Catalog of RCA Victor Records (1948)

Fanfasie (Fa(ng)-tay-see]. Lirerally "fancy." Any free-sounding, in¬ formal kind of instrumental piece can be so called. The word once implied improvisation, and the thing still often suggests it. Some¬ times a string of tunes from an opera, etc., worked up into an in¬ strumental piece is called by this name. Fauxbourdon. See Descant. Forte [For-tay], Loudly. Fortissimo [Fort-iss-eem-oh] . Very loudly. Fugue. An "intellectual" type of composition, which may, neverthe¬ less, be also very emotional. Its essential characteristics are: (1) It is purely contrapuntal, i.e., it is a texture of a fixed number of melodic strands, being thus a "fugue in three parts," or a "fugue in four parts," etc. (2) It grows out of one short phrase of melody (Subject) with which it opens. (3) This phrase is first given out by one of the parts (often called "Voices," and so reminding us of the unmistakable choral origin of the type), and then taken up in turn by the other parts until all have entered with it; a variety of key is thus early introduced, since the parts, or "voices," enter alternately in the key of the piece and that of a fifth higher, swaying in this way between the two main keys, tonic and dominant. On the occa¬ sion when the subject here appears in the dominant key it is called Answer: the device of "subject" and "answer" is obviously a relic of choral origin, the soprano, alto, tenor and bass voices being, in nature, roughly a fifth apart in pitch, and their comfort being thus considered. Furlana [Foor-fah-nah], A popular old Italian dance, six-in-a-measure. Gailiard [Gof-ee-ard]. A lively dance style, three-in-a-measure, com¬ mon in 16th-century keyboard music. Gavotte. A dartce form in four-in-a-measure time. Sometimes found as one of the constituents of the old Suites. All its phrases begin on the third beat of the measure, otherwise it resembles the Bourree. Gigue [Zjeeg], A lively dance form in three, six, nine, or twelve-in-ameasure time, which formed one of the movements in the old Suites. Glissando [Glees-san-doh], Literally "sliding" or "gliding." On the violin by running a finger along the string; on the piano (rare) by running a finger along the keyboard. A method, then, of playing scale passages. Gopak. A lively dance of Little Russia, in two-in-a-measure. Gregorian. A word sometimes used to describe plainsong chanting, from the work done by Gregory (Pope, 590-604) in classifying and codifying both this music and the system of modes on which it is based. Habanera f Ab-an-a/r-rah], A slow Cuban dance which came to be very popular in Spain. Harpsichord. Externally like a grand piano, but sometimes with two manuals and various draw-stops and pedals operating mechanism for varying the tone quality and quantity, etc. The essential is that the strings are plucked by quills, not hammered as in the piano. The Harpsichord was an invariable background to the 17th and early 18th century orchestras; its "part," printed or written, was usually merely a Figured Bass — a line of bass notes with figures sketchily or completely indicating the chord from which the per¬ former was expected to elaborate his own accompaniment to the other instruments (sometimes, even, an unfigured bass was all that was provided). The Italian word Cembalo (Chem-bal-oh) or Clavi¬ cembalo (C/a-vee-chem-bal-oh) is sometimes found for Harpsichord. Hammerclavier [Hom-mer-klav-eer], Pianoforte — literally "hammerkeyboard," an appropriate name. Harmonics. Silvery, flute-like notes, obtained by lightly touching the string at a node of its vibration, instead of fully "stopping" it. Humoresque. A fancy title sometimes attached to an instrumental composition of a humorous or capricious character, usually short. Impromptu. Properly, a quasi-extemporary short instrumental piece, though the name is as often given to pieces with no suggestion of the extemporary. Intermezzo [In-tair-medz-zoh], The music intended for performance between the acts of a play or opera, but the term is now sometimes applied to a short instrumental composition for independent per¬ formance, often (but not always) of a light nature. Jota f Hkoh-tah], A northern Spanish dance, rapid, three-in-a-measure, accompanied by the castanets. Kapelle. In German countries the Kapelle, or Capelle, of a royal or noble personage or a high ecclesiastic, was his whole musical force, vocal and instrumental, in church, opera-house, and concert room. The Kapellmeister, or Capellmeister, was its "master" or director. It was part of the duty cf such an official to compose for all occa¬ sions of the court, etc., which he necessarily often did in a very routine style; hence the word here under definition carries a some¬ what contemptuous suggestion, and