At 6:03 AM -0600 3/25/08, Noel Stoutenburg wrote:

I did not find any old references to "tuplet" either, but every dictionary I consulted had definitions for "quintuplet", "sextuplet", and "octuplet", including the oldest one I own, dating 1920's. Personally, I've always considered "tuplet" to be an analog to "cello". When I read either word, I interpret it as if including a prepended apostrophe, with the understanding that while the latter a contraction of specific instrument of "violincello", the former is a generic term associated with any of the terms for multiple similar items.

Quite correct, except for one thing. The term (French) is "violoncello." The explanations of the term that I've seen are pretty convoluted (meaning something like "a small really big instrument"), but "violincello" makes no sense in this context.

John


--
John R. Howell, Assoc. Prof. of Music
Virginia Tech Department of Music
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