descants
Ornamental soprano lines
Descants functions as both noun and verb.
A descant is a melody sung or played above the main tune, typically higher in pitch and ornamental: The sopranos sang a descant over the hymn.
By extension, to descant is to comment at length or discourse expansively on a subject: He descanted on the virtues of classical education.
Secondary melodic line
- sopranoHighest female voice range
- harmonyAgreement or musical blend
- ornamentThing that beautifies
- counterpointSimultaneous independent melodies
embellishment · treble · improvisation · variation · flourish · obligato · polyphony · melodic line
Formal communication on subjects
- expatiatesSpeaks or writes lengthily
- elaboratesAdds detail and complexity
- remarksSpoken comments or notes
- discussesSpeaks about formally
holds forth · dilates · enlarges · comments · speaks · orates · lectures · amplifies
countermelody
Secondary melodic line
counterpoint · embellishment · treble · improvisation · variation · flourish · obligato · polyphony · melodic line · decoration
discourse
Formal communication on subjects
- expatiatesSpeaks or writes lengthily
- elaboratesAdds detail and complexity
- remarksSpoken comments or notes
discusses · holds forth · dilates · enlarges · comments · speaks · orates · lectures · amplifies · expounds
- choral musicchoral music, choral works, choral arrangements, choral arrangement, choir arrangements
- English Choralanthems, motets, evensong, cathedral choirs, church choirs
- Christmas CarolsSilent Night, Jingle Bells, The First Noel, We Three Kings, Good King Wenceslas
- church musicanthems, hymnal, masses, hymnbook, canticles
- hymnsAmazing Grace, Old Rugged Cross, Morning Has Broken, hymn, hymnal
- Organ Musictoccata, preludes, fugue, fugues, prelude