' *•
■ - • H3ïf
(Ea !
*•••
JT
l .-■■?
"JuIC" M ».
■ • :
3«o
P«
îlQE
Kl
F¥ar*W;
< .' -
36*
.-•-
fttJf—AK
v*
->' V*
THE LIBRARY OF THE
UNIVERSITY OF
NORTH CAROLINA
V780.3
G769m
Music Library
This book must not be taken from the Library building.
OCT 1 3 w66
T>
Mufical Dictionary.
B E I N G A
COLLECTION
4
OF
TERMS and CHARACTERS,
? As well Ancient as Modern*
INCLUDING THE
■
Hiftoricat, Theoretical, and praftical Parti
OF
MUSI G
r -
•
rS .5x^0/? Navies are hereunto Juhjcribed^ do approve the following Sheets* containing a Mufical Di&ionary, and recommend them as very ufefuly and worthy the ferufal of all hovers of
Mufick.\ ?
- .
.
- !
, C. Pepufch,
^ ^,
J. "E. Galliard.
At '
4 .
■
■
r~ W
Musical Dictionary;
B E I N G A
COL LE CTIO N
O F
TERMS and CHARACTERS,
As well Ancie nt as Mode rn ;
INCLUDING THE
Hiflorical, Theoretical, and Practical Parti
MUSIC:
As alfo, an Explanation of fome Parts of the Doctrine of the Antients ;
INTERSPERSED WITH Remarks on their Method and Practice, and curious Obfervations on the Phenomena of
SOUND
Mathematically confidered, As it's Relations and Proportions conftitute Intervals^
And thofe again
Concords and Discords.
The whole carefully abftracted from the beft Authors
in the Greek, Latin, Italian, French, and Englijh Languages.
By J AMES GRASS 1NE AU, Gent.
Ultra vires opus !
LONDON: Printed for J. W i l c o x , at Virgil's Head- oppofite the Aiw Church in the Strand. 174c.
TO HER
ROYAL HIGHNESS
THE
Princess AMELIA,
M AD A M,
APPY am I in being allowed the Honour of prefixing your high Name
r ., to the following
Pages; and (till happier fhould I be, if the Performance was, in any Degree, worthy the Protection of fo great a Perfonage ; mean
vi The Dedication.
as it is, I hope it might yield ibme little Amufement at a va- cant hour ; and what your Royal Highnefs cannot, in Judg- ment, approve, I doubt not, but you will, in Candor, excufe.
To the natural Advantages of a fine Perfon and excellent Un- derftanding, your Royal High- nefs has not only added a fuperior Knowledge of Mufic, but every other Accompliihment of Educa- tion, that might become your high Rank or Birth: but in nothing are you more illuftrious than in your own great and good Qualities, which appear in too confpicuous a Light, to be unob- ferved by any who have the Ho- nour of knowing the Court of Great Britain Such a Dignity of Behaviour, joined with fo
much
The Dedication, v
much Sweetnefs of Temper, at once commands the Refpeét, and engages the Affection, of every one that approaches you. But I muft take care I do not leffen what I fhould in vain attempt to defcribe ; Your Royal Highnefs's Character being a Theme that deferves, and might well employ the raoft eloquent Pen.
I fhall always have the Ambi- bition of being,
(May it plea fe your Royal Highnefsj Tour Royal Highnefs's Moft dutiful, moft obhg'd, And moft humble Servant,
James Graffineau.
[ix]
THE
PREFACE-
T natural inclination to mufic prompted me, in the very dawn of youth , to ap- ply myfelf to that ftudy. I foon ob- ferv*d and JbewaiPd the fcarcity of books on that noble fcience in my na- tive tongue. 'The neceffity of every ftudenfs being acquainted wiith the rudiment s i and familiar with the terms of the art he pro- fejfes, is a truth I was immediately convinced of% but yet I could find no treat if e extant I could fly to for help. Upon this I turn' d my thoughts upon drawing up the fol» lowing fheets for my own private ufe, which I have now publifh d on a prefumption, that they might be of fome little fervice to others.
"The reader will here find the terms of this extenfiue art9 and their definitions drawn into as narrow a compafs as con- veniently might be ; whereby he will be fav'd the trouble of reading a great number of 'volumes , which he muft otherwife have unavoidably done, before he could arrive at a tolerable knowledge either of the theory or prafiice of mttfic.
x The P R E F A C E.
T prefer* d the method this work is drawn up in, before! all others , as it is afafhionable way of writing : For 'tis cbfervable, that there are at prefent dictionaries of almofi every ar>- % why then not of miific ? And indeed I thought the celebrated French author, Mr BrorTaxd, worthy imi- tation in this, as well as other refpecls: for I muft ingenu- oufly acknowledge myfelf to be much indebted to that lear- ned gentleman for many materials of this work.
