three-part harmony
1
4.3
- noun
- /θriː pɑrt ˈhɑr.mə.ni/
- The girls responded to the melody line by singing short, declamatory phrases in three-part harmony (alto, soprano one, and soprano two).
Examples
-
The arrangement features a rich three-part harmony that enhances the overall sound of the piece.
-
I even sang a little two- and three-part harmony.
Academic text (2015) -
Our songs are three-part harmonies.
-
Three-part harmony in sweet high voices.
Fiction book (1998) -
At the holiday concert, the choir usually performs in two- or three-part harmony, but still with some singers unable to sing pitches accurately.
Academic text (2008) -
They came barreling down the stairs in their tuxedos, belting out "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" in impeccable three-part harmony, off to yet another command performance.
Fiction book (2000) -
Rie's earliest memories include listening to her father play the guitar and repurposing spoons and hairbrushes to sing the music of the B-52's in three-part harmony with her mother and sister.
Academic text (2013) -
The choir performed a beautiful song in three-part harmony that showcased their vocal talents.
-
In our music class, we learned to sing in three-part harmony for the upcoming concert.
Synonyms
1
8.6
Music with several different melodies heard at the same time
1
7.3
Music for several singers or players, each with a different part
1
5.7
Music with two or more separate melody lines sounding at the same time
1
6.0
Three or more voices sing different parts together to make harmony
How Many Parts
- Specialized
2
5.5
1
4.3
Surface Forms
Morphology
three-part + harmony
The phrase is directly compositional: 'three-part' means consisting of three parts and 'harmony' means combined musical notes or voices, so together they describe a harmony made of three distinct melodic lines. This is a straightforward descriptive compound common in music terminology and follows regular English compounding, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents will understand the meaning.
Etymology
Three-part harmony comes from music where three separate parts or 'voices' sing different notes at the same time so the sounds fit together. That's why three-part harmony means an arrangement of 'three voices' that blend into one pleasing sound.