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Glite Dictionary
enigmatical canon

enigmatical canon

9.9
A musical piece where the voices follow hidden instructions written as riddles
  • noun
  • /ˌɛnɪˈɡmætɪkəl ˈkænən/
  • Archaic
translation icon : canon enigmático
  • The Renaissance composer created an enigmatical canon whose meaning challenged even the most skilled musicians.

Examples

  • Scholars studied the enigmatical canon to decipher the hidden instructions in its cryptic notation.

  • Many 16th-century works feature the enigmatical canon, blending musical artistry with intellectual puzzles.

  • The composer experimented with an enigmatical canon in his latest work.

  • Can you explain the concept of an enigmatical canon?

  • Many 16th-century composers used the enigmatical canon to create intricate musical puzzles for performers.

  • The musician struggled to interpret the enigmatical canon written in riddles, which made it a fascinating challenge.

  • In his lecture, the professor analyzed an enigmatical canon as an example of the cleverness seen in Renaissance music.

Synonyms

enigma canon
vsenigmatical canon
  • Archaic
9.9

A musical puzzle that uses hidden signs to make the same tune begin again

is the longer older adjectival phrase rather than the concise noun
enigmatic canon
vsenigmatical canon
  • Archaic
9.9

A musical piece where each voice starts at a time shown by puzzle signs

uses an older adjectival variant instead of the modern form
riddle canon
vsenigmatical canon
  • Specialized
9.9

A musical piece where players solve clues to know when to start playing

indicates entries with puzzles without emphasizing performer solving

Surface Forms

enigmatical canon singular
enigmatical canons plural

Morphology

enigmatical + canon

The phrase is a straightforward adjective + noun composition: a B1 learner who knows 'enigmatical' (mysterious/difficult to understand) and 'canon' (a contrapuntal musical piece) can infer it denotes a mysterious or cryptic type of canon. Detailed technical aspects (e.g. use of riddles or historical practice) are specialized, but the core meaning is transparently derived from the constituents.

Etymology

Enigmatical canon may come from old composers who wrote a musical canon but gave the start times and rules as a hidden note or 'riddle'. Musicians had to solve the riddle to know when each voice should enter, so the term now means a canon given as a musical 'puzzle'.