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❓ A debate question 🎶 Mixed melodies
quodlibet

quodlibet

9.9
A musical piece that mixes several tunes or a topic chosen freely for discussion
  • noun
  • /ˈkwɒd.lɪ.bɛt/
  • Specialized
translation icon : quodlibet
  • The composer's latest work is a quodlibet featuring melodies from different folk songs.

Examples

  • The choir performed a lively quodlibet that blended several popular tunes.

  • During the seminar, students were invited to discuss any quodlibet that interested them.

  • What is a quodlibet?

  • A quodlibet is fascinating.

  • The professor led a discussion on a fascinating quodlibet that examined the nature of truth and perception.

  • The concert featured a lively quodlibet that mixed popular tunes from different genres into a single performance.

  • During the seminar, we engaged in a quodlibet about the ethical implications of artificial intelligence.

Synonyms

medley
vsquodlibet
27 4.6

A piece of music made from several songs played together

is a composition mixing multiple melodies chosen freely for effect
fantasia
vsquodlibet
  • Specialized
8 8.2

A free musical piece that mixes familiar tunes and made-up parts

is similar but focuses on deliberate combining rather than improvisation
quaestio
vsquodlibet
  • Archaic
9.9

A formal question or topic for discussion in medieval philosophy and law

is a freely chosen topic for discussion rather than a formal scholarly question

Surface Forms

quodlibet singular
quodlibets plural

Etymology

Quodlibet comes from medieval Latin parts quod ('what') and libet ('it pleases'). A helpful way to remember the musical meaning is to think 'whatever pleases' — a composer mixes together whatever tunes they like, so a quodlibet is a playful mash‑up of melodies.