Descant Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster
a. : a melody or counterpoint sung above the plainsong of the tenor. b. : the art of composing or improvising contrapuntal part music. also : the music so composed or improvised. c. : soprano, …
Descant - Wikipedia
Descant is a type of medieval polyphony characterized by relatively strict note-for-note counterpoint. It is found in the organum with a plainchant tenor (i.e. low voice; vox principis), and in the conductus without the requirement of a plainchant tenor.
What actually are descants – and why do we sing them at ...
2019年12月20日 · What is a descant? Defined by Merriam-Webster as ‘a superimposed counterpoint to a simple melody sung typically by some or all of the sopranos’ – a descant is the perfect festive opportunity to show off. Contrary to a standard harmony, a descant almost always sits above the melody.
Descant | Vocal, Choral, Polyphonic | Britannica
Descant, (from Latin discantus, “song apart”), countermelody either composed or improvised above a familiar melody. Descant can also refer to an instrument of higher-than-normal pitch, such as a descant recorder. In late medieval music, discantus referred to a particular style of organum featuring.
Descant - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms - Vocabulary.com
In music, a descant is an additional vocal part above the main melody. Many church hymns include a descant, sung at a higher pitch than the melody. Literary types use descant as a verb to mean "talk on and on in a dull way." In medieval times, a descant was an improvised tune that singers or musicians added to a fixed melody.
descant noun - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage ...
Definition of descant noun in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.
What is a descant in music? - Classical Music
A descant is a treble line that runs in counterpoint to the principal melody. The more of these columns I write, the more I’m coming to treasure Michael and Joyce Kennedy’s Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music. It was there that I found these sanity-restoring words: ‘Descant.