tone painting


noun
  1. musical description, by harmonic, melodic, or rhythmic means, of the words of a text or the story elements in program music.

Origin of tone painting

1
First recorded in 1900–05

Words Nearby tone painting

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use tone painting in a sentence

  • Here Verdi has surpassed himself, and given us page after page of dramatic tone-painting of the highest order.

    Verdi: Man and Musician | Frederick James Crowest
  • No one has approached Orlando in the ingenuity, quaintness and humour of his tone-painting.

  • His command of color in tone-painting and power of dramatic suggestion have rarely been equaled, and never surpassed.

  • A great breath of nature passed over German music, and pushed it towards tone-painting.

    Handel | Romain Rolland
  • And an instant afterwards she was at the piano, throwing her whole soul into that wonderful piece of tone-painting.