The following attempt will, I conceive, render fome of the pafjages of the ancients intelligible to every Engliih reader ; whereby many may inform themj elves of things which would otherwife have keen out of their reach, Jince every one has not the lei fur e or opportunity of learning, in a competent degree, the language of the ancieffîs , and the fervice might be the greater, as 'tis impoffible to obtain a true knowledge of mfic {or perhaps any other art) without their affjlance. This is a hint that I wijh one day to fee perfued by a far abler pen, by whofe fuperior fkill, we may hope to recover, what wê have all imaginable reafon to be- lieve is now loft -, I mean the beauties as well as niceties of the ancient Greek mufic, by means of which fuch mira- culous effecls (if we will credit, hiftory) have been 'prcduc'd.
Whofcever will allow kimfelf time to look into the works ef Ariftoxenus and other ancient Greek writers {which I have been obliged occaficnally to confult in theprogrefs of this %vork)willfoon be convin' d,that the ancient mufic of Greece excell'd the modern of Italy ; And indeed 'tis as plain that we are ignorant of the method in ufe among them, as 'tis thai Qufs is very different from i and falls far fhcrt of it.
In the dark times of ignorance and fupefftition, Tftufic^ no doubt, fuffcr'd in the common wreck, as well as other hr anches of literature : This we may reafonably cotlecl from Athéniens, who cites a fourth book of Ariftcxenus^ whereas wè have but three imperfecl oHes of that author remaining to our days. Hence we may conclude, that other Treatifes had probably the fame \ or a worfe fate, viz. that
■■'■ •' • tf
The F RE F A C & \x
ef being totally deftroyed -, which? had they efcap*d, might have been of fmgular ufe to us now, in clearing up many infuperable difficulties and perplexities.
About the eleventh century? one Guido Aretine began to revive this art , 'tis from him we derive what is ternfd the modem mvfic, but his manner is widely different from that of the Grecians. He brought into one fyftem Hvo of this ancient genera, viz. the diatonic and chromatic \ but theft not without fome alteration? and omitted the enharmonic* by reafon of the minutenefs of it's intervals. In the year 3330, or 1333, Jean de Mûris, a Do fier at Paris, in- vented notes of different lengths, which 'till then were all cf equal value as to time. The next alteration was the addition of a feventh jy liable fi, to the fix, ut re mi fa fol la, which Guido ufed. The French Mujicians will have it to be of great fervice, but 'tis rejected by tnoft other nations -, yet as in this work I have followed a French author in many points , in the ufe cf this Jy liable I have likewife often imitated him. True it is? we have confiderably improv'don the ingenious Gmào' s foundation* as is apparent from the many excellent treatifes extantp 'which redound greatly to the honour of the moderns.
I have judg'd it neeffary to introduce many Italian terms andphrafes in the following book, becaufe, as marry çf our compofers and performers are of that country, we of ten meet with them in mufical compofitions, which how- ever, for thefêrvice of my Engliih reader ', are explain'! in the moft obvious manner,
I can't here but acknowledge, with the higheft fenfe of gratitude, the obligations I have to one in whom our nation may boaft the poffeftion of the greateft mafter? and the fikyice it's greateft ornament; one? who fe candor and benevo- lence to me, have been equal to his judgment and penetra- tion in the art he profeffes. Led by no confiderations of friend/hip, or profpetl of inter eft, but mov'd by a pure ge- nerous regard for the improvement cf mvfic, and enter- tainment of every fiMere lover cf it^ he gave me his ad- vice^
xiï The P R E F A C E.
*vicêy and m many infiances, his kind afjifiancei in the mofi engaging manner, thro* the whole courfe of this work. Indeed 'tis chiefly owing to this great mafter*s perfuafiou and favourable approbation, that it now appears in this publick manner,
I will offer m farther excufe for it; if it he of ufe+ it wants none*, if not, the reader will judge of it* and none, I fear, will be admitted*
A
to
Mufical Di&ionary.
AC C
AMajufculem thorough bafTes, marks the Alto ox Haut Conrte. See Haut Contre, and Contra Tenor. A Battuta. See Battuta. A Bene placito, at pleafure.
ACCENT, a certain modulation, or warbling of the founds, to exprefs the paffions, either naturally by the voice, or artificially by instruments.
Every bar or meafure is divided into accented and unaccen- ted parts ; the accented are the principal ; being thofe chiefly intended to move and arFecl: : 'tis on thefe the fpirit of mufis depends. See Bar and Music.
