tone colour

British  

noun

1. Often shortened to: tone.  the quality of a musical sound that is conditioned or distinguished by the upper partials or overtones present in it See also timbre

---

Example Sentences

Stockhausen's message – that melody, rhythm, harmony and tone colour were all aspects of vibration – held enormous appeal for him.

From The Guardian • Dec. 5, 2012

He soon found that pressing your foot on the swell and pulling couplers for tone colour were not the slightest use in piano playing.

From Visionaries by Huneker, James

This work stuns by its glorious magnificence of tonal texture; the suggestion, in the opening measures, of the rising sun is a mighty example of the overwhelming power of tone colour.

From Critical and Historical Essays Lectures delivered at Columbia University by Baltzell, W. J. (Winton James)

Just as these shadow languages of speech may distort or even absolutely reverse the meaning of the spoken word, so can tone colour and harmony change the meaning of a musical phrase.

From Critical and Historical Essays Lectures delivered at Columbia University by Baltzell, W. J. (Winton James)

In playing his larger works, he loved to make his music sweep in great waves, and to introduce the most wonderful contrasts and varieties of tone colour.

From Edward MacDowell by Porte, John F.