melismatic
- adjective
- /ˌmɛlɪˈzmætɪk/
- Specialized
:
melismático
- If it will be sung by changing voices, will it make impossible demands because it is too melismatic to maneuver, for example?
Examples
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More complex chant for moments of personal feeling and reflection, that's melismatic chant.
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In teaching students to play or sing a melismatic passage with "lightness" and "buoyancy," for example, a teacher could ask them to imagine dribbling a basketball with the tips of their fingers and then to actually imitate that motion.
Academic text (1998) -
Some words have independent motion and are more melismatic.
Academic text (2003) -
As an example, teachers may ask groups of students to explore melismatic alternatives for a syllabic vocal line.
Academic text (2009) -
Have students research melismatic, neumatic, and syllabic singing in church music and the history of chant from Gregory to the Council of Trent.
Academic text (2003) -
Students at the decoding stage sight-read text and music simultaneously, attending to the syllabic or melismatic relation of the text to pitch or rhythm changes; use articulation of individual consonants and vowels as they relate to specific musical pitches.
Academic text (2002) -
Some scholars point out close resemblances between medieval organum and Middle Eastern maqam, going so far as to assert that melismatic organum owes its development in part to East-West contacts.
Academic text (1997) -
The singer's melismatic performance captivated the audience as she effortlessly moved between notes on a single syllable.
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During the concert, the choir showcased a melismatic style that highlighted their ability to embellish the melody with intricate variations.
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In traditional music, melismatic phrases add emotional depth by allowing singers to express feelings through fluid vocal runs.
How Ornate
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
Melismatic comes from the Greek root melos, which means 'song', and it shares that root with the familiar word melody. It describes singing where one syllable is held across many notes, so thinking of a long melody on a single syllable helps you remember the meaning.