mordent

American  

[mawr-dnt] / ˈmɔr dnt /

Or mordant

noun

Music.

1. a melodic embellishment consisting of a rapid alternation of a principal tone with the tone a half or a whole step below it, called single or short when the auxiliary tone occurs once and double or long when this occurs twice or more.

2. inverted mordent.

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mordent British  

/ ˈmɔːdənt /

noun

1. Also called: lower mordent.  music a melodic ornament consisting of the rapid alternation of a note with a note one degree lower than it

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Etymology

Origin of mordent

1800–10; < German < Italian mordente biting < Latin mordent-, stem of mordēns, present participle of mordēre to bite; see -ent

Example Sentences

The mordent consists of three tones; first the one represented by the printed note; second the one next below it in the diatonic scale; third the one represented by the printed note again.

From Music Notation and Terminology by Gehrkens, Karl Wilson

The true way of playing the mordent is thus: However, we adopted Rubinstein's way without comment.

From Memories of a Musical Life by Mason, William

An exchange of fingers in a mordent is seldom of any advantage, for it hampers precision and evenness, since, after all, each finger has its own tone-characteristics.

From Piano Playing: With Piano Questions Answered by Hofmann, Josef

Of these the mordent, almost identical with the modern Pralltriller, was in most frequent use.

From Memories of a Musical Life by Mason, William

The mordent must be played fast enough to preserve the rhythmic integrity of the melody-note.

From Piano Playing: With Piano Questions Answered by Hofmann, Josef