scordatura

[skawr-duh-toor-uh, skawr-dah-too-rah]

noun

Music.

plural

scordature, scordaturas 

1. the tuning of a stringed instrument in other than the usual way to facilitate the playing of certain compositions.

Word History and Origins

Origin of scordatura¹

First recorded in 1875–80; from Italian, equivalent to scordat(o), past participle of scordare “to be out of tune” (from Latin discordāre; discord ) + -ura noun suffix

Example Sentences

The first thing you have to do is get the score translated into what I call scordatura notation, where what you hear is not what you see.

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The abrasive sound of a scordatura violin colors the second movement, but the concertmaster, Frank Huang, slyly played it straight, letting the instrument’s fiendish, squirrelly sound speak for itself.

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Five years ago, Dudamel premiered Icelandic composer Daníel Bjarnason’s “Scordatura,” a violin concerto written for Finnish violinist Pekka Kuusisto.

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“Scordatura,” which begins strangely with the violinist playing a duet with himself, whistling while plucking strings of his violin, is an enthralling vehicle for Kuusisto.

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The Planets With Dudamel Gustavo Dudamel leads the LA Phil and women of the Los Angeles Master Chorale in Holst’s suite for orchestra; program also includes the world premiere of Daníel Bjarnason’s “Scordatura.”

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