The beginning and the middle, or the beginning of the firft half of the bar, and the beginning of the latter 'half thereof in common time, and the beginning, or firft of three notes in triple time, are always the accented parts of the meafure. See Time and Triple.
Again, in common time the firft and third crotchet of the bar, are on the accented part of the meafure. In triple time, where notes go always by three and three, that which is in the middle of every three is unaccented, the firft and laft ac- cented ; but the accent of the firft is fo much ftronger, that jn many cafes the laft is accounted as if it had no accent. See Composition.
This accented and unaccented part of a meafure anfwers to what the Italians call tempo buono and catlvo. See Buono and Cativo.
The harmony is always to be full, and void of difcords in the accented parts of the meafure : by difcords we mean difcords in conjoint degrees, which are commonly called paf- fing notes ; for difcords by proper preparation and refojution are abfolutely neceffary, and muft be ufed therein. See Har- mony. In the unaccented parts this is not fo neceffary, dif-
B cords
2 A CU
cords by conjoint degrees there paffing without any great of* fence to the ear. See Discord and Counterpoint.
ACCENTOR, one of three fingers in parts, or the perfon that fings the predominant part in a Trio. See Trio. ACCORD, is more ufually called Concord, which fee* ITht word is French , formed, according to fome, from the Latin, ad, and cor ; but others, with more probability, de- rive it from the French chorde, a firing or chord, on account of the agreeable union of the founds of two firings ftruck at at the fame time. SeeCHORD.
Whence alfo fome of the confonances in mufic come to be called Tetrachords, Hexachords, Ê&r. which are fourths and fixths. See Tetra chord and Hex a chord, or Fourth and Sixth.
Mr Carre, in the Memoirs of the Royal Academy of Sci- ences, lays down a new general proportion of the proporti- ons which two Cylinders are to have in order to form the accords or confonances in. mufic.
And 'tis this, that the folid Cylinders, whofe founds yield thofe accords, are in a triplicate and inverfed ratio of that of the numbers, which exprefs the fame accords.
Suppofe, for example, two Cylinders, the diameter of whofe bafles and lengths are as 3 : 2, 'tis evident the folidities will be in the ratio of 27 : 8, which is the triplicate ratio of 3 : 2, we fay that the founds of thefe two Cylinders will produce a fifth, which is exprefTed by thofe numbers, and that the big- geii and longeft will yield the grave found, and the fmalleft the acute one ; and the like of all others. See Sound, Gravity and Acuteness.-
ACCRESSIMENTO, fignrfies augmentation, zspunto d*
accrefimento, point of augmentation. See Punto and Note.
ACU T E, is underftocd of a found or tone which is fhrill
or high in refpecl: of fome other. See Sound. In this fenfe
the word Hands oppofed to grave. See Grave.
Sounds confidered as acute and grave, i. e. in relation of gravity and acutenefs, constitute what we call tune, the foun- dation of all harmony. See Con cord and Harmony..
ACUTEN ESS, that which conflitutes and denominates a found acute. See Acute.
There is no fuch thing as acutenefs and gravity abfolutely ïq called, they are only relations ; fo that the fame founds may be either acute or .grave, according to that other found «hey refer to, or are compared with. See Relation.
The degrees of gravity and acutenefs make fo many tunes or tones of a voice or found. See To N e, Tu ne, Voi c e ,. and Sound,
AD AGI 3
ALL 3
AD A GIO, Adag°, or Ad°, is one of the words ufed by the Italians' to denote a' certain degree or difHn&'ion of time. See Time.
The Adagio expreflès a (low time, floweft of any except grave. See Grave.
The triples f, |-, are ordinarily Adagio. See Triple.
AD LIBITUM, a term purely Lathi, ufed very often inftead of the Italian term, ft piace, if you pieafe. See Si
PlACE.
A D QU I S I T A, is the Latin term for the Proflamband- menos of the ancient fyftem, or the iaft note added thereto. See Prosl amb anomenos and System.
A DUE, of Do i, a Tre, a Quarto, &c. figni- fîies for two, for three, or fourr &c parts-. See Obligato.
AEQUISUONI. See Suoni and Unison.
AEQIJIVAGANS. See Syncope.
AFFETTO, or Affetuoso, that kind of mufic which mufl be performed in a very tender, moving and af- fecting manner ; and for that reafon, rather flow than faft.
A G O G A, or Agogi. SeeUsus.
ALA MI-RE, the name of one of the notes îh the modern fcale. See Scale and Gamut.
ALLABREVE, the name of a movement, whofe bars conilft of two femi-breves, or four minims, cjfV.
ALLAZOPPA. SeeZoppA.
ALLEGRETTO, a diminutive of Allegro, which therefore means pretty quick, but not fo quick as Allegro. See A l L E G R o .
