Catalog of RCA Victor Records (1948)

Offertoire [OfF-air-twahr]. Music (organ or choral) suitable to be performed (•) during the offering of the elements at Mass, or (b) during the taking of the collection. Opus [Op-uss]. Since the 18th century the custom has grown up amongst composers of labelling their works with consecutive num¬ bers. Thus a man's Opus 1 is his first work (or the first he cares to bring before the public). Opus numbers are a means of identifica¬ tion of compositions to which no names have been given, and, in so far as the composer has observed an accurate consecutive num¬ bering (which is not always done, unfortunately), they give a clue to the period in a composer's career to which a particular com¬ position belongs. A common abbreviation is "Op." and "Op. Post" means a posthumous work, i.e., one published after the composer's death. Overtones. There is practically no such thing in nature as a pure single note. Lift the dampers of the piano from the strings by de¬ pressing the right pedal, strike a low note hard and listen; in a moment a distinct effect will be heard of many higher notes also sounding. There is a reason why in the piano these are particularly noticeable, but every note of every instrument and of the voice has them. They run upwards from the "fundamental" note that gen¬ erates them, as its octave, the fifth above that, the fourth above that, and so on, the intervals between them diminishing as we ascend the harmonic series. Overture. An opening piece for a play, an opera, an oratorio, an instrumental suite. Overtures for independent performance are now often composed, i.e.. Concert Overtures (e.g., those of Mendel¬ ssohn). In Bach's time the title "Overture" was sometimes applied to a suite as a whole; a piece so entitled began with a real over¬ ture, in the then standard overture form, and then had other pieces tacked on to it, for here the word really meant "Overture, etc." Indeed, the word has had a very varied use, but in every case a little historical knowledge will show that the idea of an "opening" is implicit somewhere. Passacaglia [Pass-sah-kaM-yee-ah] . Whatever the text-books and dic¬ tionaries may say, this, in practice, is indistinguishable from the Chaconne (q.v.). Passepied [Pasp-yay]. Somewhat like the Minuet, but livelier. Pesante [Pez-an-tay]. Heavily. Piacere [Pee-ah-chay-ray]. At pleasure, as to pace, etc. Pianissimo [Pee-an-ees-ee-moh]. Very softly. Pitch. The notes of a key ranged in order of pitch, i.e., of what we conventionally call "height" and "depth." Pizzicato [Pitz-ee-caht-oh]. Plucked with the fingers instead of bowed. Polyphonic [Polly-fonn/k]. The adjective form of polyphony. Liter¬ ally, "many voiced" music, i.e., music which consists of several strands, each with its own melodic interest and the whole fitting together in an effective combination. Preghiera [Preg-ee-air-ah], "Prayer." Prestissimo [Press-tiss-ee-moh]. Very quick. Quasi [Kwah-zee]. As it were, almost. Rallentando [Ral-len-fan-doh] . Gradually slowing down. Recitative [Res-it-at-feevl. Song in a declamatory rhythm and style, often preceding an Aria. Requiem [Rek-kwee-em]. A Mass for the dead — Brahms's "German Requiem" being an exception, in that it is not a setting of the words of the Mass, whilst the Requiem of Delius is a still greater exception, being non-Christian in subject-matter. Rhapsody. An instrumental piece, generally of a rather ecstatic character. The term is especially associated with Liszt, who first popu¬ larised it. Rigaudon [Ree-geh-do(ng)]. An old Provencal dance, in two-in-ameasure or four-in-a-measure. The earlier examples are lively, the later often dignified. Rigadoon is the old English name. Rondeau [Ro(n)-doh]; Rondo [Ron-doh]; Rondino [Ron-dee-noh]. A piece in rondo form. A short piece in rondo form. Rondo Form. A form in which one principal subject reappears sev¬ eral times with other matter interspersed. Round. A form of short choral composition popular from the late 16th century onwards. It is really a canon in the unison or octave, in two or more parts, and so arranged that its end dovetails into its beginning, allowing of an indefinite number of continuous repe¬ titions. The universally known "Three Blind Mice" is an ancient and typical simple example. Salterello [Sal-tah-re/-loh]. An Italian three-in-a-measure or six-in-ameasure quick dance, with a leaping or hopping feature, often represented in the rhythm of the music. Not unlike the Tarantella in general style and feeling. Scherzo (Literally "joke") [Sfca/r-tso]. Applied to a brilliant type of composition, often humorous, and especially to that movement which, from Beethoven onwards, often replaces the Minuet move¬ ment is the