Scan 62
The New Encyclopedia Of Music And Musicians, 1929
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1beyond the local circle. Since the latter part of the 18th century musical celebrations of this class have gradually multiplied, especially in England, Germany and America, in many cases exerting an important influence on musical progress. G.
3The term festival (or feast) is taken from religious usages, as well as national or civic commemorations and similar social jubilations, at all of which music has usually supplied a conspicuous part. In many cases religious or civic implications are still traceable in enterprises which are now mainly artistic in purpose. The social or communal aspect is usually prominent because of the inclusion of many amateurs in the choral forces.
5The modern festival may be said to be prefigured in the competitions of the Troubadours and Minnesinger, in the Eisteddfodau and the guild-assemblies of minstrels, in sundry celebrations at coronations and other political functions, etc.
7In England the Sons of the Clergy (a benevolent society, founded in 1655) in 1697 began to hold annual services at St. Paul's in London, usually with orchestra as well as combined choirs. The enthusiasm over choral singing aroused by Handel expressed itself in the successive establishment of the festivals of the Three Choirs of Gloucester, Worcester and Hereford in 1724, at Birmingham in 1768, at Norwich in 1770, at Chester in 1772, at Liverpool in 1784 and at York in 1791, with the striking Handel Commemorations in Westminster Abbey in 1784, '85, '86, '87, and '91. To the list of stated provincial festivals were later added those at Manchester (1828), Leeds (1858), Bristol (1873), Sheffield (1896), etc., with Handel Festivals at the Crystal Palace in London from 1857. Most of these were not at first held regularly, but later tended to adopt a triennial plan.
9In Germany and Austria the Tonkünstler-Societät of Vienna (a benevolent organization) began holding annual concerts in 1772. The Thuringian festivals, with an accent upon the works of Bach, were started in 1810. Most significant of all are the Lower Rhine Festivals, which date from 1817, being held in rotation at Cologne, Düsseldorf and Aix-la-Chapelle (until 1824 at Elberfeld). These have led to similar undertakings in the Middle Rhine region (Coblentz, Mayence, etc.). The numerous strong choral societies of Germany have from time to time added festivals to their ordinary concert-series, often to exalt the genius of a single composer, like Bach, Mozart, Beethoven or Wagner, and sometimes in connection with national bodies, like the Allgem. Deutscher Musikverein. Unique in purpose and influence have been the various operatic festivals since 1876 at the Wagner Opera-House at Bayreuth.
11Various enterprises in France, Belgium, Holland and the Scandinavian countries might also be cited.
13At several of the great international expositions the musical features have assumed festival proportions.
15In America festivals were initiated as early as 1857 and '58 at Boston and Worcester, though not made regular until after the Civil War. The example of these was soon followed at several other places in the East. In 1873 Thomas started the biennial Cincinnati Festival, which at once gained international renown. This latter grew out of the annual gatherings of German singing-societies, which began to be common in the Middle West from about 1850, and to which are now added similar meetings of Welsh, Norwegian and Swedish fraternities. The Bach Festivals at Bethlehem, Pa., under Wolle began in 1900 (intermitted in 1905-11). About the same time followed the Norfolk (Conn.) Festivals, supported by Mr. Carl Stoeckel, in 1910 the Peterboro (N. H.) Festivals, under the care of the MacDowell Association, and in 1917 (for chamber-music only) the Berkshire Festivals at Pittsfield, Mass., supported by Mrs. F. S. Coolidge. Since 1893 notable festivals have been held at the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor) and since 1909 at Northwestern University (Evanston, Ill.), these being but examples among many at educational centers. Since 1900, also, the Nat. Federation of Musical Clubs has maintained a biennial festival of a competitive character.
17f-hole. In instruments of the violin-family, one of the two f-shaped openings in the front or belly, on either side of the bridge and somewhat below the level of the waist. They are analogous to openings of various shape found in practically all instruments of the viol-class. Their purpose is to increase the flexibility of the belly at the point where the vibrations of the strings are transmitted to it and to determine the pitch of the volume of air contained within the body. Their exact position and form are the result of countless experiments. The placing of the bridge is guided by small nicks in the outline of the holes. Also called sound-holes.
19Ficta. See Musica Ficta (under Music).
21Fiddle. The old English name for any form of viol; now only used humorously or contemptuously. Hence fiddler for a viol-player and fiddle-bow or fiddlestick for a viol-bow. G.
23Fife. An octave-flute with 6 finger-holes and a compass of about two octaves, resembling the piccolo; its chief use is in drum-corps and military bands. G.
25Fifth. The interval between the first and fifth degrees of either the major or the minor scale, or any similar interval, having the vibration-ratio 3/2; also a tone or note at that interval from any starting-point; in a standard scale called the dominant. G.
27The above standard interval is called the perfect fifth (sometimes major). Other intervals, larger or smaller by a chromatic semitone, are the augmented fifth (ratio 25/16) and the diminished fifth (ratio 36/25) (sometimes called minor).
29Being the next most perfect harmonic interval after the octave, the fifth has been much used as a tuning-measure. The ancients employed the Pythagorean theory that scale-degrees were to be determined by tuning upwards from the starting-tone in fifths and back in octaves. This practice led in medieval theory to an oversharpl placing of the major third and sixth and thus retarded the recognition of the modern major scale. That it was not quite satisfactory is clear from the fact that the replicate of the starting-tone reached by a series of twelve fifths is too sharp by a comma. In modern tuning, therefore, the fifths are slightly reduced, enough to make the above replicate correct and to divide the octave into twelve equal semitones (see Temperament). In such a scale, which is that represented by the keyboard of the piano and organ, a circle of fifths appears, reading either upward or downward, of which the following is a diagram (assuming C as root):
31C G D A E B F# = Gb
32 F Bb Ab Db Eb
34In counterpoint and harmony, the progression of two voice-parts from one chord to another by parallel or consecutive fifths is objectionable, but by hidden or concealed fifths (to a perfect fifth by similar, but not parallel motion) usually much less so. See Progression and Motion.
36Fifty. In acoustics, denoting a tone in which the second partial-tone above the fundamental is obtrusively strong.
38Figuration. In general, the decoration or elaboration of a simple melodic outline or harmonic structure by details that make it more complicated and ornate. Applied specifically to the breaking up of plain or strict counterpoint by passing- or by-notes, by groups of short notes.
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