Definitions
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun A song or melody; especially, an ecclesiastical melody or style of music.
- noun Plain-song in particular.
- noun A musical rendering of a liturgy, as contrasted with mere reading.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun music A
melody orsong , particularlyecclesiastical . - noun music The
principal voice .
Etymologies
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Examples
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Consequently, the term cantus is not to be limited to songs which are really sung and set to melodies, but can be applied as well to every religious lyrical poem which can be sung and set to music.
The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume 7: Gregory XII-Infallability 1840-1916 1913
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The highest category of what he termed the cantus song or composition was the Mass, immediately followed by compositions on other sacred texts, these including the psalm, the Magnificat and the hymn; these genres were separate from the Mass, but were still part of the liturgy.
Archive 2009-04-01 Lu 2009
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On the other hand the expression cantus in Saint Augustine's definition must be extended.
The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume 7: Gregory XII-Infallability 1840-1916 1913
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This method of chant was known as the cantus responsorius, and is mentioned in the writings of Tertullian, St. Augustine, and St. Isidore.
The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume 12: Philip II-Reuss 1840-1916 1913
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Cantus-firmus writing is rarer in Lassus than in Palestrina, but on occasion Lassus could revert to the kind of cantus-firmus procedure used by Josquin and Obrecht; Homo cum in honore esset six voices; published 1566 has a soggetto cavato as cantus firmus on the text ‘Nosce te ipsum’, heard successively in breves, semibreves and minims.
Archive 2009-06-01 Lu 2009
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In the upper part, however, the treble is substituted for the "cantus" or "medius" cliff: and the whole work is so arranged as to suit the library of the musical student, and to be fit for use in the Choir.
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In the upper part, however, the treble is substituted for the "cantus" or
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In the upper part, however, the treble is substituted for the "cantus" or
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In the upper part, however, the treble is substituted for the "cantus" or
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In the upper part, however, the treble is substituted for the "cantus" or
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