Dictionary of Music - Birding America

pedal note 305pavanAnother word for PAVANE.pavana (pä vä′nä).for PAVANE.An Italian and Spanish wordpavane (pA vAn′) French. Also, pavenne; Italian,Spanish, pavana (pä vä′nä); English, pavan, pavin(pa′vən); German Paduana (pä′′doo — ä′nä). A slowstately dance, usually in duple meter (any meter inwhich there are two basic beats per measure, such as2/2, 2/4, or 4/4). A court dance, it originated in thesixteenth century, probably in Italy (the name isthought to come from Pava, another name for thecity of Padua), and soon spread to other countries. Itwas usually followed by a lively dance in triplemeter (in which there are three basic beats per measure,such as three basic beats per measure, such as3/4 or 3/8), most often the galliard or saltarello. Thepavane remained popular until about 1575, when itwas largely replaced by the PASSAMEZZO. By theearly seventeenth century the pavane had become apurely instrumental form. As such it was used by thegreat English virginal composers (Byrd, Bull, Gibbons,Morley, and others; see also under VIRGINAL),as well as by German composers in instrumentalsuites (see SUITE, def. 1).pavenneAnother spelling for PAVANE.pavillon (pA vē yôN′) French. The bell of a brassinstrument. —pavillons en l’air (pA vē yôN′ZäNler′). A direction to a player of a brass instrument toperform with the bell held up, which increases thevolume.pavin (pa′vən).Another word for PAVANE.Ped. An abbreviation for pedal; it is often printedin script (). See under PIANO, def. 2.pedal 1 In the harp, a foot-operated lever thatserves to change the tension, and therefore the pitch,of the strings. There are seven pedals, one for eachnote of the diatonic scale. Each pedal can raise thepitch of a group of strings (all the C strings, forexample) by either one half tone or one whole tone.(See also HARP.) 2 In some harpsichords, a footoperatedkeyboard similar to that of the organ,enabling the bass part to be played with the feet.This type of instrument, also known as pedal harpsichord,was occasionally built in the sixteenth andseventeenth centuries, but no example of it has actuallysurvived. Similar pedal mechanisms appear tohave been used for clavichords as well. In the lateeighteenth century harpsichords were sometimesprovided with pedals to change the stops, and also tocontrol a swell device for increasing and decreasingthe volume (loudness). 3 Also, pedal piano. A pianoequipped with a pedal mechanism like that of thepedal harpsichord (see def. 2 above). Such instrumentswere occasionally built during the nineteenthcentury, but their success was short-lived. Schumannand several other composers wrote a few pieces forpedal piano, among them Chopin’s friend ValentinAlkan (1813–1888). 4 Also, pedalboard. In theorgan, a set of levers that is in effect a keyboardplayed by the feet (see PEDAL ORGAN). In addition,special foot-operated levers may be added, such asthe swell pedal, which controls shutters that regulatethe volume of various organ pipes (see underORGAN). 5 In the piano, two or three foot-operatedlevers that alter the volume and tone quality by controllingthe dampers or hammers that touch thestrings. (See under PIANO, def. 2.) 6 In timpani, apedal serves to loosen or tighten the drumhead, thuschanging the pitch. 7 A shortening of PEDAL POINT.8 A foot-operated lever to sound a hi-hat cymbal.pedalboard See under KEYBOARD; PEDAL, def. 4.pedal clarinet Another name for the contrabassclarinet; see under CLARINET.pedal clavichordpedal couplerSee under CLAVICHORD.See under COUPLER.pedal guitar A HAWAIIAN GUITAR fitted with pedalsto change the pitch of a note before or while it isbeing sounded.pedal harpsichord See PEDAL, def. 2.pedal noteThe British term for PEDAL TONE.