cantus firmus
Americannoun
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the ancient traditional unisonal plainchant of the Christian Church, having its form set and its use prescribed by ecclesiastical tradition.
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Music. a fixed melody to which other voices are added, typically in polyphonic treatment.
Etymology
Origin of cantus firmus
1840–50; < Medieval Latin: literally, firm song
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Each section is built on a simple cantus firmus — a brief, unharmonized chant — around which a rich, involving six-part harmonic fabric is woven.
From New York Times ● Apr. 3, 2011
To cantus firmus b write one above and one below, in the second species.
From A Treatise on Simple Counterpoint in Forty Lessons by Lehmann, Friedrich Johann
It is his way of carrying on together a cantus firmus in two's and a counterpoint in three's.
From The Masters and their Music A series of illustrative programs with biographical, esthetical, and critical annotations by Mathews, W. S. B. (William Smythe Babcock)
To cantus firmus a write three counterpoints above and three below, in the third species.
From A Treatise on Simple Counterpoint in Forty Lessons by Lehmann, Friedrich Johann
The given melody or “principal” soon acquired the name of cantus firmus, and the other parts were each called contrapunctus, 11 as before they had been called tenor and descant.
From Critical and Historical Essays Lectures delivered at Columbia University by Baltzell, W. J. (Winton James)
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