ALLEGRO, is ufed to fignify that the mufic ought to be performed in a brisk, live]}', gay and pleafant manner, yet without hurry and precipitation, and quicker than any except P refto. See Presto.
The ufoal fix diftin&ions fucceed each other in the follow- ing order, Grave, Adagio, Largo, Vivace,- Allegro, and Preffc). See each in it's place.
It is to be obferved, the movements of the fame name as Adagio, or Allegro, are fwlfter in triple than in common time ; the triple ? is Adagio, Allegro or Vivace ; the triples ? ° v *~ are' moft commonlv Allegro. See Triple.
If preceded by Poco, it weakens the ârength of it's lignifi- cation, intimating that the mufic mufl not be performed quite fo brisk and lively as Allégro would require if it flood alone.
. If .Allegro be preceded by Pin, it adds to the ftrength of it's lignification, requiring the mufic to be performed brisker and gayer than Allegro alone intimated.
Allegro uJIUgro, iignify much the fame as Piu Allegro.
]i 2 AiLEGR0
4 AND
Allegro ma nonprejîê, brisk and lively, but not too
haftily.
•ALLEMAND, a fort of grave and folemn mufic, whofe rneafure is full and moving.
ALL ROVERSCIO, Alla Breve, Alla Di- ritta, Alla Zoppa. See Roverscio, Diritta
ZOPPA, &C.
A L M A I N, a fort of air that moves in common time.
A L M A N D A, a certain air or tune where the rneafure is in common time, and movemeut flow.
A LT, is a term applied to the high notes in the fcale. The word is formed of the Latin Alt us. See Scale and Diagram.
ALTERA ^/f/. SeeSEsojJi. See alfo Propor- tion and Triple.
ALTERATI SUONI. See Suono.
ALTERNATIVEMENTO, denotes to play or flng two airs or fongs the one after the other, or rather the different parts of the fame fong alternately.
A L T I S T A, the perfon who fmgs the Haut Contre is thus called.
a t T-rA Ç Viola, afmall Viol. -> 0 *Tr ,
A L T °> 1 ViolL, a fmall Violin. } See Vlot and
VlOLETTA.
Alto Concertante, is the tenor of the little chorus which fings or plays throughout the piece.
Alto Ripieno, the tenor of the great chorus which fings or plays only now and then in fome-particular places.
ALTRO, is an Italian adjeclive, fignifying other, as una altera volta — play it over again ; in altre modo — in another manner. See Manner.
A L T U S, intimates that the mufic is the upper or coun- ter tenor, and is common in mufic for many voices. AMBITUS. See Modo.
AMBROSIAN Chant, thus called from St Amhrofe, Archbilhop of Milan, who compofed it for the fervice of that church in the fourth century, it was diftinguifhed from the Roman Chant in that it was flronger and higher. See Chant.
ANACAMPTOS, a term made ufe of by Martianus Capella, to fignify what is otherwife called Duclus revertens, ©r m Italian, Co?iducimento ritorna?tte.' See Ductus.
ANDANTE, from the verb Andare, to go, fignifles cfpecially in thorough bafles, that the notes are to be played diftm&ly.
ANIMA,
ARC 5
ANIMA, or An IMA to, fignifies much the fame as Allegro, with life, briskly. See Allegro.
A N T H E M, a church fong, performed in cathedral and other fervice, by the chorifters, divided for that purpofe into two choruffes, who fing alternately. Sec Chorus and Song.
The word at fir ft was ufed both for pfalms and hymns when thus performed. See Psalm and Hymn.
St Ignatius is by Socrates reprefented as the author of this
way of finging among the Greeks ; and among the Latins
St Ambrofe. ïheedoret attributes it to Diodorus and Flavian.
Amalarius Fortunatus has wrote exprefsly of the order of
anthems, de antiphonarum ordine.
At prefent the term is ufed in a fomewhat narrower fenie, being applied to certain paffages taken out of the pfalms, &c. and accommodated to the particular folemnity in hand, ANTIFONI Suoni. See Suono. ANTIPHONA, ananthem. SeeTouNo. ANT I QUE Mufic. See Music. A P OTO M E, is the remaining part of an entire tone after a greater femi-tone has been taken from it. See Tone and Semi-tone.
The proportion in numbers of the Apotome is 2048 : 2187. The Greeks thought that the greater tone could not be di- vided into two equal parts, for which reafon they called the firft part Apoton, and the other Limma or Lemma, in this imitating Pythagoras and Plato.
The word is derived from the Greek àmoleui* — abfcindo— I cut off.
