense often secondo (opposed to primo).
13Section. Usually, in a general sense, one of the chief divisions of a movement or piece, possibly including two or more periods. Sometimes, however, applied instead to a subdivision of a phrase (otherwise known as a half-phrase or phraselet).
15In sonata-form, the three main divisions are often called the exposition-section, the development-section and the recapitulation-section. The same usage is applied to the three main divisions in a formal aria of the da capo variety or in a fugue. So, in an overture, fantasia or symphonic poem, each division that has some degree of independence may be called a section.
17Secular Music. All music that is disconnected with religious worship and associations; see Church-Music and Sacred Music.
19In the formal development of music as an art the bulk of effort was at first given to sacred music. It was not until the 16th century that secular music began to assume parallel importance. After 1600 secular music became increasingly predominant.
21Seguidilla. See Dances. G.
23Selah. A Hebrew term often occurring in connection with the Psalms and in Hab.iii. Its meaning is unknown, but it is evidently some sort of a note or direction, possibly regarding the musical rendering.
25Its root probably signifies 'lifting up,' and hence the conjecture that it may mark the place for a choral or instrumental response.
27Semi-. A prefix meaning 'half-' in many names of notes, like semibreve, semiquaver, semitone, etc. (see Notation); but meaning 'lesser' or 'diminished' in several Greek names for intervals, like semidiapason, semidiapente, etc. G.
29Semitone may be used in more than one sense, including (a) the diatonic (ratio, 16/15), as between the leading-tone and the upper tonic, (b) the chromatic, which may be either lesser (ratio, 25/24) or greater (ratio, 135/128), as between any scale-tone and its flat or sharp, (c) the tempered or mean (ratio, the 12th root of 2), as between any two consecutive tones on the piano or (d) the Pythagorean (see hemitone, unci Hemi-).
31A semichorus is either one part of a chorus used alternation with another part or a part of a chorus us in contrast with the whole.
33Sennet. Some sort of figure played on trum etc., as used in connection with old plays; flourish. G.
35Sensible Note or Tone. Same as leading-ton Separation. An old term for a passing-not In organ-making, a mechanical device, usual controlled by a piston, by which the stops of particular keyboard may be prevented fro sounding while that keyboard is being used i couple with another.
37Septave. See Septonate. G.
39Sept-Chord. See Seventh-Chord.
41Septet, Septuor. A group of seven performers or music for such an ensemble; cf. trio, quarte etc. G.
43Septimole, Septole, Septuplet. A 7-note grou occupying the time of 4 or 6; see Note-Groups.
45Septonate, Septave. Terms of limited usag for the scale-series usually called the octave, bu not including the upper replicate of the starting tone or key-note.
47Such terms, like pentatonic and heptatonic scale emphasize the number of distinct tones included in th series rather than its total span or interval regarded as a unit.
49Sequence (in hymnody). In medieval liturgics, a hymn sung in the Mass after the Gradua to prolong the interval between the Epistle and the Gospel; also called prose (because at first such hymns were in rhythmical prose and, even when cast in verse of the accentual type, they were always different from the form of ancient Latin verse). G.
51The introduction of the sequence is attributed to Notker Balbulus (d. 912), a Benedictine of St. Gall (Switzerland), who from about 860 prepared a large number of texts (over 115 sometimes named, of which perhaps 70 are probably his).
53The prose form was long adhered to, but with a growing tendency toward lines of somewhat equal length, of course without rhyme. Thence after about 1100 the transition was easy to symmetrical verse with rhyme, adapted to the general form of popular or secular poetry as it was beginning to take shape. In this style many hundreds of sequences were written, constituting the great bulk of Latin hymnody. Of this vast literature the Roman Catholic liturgy, as finally settled, retained in prescribed usage only five, namely, Victimae Paschali (Easter), Veni, Sancte Spiritus (Pentecost), Lauda Sion Salvatorem (Corpus Christi), Dies irae, dies illa (Mass for the Dead) and Stabat mater dolorosa (Friday before Palm Sunday). Some others were retained in the Breviary. For extended lists, see Julian, Dict. of Hymnology, arts. Latin Hymnody, Sequences and Notker.
55The Sequence is the one point at which hymnody in the sense of verse has had a foothold in the Mass. How popular it was for a long period is attested by the number of texts extant. A few of the Latin sequences were early paraphrased in German, French and English in connection with the rise of vernacular hymnody for congregational use in the 16–17th centuries. But the more general recognition of them in this way was delayed until the 19th century.
57Sequence (harmony). In harmony, the repetition three or more times of the same series of melodic and harmonic progressions, but each time at a degree uniformly higher or lower than
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