discant

descant, also spelled discant, (from Latin discantus, “song apart”), countermelody either composed or improvised above a familiar melody.

a melody or counterpoint accompanying a simple musical theme and usually written above it.

"English discant is three-voice parallelism in first-inversion triads." However, because it allowed only three, four, or at most five such chords in succession, emphasizing contrary motion as the basic condition, it "did not differ from the general European discant tradition of the time".

1. : a melody sung or played usually above a principal melody. 2. : a discussion or comment on a subject. descant.

accompaniment, in music, auxiliary part or parts of a composition designed to support the principal part or to throw it into relief.

to unfasten something, especially to break the connection between a supply of electricity, gas, water, etc.

1. : the rate of speed of a musical piece or passage indicated by one of a series of directions (such as largo, presto, or allegro) and often by an exact metronome marking.

In the context of music, tempo refers to how fast a piece of music is. Because of the term's origins, different speeds are named after Italian words, such as allegro, allegretto, lento, largo, and andante. Another way to describe tempo is by indicating its BPM or beats per minute.

"Discant organum" refers to the two voices falling into a rhythmic mode -- a 6/8 or 9/8 feel -- singing more or less at the same rate for a passage. In the 11th and 12th centuries, octaves, fourths, and fifths were considered consonant; but not thirds yet.

Clausula. A section in discant is called a clausula (pl. clausulae). Clausulae are in modal rhythm, producing short phrases and lively pacing.

In music, a descant is an additional vocal part above the main melody. Many church hymns include a descant, sung at a higher pitch than the melody. Literary types use descant as a verb to mean "talk on and on in a dull way."

distressed 1. : deeply afflicted, dejected, or distressed in body or mind. 2. : extremely or deplorably bad or distressing.