Difference between revisions of "Gamut (meaning)"

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*The lowest note in the scale recognized by mediaeval musicians (~ G, on the lowest line of the bass stave);
 
*The lowest note in the scale recognized by mediaeval musicians (~ G, on the lowest line of the bass stave);
 
::'''''[[etymology|Etymological]] note''''': this explains the background of the word: early (post-Roman) music in the west first labelled six notes, starting with A, and proceeding by whole tones through B, C, D and E to F. When the early writers wanted to name the note lower than A, they had to have recourse to another alphabet. This was, inevitably one may feel, [[Greek]], and they chose '''gamma''' (γ) to label the first note of the scale, its '''ut''' (~ 'doh'). The two words coalesced to form '''''gammut''''' (previously written as ''gamo(u)th'', ''gammouthe'', ''gammoothe'', ''gam(m)uth'' and even ''gamma ut'' and ''gammaut''. (It is now always '''gamut'''.)
 
::'''''[[etymology|Etymological]] note''''': this explains the background of the word: early (post-Roman) music in the west first labelled six notes, starting with A, and proceeding by whole tones through B, C, D and E to F. When the early writers wanted to name the note lower than A, they had to have recourse to another alphabet. This was, inevitably one may feel, [[Greek]], and they chose '''gamma''' (γ) to label the first note of the scale, its '''ut''' (~ 'doh'). The two words coalesced to form '''''gammut''''' (previously written as ''gamo(u)th'', ''gammouthe'', ''gammoothe'', ''gam(m)uth'' and even ''gamma ut'' and ''gammaut''. (It is now always '''gamut'''.)
 +
*Hence, the '''Great Scale''' described by the great early music theorist Guido d'Arezzo (c.990–1050), an Italian Benedictine monk. His '''Scale''', or '''gamut''', comprised in all, twenty notes, from G (on the first line of the bass clef - the '''gamma ut''') to two octaves and six notes above (the E on the fourth space of the treble clef).
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::It is to Guido that we owe the system of naming notes by single syllables, as in the 'tonic sol-fa system'. The notes were first thus labelled by Guido in this gamut from the first syllables of the lines of an ancient Latin hymn to St. John:
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{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
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| '''Ut''' queant laxis'' || '''ut''' or '''do[h]''' || rhymes with 'know' and 'doe' (a female deer) || So that (with the loosened || In the anglophone world this has been replaced by '''doh'''<br>sometimes spelled '''do'''
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|-
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| '''''re'''sonare fibris'' ||  '''re''' || rhymes with 'say' and 'pray' || voices) may resound ||
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|-
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| '''''Mi'''ra gestorum'' || '''mi''' || rhymes with 'me' and 'see' || the wonders of your deeds ||
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|-
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| '''''fa'''muli tuorum'', || '''fa''' || rhymes with 'far', 'car' and 'are' || (of thy servants) ||
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|-
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| '''''Sol'''ve polluti'' || '''sol''' || rhymes with 'so' and 'go', as well as 'doh'/'do' (above) || clean from our stained ||
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|-
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| '''''la'''bii reatum'' || '''la''' || rhymes with 'car' and 'are' - and 'fa' (above) || lips the guilt ||
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|-
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|'''''S'''ancte '''I'''ohannes'' || '''si''' or '''ti''' || rhymes with 'tea' and 'see' <br> and 'mi' above || O Saint John || In the anglophone world this has been replaced by '''te'''<br>sometimes spelled '''ti''')
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|-
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|}
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*
 
*
  

Revision as of 17:50, 20 November 2012

The noun gamut has changed its meaning in several ways over time. Its basic meaning is 'range', 'scale' or 'scope [of a quality]'. Among the variations in the meaning of this, there are several misuses which can offend purists if used. Acceptable meanings include the following, of which some are clearly obsolete except to specialized studies, such as that of the history of early music. Gamut has meant, in roughly chronological order:

  • The lowest note in the scale recognized by mediaeval musicians (~ G, on the lowest line of the bass stave);
Etymological note: this explains the background of the word: early (post-Roman) music in the west first labelled six notes, starting with A, and proceeding by whole tones through B, C, D and E to F. When the early writers wanted to name the note lower than A, they had to have recourse to another alphabet. This was, inevitably one may feel, Greek, and they chose gamma (γ) to label the first note of the scale, its ut (~ 'doh'). The two words coalesced to form gammut (previously written as gamo(u)th, gammouthe, gammoothe, gam(m)uth and even gamma ut and gammaut. (It is now always gamut.)
  • Hence, the Great Scale described by the great early music theorist Guido d'Arezzo (c.990–1050), an Italian Benedictine monk. His Scale, or gamut, comprised in all, twenty notes, from G (on the first line of the bass clef - the gamma ut) to two octaves and six notes above (the E on the fourth space of the treble clef).
It is to Guido that we owe the system of naming notes by single syllables, as in the 'tonic sol-fa system'. The notes were first thus labelled by Guido in this gamut from the first syllables of the lines of an ancient Latin hymn to St. John:


Ut queant laxis ut or do[h] rhymes with 'know' and 'doe' (a female deer) So that (with the loosened In the anglophone world this has been replaced by doh
sometimes spelled do
resonare fibris re rhymes with 'say' and 'pray' voices) may resound
Mira gestorum mi rhymes with 'me' and 'see' the wonders of your deeds
famuli tuorum, fa rhymes with 'far', 'car' and 'are' (of thy servants)
Solve polluti sol rhymes with 'so' and 'go', as well as 'doh'/'do' (above) clean from our stained
labii reatum la rhymes with 'car' and 'are' - and 'fa' (above) lips the guilt
Sancte Iohannes si or ti rhymes with 'tea' and 'see'
and 'mi' above 		O Saint John In the anglophone world this has been replaced by te
sometimes spelled ti)



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