Dictionary of Music - Birding America

468 Vittoriameters, and he promoted the use of isorhythm,applying it to the upper voice-parts of his motets aswell as to the tenor (see under MOTET for furtherexplanation). A churchman and diplomat as well, heserved the French court for many years and for thelast decade of his life was Bishop of Meaux.VittoriaSee VICTORIA, TOMÁS LUIS DE.vivace (vē vä′che) Italian. A direction to performin a brisk, lively manner. Alone, it may mean atempo about the same as or slightly faster than allegrobut not as fast as presto. However, it is oftenused together with allegro (allegro vivace), meaning“quick and lively.”Vivaldi (vē väl′dē), Antonio (än tôn′ē ô), c.1675–1741. An Italian composer and violinistwho was one of the leading composers of the latebaroque period (which ended c. 1750). For thirtyyears Vivaldi was employed in Venice at a girls’orphanage, for which he composed many works. Healso traveled widely throughout Europe. His largeoutput includes some forty operas and other theaterpieces, and numerous choral compositions. It is hisinstrumental compositions, however, that have wonVivaldi lasting fame. His concertos, which includeboth concerti grossi and solo concertos (the lattermostly for violin), are among the finest of their kind.Particularly well known are his L’Estro armonico,op. 3, consisting of twelve concertos for one, two, orfour solo violins, solo cello, strings, and continuo;La Stravaganza, op. 4, twelve concertos for soloviolin, strings, and continuo; Le quattro stagione(“The Four Seasons”), op. 8, four concertos for soloviolin, strings, and continuo; and La Cetra, op. 9,twelve concertos for solo violin, strings, and continuo.Vivaldi’s solo violin concertos in particular, inwhich a fast and lively movement is often followedby a dramatic slow movement, influenced Bach,who transcribed several of them for harpsichord.vivement (vēv mäN′) French. A direction to performin a lively, animated manner.vivo (vē′vô) Italian. A direction to perform in alively, animated manner.vl.vla.vlc.vll.An abbreviation for VIOLIN.An abbreviation for VIOLA.An abbreviation for CELLO.An abbreviation for violins (see under VIOLIN).vocalese Reproducing jazz instrumental arrangementsvocally. It involves singing in half-inventedlanguage and bending the voice to approximate theinstruments’ sounds.vocaliseSee under SOLFÈGE, def. 2; VOCALIZATION.vocalization Also, French, vocalise (vō kä lez′).A piece that is sung on a single vowel (usually ah)or syllable (la), today used principally as an exercisefor singers. Numerous composers include short passagesof vocalization within longer works, especiallyin operas, to give singers an opportunity toshow their skill; these are sometimes called coloraturas(see COLORATURA, def. 1). Also, since earlytimes, composers have written short pieces in vocalization,either for singing practice or for concert performance;a twentieth-century piece of this kind isRavel’s Vocalise en forme d’habanera (“Vocalizationin the Form of a Habanera”; 1907).vocal music Music for one or more voices. Musicfor solo voice is described under SONG, def. 2; musicfor ensembles is described under CHORAL MUSIC. Inaddition there is vocal part music, also called vocalchamber music, for two, three, four, etc. singers inwhich each has a separate part.vocal scoreSee under SCORE.voce (vô′che) pl. voci (vô′chē) Italian: “voice.”A term meaning either voice or voice-part (seeVOICE, defs. 1, 2). —colla voce (kô′lä vô′che). Anindication that the accompaniment is to follow thesolo voice rather than keeping strict tempo. —adue (tre, quattro) voci An indication that a piece orsection is written for two (three, four) voices orparts. (See also MESSA DI VOCE; MEZZA VOCE; SOTTOVOCE.)