APOGIATURA, is when in any part of a fong there are two notes that are fome di fiance from one another, as a third or fifth ; and in playing fuch paffage the Mufician puts in fmall intermediate notes afcending' or defcending, as thus f
mm
APYCNOS, is faid of the diatonic genus, from it's being plain and eafy, that is, not crouded with minute divi- lions, but having great or fpacious intervals in comparifon with the chromatic and enharmonic. See each under it's proper article, fee alfo Suoni.
A P I C N I Suoni, are founds diftant one or more octaves, and yet concord, the Suoni Apycnoi of the Grecian fcale were Projlambanomenos, Nete Synemmenon and Nete Hyperbolton.
A R C H I Leuto, an arch or very large and long Lute^&nà but little different from the Theorba Lute j ufed by the Ita~
laws
6 AUT
liam for playing thorough bafs. See Lute and The- orbo.
ARCO, a Bow or Fiddle Stick. Strcmenti a" Arco — in- ffyruments played with a Bow.
ARE or Alamire. See, Alamire..
ARÎA, a fong, air or tune. See Song andTuNE.
ARIETTA, a little fhort fong, a fonnet or catch. See Sonnet.
A R I O S A or Ariofey in the movement of a common long or tune.
ARITHMETICA Divifione. SccHarmonical.
ARSIS and The/îs, are Greek terms ufed in composition; as when a point is inverted or turned, 'tis faid to move per Arfin and The/in, L e. when a point rifes in one part and falls in another, or falls in one part and rifes in another, whence is produced an agreeable variety, though properly fpeakinpv 'tis alfo the rife and fall of the hand in beating the time. See Per Arsis.
ASS A I, is an Italian adverb of quantity, which is often joined to the words Allegro, Adagio, Prefto, &c. and fignifies as fome pretend, much, and according to others that the mea- sure and motions of the piece be kept in a middle degree of quicknefs or flownefs ; quick or flow enough, but not too much of either. See Allegro.
ASSAYING, is a flourifhing before one begins to play, to try if the infiniment be in tune ; or to run divifions to lead one into the piece before us.
A T E M P O giuftQy fignifies to fing or play in an equal, true and juft time. See Time.
AT TO, an act, as of a play, opera, &c. At to di Cadenza, is a certain difpofition of the founds or notes, which not only makes a cadence in one part, but directs and points out in others. As when the bafs rifes a fourth or falls a fifth, this motion is really a cadence, and at the ffame time is a fign that the other parts thereupon perform their proper cadences. See Cadence.
AUTHENTIC O, Authentic chofen or approved: This term is applied by the Italians to four of the church modes or tones in mufic, which rife a fourth above their do- minants, which are always fifths above their finals, i. e. rife to compleat their octaves, in this diftinguifhed from the pla- gal modes, which fall a fourth below their finals. See Tone and Mode. See alfo Harmonic a Divisione. But if we reckon the mufical modes, which Glarean, Zarlin, and other eminent modern writers make twelve, there wjjl be fix authentic, and fix plagal. See Tuono,
BAR < J
B.
*t> Signifies Bafs or Baflb. Bass and Basso. **^î B Ç, denote Baflb continuo, which fee.
BAG- PIPE, a mufical inftrument of the wind kind, chiefly ufed in country places. It conflfts of two parts: The firft is a leather bag which is blown like a foot-ball by means of a porvent, or little tube fixed to it, and flopped by a valve. The other part confifts of three pipes or flutes, the firft is cal- led the great pipe or drone, the fécond [the little one, which pafles the wind out only at bottom, and the third has a tongue and played by compreffing the bag under the arm when fufi, and opening and flopping the holes, which are eight, with the fingers. The little pipe is ordinarily a foot long ; that played on, thirteen inches ; and the porvent, fix. — This inftrument takes in the compafs of three octaves,
B ALETTO, is what we call a Balet, a fort of danc£, the air whereof begins with a quaver, the hand rifing ; it has two ftrains of four or eight bars each, and is beat in two or four times quick.
Among the French the word Balet has another fignification, for 'tis by them ufed for a fucceflion of airs, in all forts of movements whether brisk or flow, with which the dances agree, and are carried on as the ftrains or motions differ.
BANDORA, a kind of ancient mufical inftrument with firings refembling a Lute.
BAR, a ftroke drawn perpendicularly a-crofs the lines of a piece of mufic, including between each two, a certain* quantity or meafure of time, which is various as the time of the mufic is either triple or common.
In common time, between each two bars is included the meafure of four crotchets ; in triple, three. The principal ufe of thefe bars is to regulate the beating or meafuring of time in a concert- See Time and Measure.
BARDONE, as Violadi Bar dont. See V i o la .
BARIPICNI, or Suoni Baripknl, fignify in general any low, grave or deep found. See Sound and Su on o.
