D
Da (It.)
Da ballo (It.). In dance style. Da capo (It.). breviated D. C.
Dash
(1) A line drawn through a figure (6) in figured bass signifies the note must be raised chromatically. (2) A short stroke over a note…
Début (Fr.) (deh-boo)
D'Albert, Ch. L. N. Writer of band music; Germany. B. 1809; d. 1886 in London. D'Albert, Eugene, his son. Pianist; Scotland. B. 1864…
Degree
From one letter to the next, a degree may be a half-tone, minor second; whole tone, major second; tone and a half, augmented second. Del…
Demi-baton (Fr.) (deh-mee-bah-tong)
Composer; Violinist; David, Felicien C. (dah-veed). Composer; France. B. 1810; d. 1876. David, Ferdinand (dah-veed). Violinist; Germany. B…
Daina or Dainos – Demi-semi-quaver
The diminished 5th is sometimes so called.
Descant or Discant
(I) The earliest attempts at adding other parts to a cantus were called descant. (2) The highest part (soprano) in vocal music. Des dur…
Development
[In German, Durchführung.] (I) The technical name of that part of a sonata form which precedes the return of the principal theme. In the…
Diapason (Gr.)
(I) An octave. (2) An organ-stop of 8-foot pitch, open or closed (stopped). (3) The standard pitch, A = 435 vibrations per second, not yet…
Diatonic
(I) The major and minor scales. Strictly speaking, the modern harmonic De Reszke, Eduard (rets-kay). Baritone; Poland. B. 1855.
Diminished
(I) Intervals less than minor or perfect. (2) A chord with diminished 5th, as on the 7th of the scale or the 2d of the minor scale. (3)…
Diminution
In canon and fugue, when the answer (comes) is given in notes of half (or less) the value of those in the subject (dux). Di molto (It.)…
Direct
(I) A sign W placed at the end of a staff to indicate what is the first note on the next page. (2) In MS. music it indicates that the…
Demi-soupir (Fr.) (soo-pee) – Dis (Ger.)
The soprano part in vocal music.
Disposition
(I) Of a chord, the order in which its members are arranged. (2) Of a score, the order in which the instruments Devrient, Ed. P…
Dissonance
An interval, one or both of whose members must move in a certain way to satisfy the ear. All augmented and diminished intervals, seconds…
Ditty
A short simple air, originally with words that contained a moral. Divertimento (It.) (dee-ver-tee-men'-to), Divertissement (Fr.)…
Do
(1) The first note in the natural scale in Italy; this syllable was substituted for ut, the first of the Guidonian syllables; ut is still…
Dolzflöte (Ger.) (dolts-fla-teh)
(I) The old German flute with six holes and one key. (2) A soft eight-foot organ-stop. Diabelli, Anton (dee-a-bel'-lee). Composer; Germany…
Dot
(1) A dot after a note or rest increases its duration one-half; a second dot increases the duration one-half of the first dot م م م = م…
Double Bar
Two single bars placed close together signifying: (1) The end of a part or piece. (2) A change of key or of time signature. (3) In…
Double Bass
The violone [It., vee-o-lo-neh, Fr., contrabasse]. The largest of the tah'-no). Composer; Italy. B. 1797; d. Donzelli, Domenico…
Down Bow
In instruments of the viclin family, the motion of the bow from the nut to the point. The sign is or A. In French the word tirez (tee-reh)…
Double Counterpoint
A counterpoint so contrived that it may be placed either above or below the theme, without producing any forbidden intervals. A double…
Discant – Double Diapason
An old name for elaborate variations.
Doux (Fr.) (doo)
Sweetly, Dowland, John. Madrigalist and lutenist. Dragonetti, D. (drah-go-net'-tee). Double bass player; Italy. B. 1755; d. 1846.
Drum
An instrument of percussion, the body hollow, made of wood or metal, one or both ends being covered with vellum or parchment drawn tight by…
Due (It.) (doo-eh)
Two. A due, by two; that is, divide, when marked over a string part in the orchestra; but when over a wind instrument part it means that…
Dulciana
A soft, open, 8-foot organ-stop; flue pipes; in some foreign organs, a soft reed-stop. Dreyschock, Alex. (dry-shock). Pianist; Germany. B…
Dulcimer
(1) An instrument consisting of an oblong or square box strung with wire strings, struck by small hammers held in the hands of the…
Duramente (It.) (doo-ra-men'-teh)
Dulcken, Ferdinand Q. (dool-ken). Composer, pianist; Germany. B. 1837. Dulcken, Marie Louise. Pianist; Germany. Duschek or Dussek, Franz…
Düster (Ger.) (dees-tehr)
Dux (Lat.). Leader; the theme of a fugue. a Duvernoy, Jean B. (doo-ver-noy). Pianist, teacher; France. B. 1802; d. 1880. Composer; Dvorak…