Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- n. An ode for one voice or actor, as in Greek drama.
- n. A poem in which the poet or speaker mourns another's death.
- n. Music A style of composition dominated by a single melodic line.
- n. Music A style of composition having a single melodic line; monophony.
- n. Music A composition in either of these styles.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. In music:
- n. A style of composition in which one voice-part decidedly preponderates in interest over the others; homophony: opposed to polyphony, in which all the voice-parts are equally important. The term is specially applied to the modern style which arose somewhat before 1600 in Italy, and which led rapidly to the invention and great popularity of the opera, the oratorio, and the instrumental suite. The style itself had long before been known in popular songs and dances, but only then asserted itself as a controlling power in artistic music.
- n. A piece written in monodic style; a melody, tune, or air, usually for the voice.
- n. A composition written in one part only; a solo. Also monophony.
- n. Monotonous sound; monotonousness of sound.
- n. A poem in which grief for the death of the subject of the poem is expressed.
Wiktionary
- n. An ode, as in Greek drama, for a single voice, often specifically a mournful song or dirge.
- n. Any poem mourning the death of someone; an elegy.
- n. A monotonous or mournful noise.
- n. A composition having a single melodic line.
GNU Webster's 1913
- n. A species of poem of a mournful character, in which a single mourner expresses lamentation; a song for one voice.
WordNet 3.0
- n. music consisting of a single vocal part (usually with accompaniment)
Etymologies
- Late Latin monōdia, from Greek monōidiā : mono-, mono- + aoidē, ōidē, song; see wed-2 in Indo-European roots.
Examples
“It is sometimes called monody, although the term "monody" can also refer to a particular type of solo song with instrumental accompaniment that was very popular in the 1600's.”
“Bach is essentially a "monody," a composition of one idea, which preponderates so decidedly as to enforce its character and individuality upon the work; nay, it is the work.”
“There have been many histories of Jerusalem, from Jeremiah's sixth century B.C. monody to "For Jerusalem," a premature happy ending written in the 1970s by a successful mayor, Teddy Kollek.”
“What a world of solemn thought their monody compels!”
Oxford Must Reject Islamic Call To Prayer – Update « Unambiguously Ambidextrous
“I have some music reading dates set up w/JmB and JO - medieval conductus, 17th century monody (Luzzaschi, anyone?), and hot, fresh compositions by JmB.”
“Here the chant alternates between monody and three-part polyphony, following the method of twelfth-century Parisian discantus as it has come down to us in the only extant work of Master Albert of Paris precentor of the Cathedral of Saint-Étienne, preserved in the Codex Calixtinus: the Congaudeant catholici.”
“Bach had an unparalleled talent for assimilating disparate influences into an architecturally harmonious whole at a time when an unprecedented number of disparate influences — Renaissance polyphony, Lutheran chorale, Italian monody, French dance music, you name it — was ripe for assimilation.”
“In liturgical terms, an analysis of the monody in the Codex Calixtinus reveals several surprising features.”
“With organ voice it has gloated over the joys of the moment, and its intoned monody on passing woes”
“It is the art of monody, which flourished in the Aeolian islands in the seventh and sixth centuries B.C.E., that gives us our first lyric "personalities," poets who sang of their lives and loves and unrequited yearnings with a visceral intensity of feeling.”
Lists
These user-created lists contain the word ‘monody’.
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Logolepsy
"Luciferous Logolepsy is a collection of over 9,000 obscure English words. Though the definition of an 'English' word might seem to be straightforward, it is not. There exist so many adopted, deriv...
Anschauung, Areopagus, Argus, Briarean, Dei gratia, Dei judicium, Deo volente, Duecento, Foehn, Geflugelte Worte, Gegenschein, Hakenkreuz and 9230 more...
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Music
musical terms
ritornello, tutti, rondo, polyphony, monody, monophony, homophony, leitmotif
hernesheir Poetry or music where the poet or instrument laments another person's death. Sep 20, 2009
bilby Don't blame yourself. You gave it the full monody. Jun 26, 2008
reesetee Was it a Monody when you did that, jenn? Jun 26, 2008
jennarenn Ha! I kept reading this word as Monday, and then looking at the weirnet definition, then looking back at the word, misreading it again, then back at the definition.... Jun 26, 2008