But in particular the loweft of any three notes that are to one another A to B flat, and B natural is thus called, the next Mefopicnl, and the higheft Oxipicni, which fee.
BARITONQ, called by the French, Bajfe Taille, or Concordant, i. e. that goes high and low ; thofe that can fing thus may ferve either as tenor or bafs upon occafion. See Tenor and Bass,
8 B A S
BASS, that part of a concert which is moft heard, which confifts of the graven1 and deepeft founds, and which is played on the largeft pipes or firings of a common inftrument, as of an Organ, Lute, or on inftruments larger than ordinary for that purpofe, as Bafs Viols, Baflbons, Bafs-hautboys, &fY. See each under it's proper Article.
Muficians hold the Bafs to be the principal part of the con- cert, and the foundation of compofition ', though fome will have the Treble the chief part, which others only make an ornament.
Counter Bass, is a fécond or double Bafs, where there are Several in the fame concert.
, Thorough Bass, is the harmony made by the Bafs Viols or Theorbos continuing to play both while the voices fing, and the other inftruments perform their parts, and alfo filling up the intervals when any of the other parts ftop.
M. Broffard obferves the Thorough Bafs to be part of the modern mufic, firft invented in the year 1600, by an Italian named Ludcvicus Viadana. 'Tis played by cyphers marked over the notes on the Organ, Spinet, Harpfichord, Theorbo, Harp, &c. and frequently fimply, and without cyphers on the Bafs Viol, BafToon, &f<r.
BASSE TTO, a Bafs Viol or Violin of the fmalleft fize, fo called in diftin&ion of Bafs Viols or Violins of a larger fize. See Bass and Viol.
BASIS. SeeTRiAs Harmonica. B A S I S T A, the perfon who plays or fings that part of a piece of mufic called the Bafs or Counter Bafs. See Basso.
BASSO, for the moft part fignifies the Bafs, but fome- times in pieces of mufic for feveral voices, the finging Bafs is more particularly fo called.
Basso Concertante, .the Bafs of the little chorus, or that which fings and plays throughout the piece.
Basso Continuo, the thorough or continual Bafs, .which is commonly diftinguifhed from the others by figures over the notes in mufic books, which figures are only proper for the Organ, Harpfichord, Spinet, Theorbo, Lute, Harp, &f>. this is often fignified by the letters, B C. B a s so Recitante. See Co ncertante. Basso Ripiéno, the Bafs of the grand chorus that fings or plays now ^and then in fome particular places, generally only during the chorus.
Basso Viola, a Bafs Viol. See BassViolin; Basso Violino, a fin all Bafs Viol or Violin. BASSOON, a mufical inftrument of the wind kind, ferving as a bafs in concerts of wii\d mufic, as of Flutes^
Haut boy S)
BEL 9
Hautboys, &c. To make it portable it is divided into two parts. Its djameter at bottom was formerly nine inches, at prefent'tis but four at moft, and it's holes are flopped with keys, &c. like large Flutes. It ferves as Bafs to the Hautboy.
Î5 A S S Violin, a mulical infiniment of the fame form with the Violin, except that 'tis much larger. 'Tis ftruck like that with a Bow, has four firings and eight flops, divided into half notes, or femitones. The found it yields is much more grave, fweet and ageeable than that of the Violin, and of much better effect in a concert. See Violin.
B A T T U T A, the motion of beating with the hand or foot, in directing the time. See Time.
The Italians ufe the phrafe A Tempo Giufto, after a récita-* tive, to fhow that the meafure is to be beat true and jufl$ which during that recitative was conducted irregularly to fa- vour fome action, or to exprefs fome paflion, &c.
BELL, a machine ranked by Muficians in the number of inflruments of percuffion.
The Bell hath three parts, the body or barrel, the clapper within fide, and the ear or canon, whereby 'tis hung to a large beam of wood. It is made of a Compound, metal of twenty pounds of pewter to an hundred of copper, called Bell-metal. The thicknefs of it's edges is ufually T\ of the diameter, and it*s height twelve times it's thicknefs. The Bell-founders have a Diapafon or Bell-fcale, wherewith they meafure the fize, thicknefs, weight and tone of their Bells. The ufe of Belk is fummed up in thefe two linesa Laudo Deum vorum, plebem voco, congrego clerum Defunclos phro, pejlem fugo, fejla decora.