is usually employed to signify any sort of dull, seriously-intended music. The director of the musical forces of a church was also a Kapellmeister, but it is an error to think that "Kapelle" (though literally translatable "chapel") covers only the musical forces of a religious establishment. A dance band can be so described, e.g., in the German press, "Jack Hylton's Kapelle." Kinderstiick [K/n-derr-stik]. Literally "Children's Piece." Klavier [Klav-eer] "Keyboard" i.e., today the Pianoforte. Also spelt "Clavier." As found in the works of Bach, etc., the word means either Harpsichord or Clavichord, without distinction. The keyboard of the Organ is sometimes spoken of as its "Clavier." Langsam [Lang-zam], Slow. Largo [Larg-oh], Slow and stately. Lebhaft [Layb-haft| Lively. Legato [Leg-ah-toh], Literally "bound" together, i.e., smoothly. Leggiero [Lej-jee-ay-roh], Lightly. Leitmotiv [Lite-moht-eev] In Wagnerian and post-Wagnerian prac¬ tice and parlance a motive of which dramatic use is made, it being associated with some personage or idea, and (with the adaptabil¬ ity of an india-rubber chameleon) appearing in various shapes and colourings when that personage or idea is to the fore. A Wagner music-drama score is, to a certain extent, an amazingly skilful mosaic of a limited number of such motives. Lento [len-toh]. Slow. Lied (Plural Lieder) [Leed; Lee-der], Song; songs. The great Lieder period begins with Schubert, from whose day onwards composers made innumerable lyric and dramatic settings of romantic poetry, with accompaniment for the newly improved pianoforte. Madrigal. A late 16th and early 17th-century choral form, a capella and contrapuntal in style, probably most properly sung in one voice to a part. In Italy, Madrigals were composed at an earlier period than that just mentioned, which is, however, the date of the English madrigal and of the most active and finest production elsewhere than in England. Major Scale. The scale CDEFGABCor the same series of tones and semitones at any pitch of the eleven others possible. Thus there are twelve major scales possible on the piano (some of them with alternative names, e.g., the scale of C sharp, the scale of D flat, representing, if the piano were a perfect instrument, slightly different series of notes called "Enharmonics" of one another). Malaguena [Ma-lah-goin-yah], A sort of Fandango, it has certain peculiar harmonic features. Malinconico [Mal-in-co/jn-ee-coh]-or Con Malinconia [Mal-in-cohnee-ah]. Melancholically. Massig [Mess-ish]. Moderate. Very moderately moved, i.e., not very quick. Mattinata [Mat-teen-oh-tah], A morning song, e.g., under one's lady's window — a fancy title sometimes applied to short, bright instrumental compositions. Mazurka [Maz-ur-ka]. A Polish dance, three-in-a-measure. Not so sensuous as the Waltz. Modes. Those older scales which tended to disappear from the early 16th century onwards, and by the mid-17th had almost gone. They are now sometimes revived or drawn upon in a passing way by composers. Plain-song is in the modes — necessarily from its remote origin. Modulation. A change of key whilst the music is in progress. Morceau [More-soh). "Piece." Morendo [Moh-rend-oh], Dying away. Motif [Moht-eef]. Any significant series of notes constituting a tiny unit ond used (by repetition at various pitches, etc.) to contribute to the fabric of the music (see also Leitmotiv). Movements. Cyclic Forms. Those forms (Suite, Sonata, Symphony, Concerto, the classical String Quartet, etc.) which consist of a num¬ ber of separate and quasi-independent pieces, or "movements," each in its own form, and all of them sufficiently in keeping to make good companions for one another, yet sufficiently in keeping to make good speed, etc., to avoid monotony. There is also a narrower use of the word, to denote works of several movements in which the same musical themes recur. Nachtmusik. "Night Piece." Any piece with which the composer wishes the romantic feelings of night to be associated can be so entitled by him. Nocturne. A term introduced by the Irish composer Field for a type of slow, romantic piano piece of the melody-plus-accompaniment order, the thing and the name then being taken over by Chopin Other composers (e.g., Mozart) had used the word as the equivalent of "Serenade," etc. Nonet. A piece for nine voices or instruments, each with a separate "part." Obbligato [Ob-lee-goh-toe], Literally "obliged." For instance, a song with piano accompaniment may have some sort of additional part for violin, and if this is essential to the composition it may be called a "Violin Obbligato." But, by a perverse twist, the word is often given the opposite meaning, and applied to an optional ad¬ ditional part for violin, organ, or whatever it may be. ' 546