About The Word Descant
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Learn about the word Descant to help solve your crossword puzzle. Discover Descant definitions and meaning, origins, synonyms, related terms and more at the free Crossword Dictionary.
Descant
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Descant Definition And Meaning |
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What's The Definition Of Descant?
[n] a decorative musical accompaniment (often improvised) added above a basic melody
[v] talk at great length about something of one's interest [v] sing by changing register; sing by yodeling; "The Austrians were yodeling in the mountains" [v] sing in descant Synonyms | Synonyms for Descant: discant | warble | yodel Related Terms | Find terms related to Descant: absolute music | accompaniment | adaptation | air | air varie | aleatory | aleatory music | alto | amplify | anthem | aria | arrangement | article | ballad | baritone | bass | basso continuo | basso ostinato | bassus | canto | cantus | cantus figuratus | cantus planus | carol | causerie | chamber music | chamber orchestra | chant | chirp | chirrup | choir | chorus | comment upon | composition | concert overture | continuo | contralto | criticize | croon | curtain raiser | deal with | detail | develop | diapason | dilate | discourse | discuss | discussion | disquisition | dissert | dissertate | dissertation | ditty | do-re-mi | dramatic overture | drone | elaborate | electronic music | enlarge | enlarge upon | essay | etude | evolve | examination | excursus | exercise | expand | expatiate | explicate | exposition | feature | figured bass | first approach | go into | ground bass | handle | harmonization | homily | hum | hymn | incidental music | inquire into | instrumental music | intonate | intone | introduction | introductory study | invention | lay | lied | lilt | line | lucubration | measure | melodia | melodic line | melody | memoir | minstrel | monograph | morceau | Nachtmusik | nocturne | note | operatic overture | opus | orchestration | outline | overture | pandect | paper | paragraph | part | particularize | piece | pipe | plain chant | plain song | preliminary study | prelude | prick song | production | program music | prolegomenon | psalm | quaver | refrain | rehearse in extenso | relate at large | remark upon | research paper | review | ricercar | roulade | score | screed | serenade | sermonize | shake | sing | sing in chorus | sketch | sol-fa | solmizate | solo | solo part | sonata | sonatina | song | soprano | soprano part | special article | strain | string orchestra | string quartet | study | survey | take up | tenor | term paper | theme | theme and variations | thesis | thorough bass | touch upon | tract | tractate | treat | treat of | treatise | treatment | treble | tremolo | trill | trio | troll | tune | tweedle | tweedledee | twit | twitter | undersong | unfold | vamp | variation | vocalize | voice | voice part | voluntary | Vorspiel | warble | whistle | work | work out | write up | yodel See Also | accompaniment | discourse | discuss | musical accompaniment | sing | sing | support | talk about Descant In Webster's Dictionary \Des"cant\ (d[e^]s"k[a^]nt), n. [OF. descant, deschant,
F. d['e]chant, discant, LL. discantus, fr. L. dis + cantus
singing, melody, fr. canere to sing. See {Chant}, and cf.
{Descant}, v. i., {Discant}.]
1. (Mus.)
(a) Originally, a double song; a melody or counterpoint
sung above the plain song of the tenor; a variation of
an air; a variation by ornament of the main subject or
plain song.
(b) The upper voice in part music.
(c) The canto, cantus, or soprano voice; the treble.
--Grove.
Twenty doctors expound one text twenty ways, as
children make descant upon plain song.
--Tyndale.
She [the nightingale] all night long her amorous
descant sung. --Milton.
Note: The term has also been used synonymously with
counterpoint, or polyphony, which developed out of the
French d['e]chant, of the 12th century.
2. A discourse formed on its theme, like variations on a
musical air; a comment or comments.
Upon that simplest of themes how magnificent a
descant! --De Quincey.
\Des*cant"\ (d[e^]s*k[a^]nt"), v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Descanted}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Descanting}.] [From descant; n.; or directly fr. OF. descanter, deschanter; L. dis- + cantare to sing.] 1. To sing a variation or accomplishment. 2. To comment freely; to discourse with fullness and particularity; to discourse at large. A virtuous man should be pleased to find people descanting on his actions. --Addison. |
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