The firil Bells are faid to have been made at Nola m Campania, whereof St Paulinus was Bifhop ; it is affured at lead that they were firfl brought into the church by him; and hence 'tis added they had their Latin names Nola and Campana ; but others fay they take thefe names, not be- caufe invented in Campania^ but becaufe the manner of hang- ing and balancing them as ufed at prefent, Was firfl practiced there ; or at leafl they' were, hung on the model of a fort of balance invented in Campania. For in the Latin writers we flnd Campana Jlaiera for a fleelyard, and the Greek yéftorMÇetf* for ponder -are — to weigh.
The invention of church Bells is by Poly dure Virgil -at- cribed to Pcpe Sabinian^ St Gregory's fucceffor, but by mif* take, for there is mention made of Bells by St "Jerome co- temporary with Paulinus. In effect Pope Sabinian did not invent Bells, but was the firft who appointed the cennonical hours Ûiould be diftinguifhed by them,
Ç We
ïo BEL
We find Bells mentioned by Ovid, Tibullus, Martial, Sta- tins, Manlius, and the Greek authors, under the names of Tintinnabula, and founding brafs. Suetonius, Dion, Strabo, Polybius, Jofepbus, and others, mention them under the ap- pellation of Petafus, tiniinnabulum, œramentum, crotalum, fig- num, Sec. but thefe appear to have been no more than bau- bles, and little like thofe huge Bells among us.
Hieronymus Magius, who has wrote a treatife exprefs upon Bells, (wrote when in chains in Turkey, and which is very- remarkable purely from his memory, without the afliftance of any books) makes large Bells a modern invention. In- deed we don't hear" of any before the fixth century. In 610 we are told that Lupus Bifhop of Orleans being at Sens, then befleged by the army of Clotharius, frighted away the be- fiegers by ringing the Bells of St Stephen's.
The firft large Bells in England were mentioned by Bede towards the latter end of that century. They feem to have been pretty common in the year 816. The Greeks are ufually thought to have been unacquainted with them 'till the ninth century, when their conflruclion was taught them by a Venetian.
Indeed it is not true that the ufe of Bells was intirely unknown in the ancient eaflern churches, and that they called the people together as at prefent with wooden mal- lets. Leo Alatius in his differtations on the Greek temples, proves the contrary from feveral ancient writers. It is his opinion that Bells firft began to be difufed among them after the taking of Confiantinople by the Turks, who it feems pro- hibited them, leaft their found mould difturb the repofe of fouls, which, according to them, wander in the air. He adds, that they ftill retain' d the ufe of Bells in places remote from any intercourfe with the Turks, particularly very an- cient ones in mount Athos.
F. Simon thinks the Turks rather prohibited the Chriflians the ufe of Bells out of political than religious reafons, in- afmuch as the ringing of Bells might ferve as a fignal for the execution of revolts, &c.
* f
1 he City of Bourdeaux was deprived of all it's Bells for re- bellion ; and when it was offered to have them rellored, the people refufed it, after having tailed the eafe and con- venience of being freed from the confiant din and jangling of Bells.
Matthew Paris obferves, that anciently the ufe of Bells was forbid in time of mourning, though at prefent they make one of it's principle ceremonies. Mabilkn adds that it was an ancient cuftom to ring Bells for perfons about to
expire,
BEL ir
• ■
expire, to advertife the people to pray for them ; whence are derived our Paffing Bells.
Lobineau obferyes, that the cufiom of ringing Bells at the approach of thunder is of fome antiquity; but that the de- fign was not fo much to fhake the air and fo difnpate the thunder, as to call the people to church to pray that the parifh might be preferved from that terrible meteor.
The cuftom of chriftening and blefling of Bells is very an- cient; fome fay 'twas introduced by Pope John XIII. in 972, but it is evidently of an older ftanding, there being an ex- prefs prohibition of the practice in a Capitular of Charlemain in 789. Alcu'tn fays it was eftablifhed before the eighth century ; fo that what has been faid of Pope John XIII. is only to be underftood of an order of that Pope for re- ftoring the practice which had been difufed.
Nankin, a city of China, was anciently famous for the largenefs of it's Bells; but their enormous weight having brought down the tower, the whole building fell to ruin, and the Bells have ever fince lain on the Ground. One of thofe Bells is near 12 Englijh feet high, the diameter yiy and it's circumference 23 ; it's figure is alraoft cylindric, and the thicknefs of the metal about it's edges 7 inches ; from the demenfions of this Bell it's weight is computed 50,000 pounds, which is more than double the weight of that at Erfort, faid by F. Kercher to be the largeft Bell in the world. Thefe Bells were caft by the firft Emperor of the preceeding Dynafty, about 300 years ago. They have each their name, the Hanger Tchoui, the Eater Che, the Sleeper Choui.
Father Le Comte adds, that there are feven other Bells in Pekin, caft in the reign of Toulo\ each of which weighs 12,000 pounds, but the found even of their biggeft Bells is very poor, being flruck with a wooden inftead of an iron clapper.