Symphony and Sonata, etc. Schnell [Shnell]. Quick. Score. A music copy that, unlike a mere "part," is complete in itself. Senza [Send-za]. Without. Sforzando [Sforts-an-doh]. The particular note or chord so marked to be "forced," i.e., strongly accented. Sonata [Son-ah-tah]. The term properly means merely an instrumentally "sounded" piece, as distinct from a "sung" one (Sonata v. Cantata). Normally a Sonata is in several movements (like a Suite in this), but the Sonata's movements are, usually, not in dance style, as they were in the older suites. From Haydn and Mozart onwards we get the Classical Sonata, and in ordinary speech today this is what the word "Sonata" means. Sonatina [Son-ah-fee-nah], A short Sonata — generally somewhat simpler and lighter in style. Sordino [Sor-dee-noh], A small apparatus placed over the bridge of the instrument; it induces a soft ethereal tone. A Mute or Damper. Spiccato [Spic-cahf-oh]. A particular kind of staccato, the bow bouncing on the strings. Staccato [Stac-cah-toh] . Literally "detached," i.e., the notes played in a "cat-on-hot-bricks" style. Standchen [Sfenf-shen]. An evening song, in the sense of a short vocal or instrumental composition. Strepitoso [Strep-eet-oh-zoh]. Noisily. Tarantella [Tah-ran-te/-la]. In the heel of Italy is Taranto, hence a certain spider common thereabouts is called the Tarantula; hence a disease supposed to be caused by its bite is called Tarantism; hence a certain dance supposed to cure the disease is called the Tarantella. The music of this last is in a rapid six-in-a-measure. Tedesca [Ted-ess-kahj. The word is the Italian for "German." Some¬ times it is attached to a piece in the style of the Allemande, and sometimes to one in the style of the German Waltz. Beethoven occasionally uses the word in the latter sense. Theme. A tune or passage that forms a definite entity and consti¬ tutes an important item in the main material of a composition, e.g., one in Sonata Form. Timbre. See Harmonics. Timpani [not "Tympani"], Kettledrums. Copper basins covered with parchment, and tunable to particular notes. In the orchestra, up to and including the Haydn-Mozart period, two are employed, tuned to the Tonic and Dominant of the Key; after that period com¬ posers tend, on occasion, to score for more than two. Tonic. The Key note. When we speak of the Tonic Key, we mean the chief key of the piece. Trepak. A two-in-a-measure dance, popular in Russia and Little Russia. Tutti [Toot-ee]. Literally "all." Used especially to describe a passage in a Concerto where, alternating with the innings of the solo in¬ strument, the whole orchestra takes one. Vibrato [Vee-brah-toh]. In string music an effect of slightly wavering pitch, obtained by the motion of the fingers of the left hand as they stop the strings, equivalent to the vocalist's tremolo, but not usually objectionable. In vocal music a very rapid reiteration of the note instead of a steady holding of it; generally objectionable. Villanella [Veel-an-e/-lah] . Properly a sort of light-hearted 16thcentury Neapolitan madrigal, but modern composers sometimes use the term in a "fancy" way. Virginals. The early Harpsichord, shaped not like the Harpsichord proper, or the Spinet, but like an oblong box (the strings, therefore, run in front of the player instead of a way from him). Vorspiel [For-shpeel]. A prelude or overture. Waltz (Eng.), Valse (Fr.). A three-in-a-measure dance derived from the Landler. It first appeared prominently at the end of the 18th century, and Vienna soon became the headquarters of its skilful manufacture. It has a harmonic characteristic — a basis of one chord per measure, with the bass note of the chord on the first beat and "lumps" of the chord on the other two beats. This con¬ tributes to its swaying sentimentality. In general, the form is that of a string of seven or eight attractive tunes, in various alterna¬ tions, plus an Introduction and a Coda. Chopin, Brahms and others have taken this style and form as the basis of compositions not intended for dancing. Whole-Tone Scale. A scale of tones — no semitones. If experiments be made on the piano, it will be seen that it can really only exist at two pitches, or in two series — that beginning on C and that beginning on C sharp. Any other series is merely the same as one of these, but beginning on another note (compare Chromatic Scale). Zylophone [Zye-lof-own], Pieces of wood of various lengths, and hence of various pitches, struck by hammers held by the performer. Zapateado [Tha-pa-tay-ah-doh], A Spanish dance, three-in-a-meas¬ ure, with a savagely fierce rhythm, marked by stamping (like a clog dance) instead of by the usual Spanish castanets. Zigeunerlied [Tsig-oy-ner-leed]. Gipsy Song.