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descant

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music | 1996 | | Copyright

descant. Like ‘faburden’ a puzzling term because at different periods used with different significances, chief of which are as follows: (1) A term, usually spelt discant, for a form of the 12th cent. part-writing known as organum. (2) A part extemporized by a singer to a non-extemporized part sung by another singer. (3) The art of composing or singing part-music. (4) The soprano part in choral music. (5) In modern hymn singing, a freely written or improvised soprano part added to a hymn tune while the tune itself is sung by the rest of the choir or by the congregation.

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MICHAEL KENNEDY and JOYCE BOURNE. "descant." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 29 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

MICHAEL KENNEDY and JOYCE BOURNE. "descant." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (May 29, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O76-descant.html

MICHAEL KENNEDY and JOYCE BOURNE. "descant." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music. 1996. Retrieved May 29, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O76-descant.html

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descant

The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English | 2009 | Copyright

des·cant • n. / ˈdesˌkant/ Mus. an independent treble melody usually sung or played above a basic melody. ∎ archaic or poetic/lit. a melodious song. ∎ a discourse on a theme or subject: his descant of deprivation. • v. / desˈkant/ [intr.] talk tediously or at length: I have descanted on this subject before.

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"descant." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (May 29, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-descant.html

"descant." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved May 29, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-descant.html

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descant

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology | 1996 | | Copyright

descant sb. XIV. orig. deschaunt — OF. deschant (mod. déchant) — medL. discantus part-song, refrain f. L. dis- asunder, apart + cantus song; see DIS-, CHANT. The present form is due to partial assim. to L.
So descant vb. XVI. prob. f. the sb.

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T. F. HOAD. "descant." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 29 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

T. F. HOAD. "descant." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (May 29, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-descant.html

T. F. HOAD. "descant." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved May 29, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-descant.html

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Free newspaper and magazine articles

	A half-century of descant's counter melodies.(Descant: Fifty Years)(Book review) Magazine article from: Texas Books in Review; 3/22/2008
	Hans Hoyer descant horn RT 91/92: JA Musik.(NEW PRODUCTS) Magazine article from: Music Trades; 1/1/2009
	You descant please everyone (Book of parise). Magazine article from: Presbyterian Record; 3/1/1998