The Egyptians had none but wooden Bells, except one brought by the Franks into the monaftery of St Anthony.
The found of the Bell arifes from the vibratory motion of it's parts, much like that of a mufical chord. The ftroke of the clapper it is evident muft change the figure of the Bell, and of round make it oval ; but the metal having a great degree of elafticity, that part which the ilroke drove far theft from the centre will fly back again, and this even fomewhat nearer the centre than before; fo that the two points which were before the extreams of the longer diameter now become thofe of the fhorter. Thus the circumference of the Bell undergoes alternate' changes
C 2 of
12 BEL
of figure, and by means thereof gives that tremulous mo- tion to the air wherein founds confifl. See Sound.
The found of the fame Bell or Chord is a compound of the founds of the feveral parts thereof; fo that where the p^rts are homogeneous, and the dimenfiohs of the figure uniform, there is fuch a per feci: mixture of all thofe founds, as con- flitute one uniform, fmooth and even found.' See Tune and Vibration.
Mr Hauhshee, and others, have found by experiment, that the found of a Bell flruck under water, is a fourth deeper than in the air ; though Merfenne fays it is of the fame pitch iri both elements.
Bells are heard further on plains than on hills, and flill further in valleys than on plains, the reafon of which will riot be difficult to affign, if it be confidered that thé higher^ tfis fonorous body is, the rarer is it's medium, confquently the lefs impulfe it receives, and the lefs proper vehicle it is to convey it to a diflance.
BELL HARP, a mufical infiniment of the firing kind, thus called either becaufe fhaped like a Bell, or by reafon the common - players thereon fwing it about as a Bell on it's biafs, it being hung on a firing, and refled a- gainfl them for that purpofe
There is a notable difference between the fhape of this inftrument and that of the Irijh or Welch Harp. See Ha r p. } It's length is about three feet, it's foundboard is ufually of the fame wood as that of a Spinet or Harpfichord, having a rofe carved in the middle ; it's firings are of brafs or Heel wire, fixed at one end, and flretched acrofs the foundboard hv fcrews fixed at the other end next the player. The num- ber of firings is not fixed; fometimes more, fometimes lefs. They are flruck with the thumb only of each hand, the right hand plays the treble, the left the bafs, but the thumbs are armed with a little wire pin or needle in order to draw the found the clearer. It takes in the compafs of three or four octaves, according to the number of firings.
It may perhaps be the Lyra or Cythara of the ancients; but we find no mention of it under the name it now bears, which mufi be allowed to be modern, however ancient the infiniment may be. See Lyra, Music, tffc.
BELL OW S of an Organ, are machines contrived to give wind to the pipes, which by that means produce a found.
SecORGAN. ' r
The bellows of an Organ are in proportion to the infini- ment, each having an aperture of four inches, that the valve j:iay play eafily. There fhouldalfo be a valve at the nofe of
■ '' •• - . the
B R E i3
the bellows, that one may not take the air from the other. To blow an Organ of 1 6 feet, there are required 4 pair of bellows.
BIANCHA. See Note andMiNiM.
BINARY meafiire is a meafure wherein you beat equally ; or the time of riling is equal to that of falling. This is ufually called common time, befide which there is Bl~ nary triple. See Measure, Time, and Triple.
BENEPLACITO. See Abe ne Placito.
BISCHROMA is the fame as our triple quaver. $ee Chroma.
BIZARRO, or con Bizarria, fignifies with changes capricioufly, fometimes faft, at others flow, ilrong, foft, &# at the fancy of the compofer, or player.
BMI is the third note in the modern fcale of Muiic. See Sca le and Music.
BMOLLARE or Molle, is one of the notes of the fcale of Mufick, ufually called foft or flat in oppofition to Bquadro. See B QJJ A D ro.
BOMBARD O, a mufical inftrument of the wind kind, much the fame as the Baflbon, and is ufed as a Bafs to the Hautboy. See Hautboy and Bassoon.
B QJJ A D R O or ^uadrato, or Durale called by the
French Bquarre from its figure W.
This is what we call B natural or fharp, in diftin£Uon to Bmol, or flat fe. See Flat and Sharp.
As the &■ flat when placed before any note, denotes that note to be lowered a fêmitone minor, (o does the £)uarrë or L, raife it to its natural or diatonic fituation. £j
Again if the flat te be placed before a note in the thorough Bafs it intimates that it's third is to be minor, and if placed with any cypher over a note in the Bafs as & 6, or & 5, &c~ it denotes that the fixth or fifth thereto are to be flat. See Fifth, Sixth, £sV.
But if the ghiadro pj be placed over any note or