three-part harmony
1
4.3
- noun
- /θriː pɑrt ˈhɑr.mə.ni/
:
armonía a tres voces
- The girls responded to the melody line by singing short, declamatory phrases in three-part harmony (alto, soprano one, and soprano two).
Examples
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The arrangement features a rich three-part harmony that enhances the overall sound of the piece.
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I even sang a little two- and three-part harmony.
Academic text (2015) -
Our songs are three-part harmonies.
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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.
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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
Three or more voices sing different parts together to make harmony
Music with two or more separate melody lines sounding at the same time
Music for several singers or players, each with a different part
How Many Parts
- Specialized
1
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.