What is "cantabile"

Cantabile \Can*ta"bi*le\, a. [It., cantare to sing.] (Mus.) In a melodious, flowing style; in a singing style, as opposed to bravura, recitativo, or parlando. [1913 Webster] ||

Cantabile \Can*ta"bi*le\, n. (Mus.) A piece or passage, whether vocal or instrumental, peculiarly adapted to singing; -- sometimes called cantilena.

1724, from Italian, literally "singable, that can be sung," from cantare "to sing" (see chant (v.)).

a. (context music English) describing a passage having this mark; singable, lyrical adv. (context music English) played in this style; singingly, lyrically n. 1 (context music English) A tempo mark directing that a passage is to be played in a lyrical manner 2 (context music English) A passage having this mark

adj. smooth and flowing [syn: singing]

In music, cantabile , an Italian word, means literally "singable" or "songlike". In instrumental music, it is a particular style of playing designed to imitate the human voice. For 18th-century composers, cantabile is often synonymous with "cantando" (singing), and indicates a measured tempo and flexible, legato playing. For later composers, particularly in piano music, cantabile is the drawing out of one particular musical line against the accompaniment (compare counterpoint). Felix Mendelssohn's six books of Songs Without Words (Lieder ohne Worte) are short lyrical piano pieces with song-like melodies written between 1829 and 1845. A modern example is an instrumental by Harry James & His Orchestra, called "Trumpet Blues and Cantabile".

A cantabile movement, or simply a "cantabile", is the first half of a double aria, followed by a cabaletta. The cantabile movement would be slower and more free-form to contrast with the structured and generally faster cabaletta. Louis Spohr subtitled his violin concerto No. 8 "in moda d'una scena cantata," "in the manner of a sung [operatic] scene"; opera arias exerted a strong influence on the "singable" cantabile melodic line in Romantic writing for stringed instruments.

Cantabile - The London Quartet is a British a cappella vocal quartet.

Cantabile is a work composed from 2004 to 2009 by Frederik Magle. It consists of three symphonic poems (or movements) based on poems written by Henrik, the Prince Consort of Denmark published in his book Cantabile. The Cantabile suite was commissioned by the Danish Royal Family and the first movement was premiered in 2004. The second and third movements were premiered on June 10, 2009 at a concert in the Copenhagen Concert Hall celebrating Prince Henrik's 75th birthday. On both occasions the music was performed by the Danish National Symphony Orchestra and Choir, conducted by Thomas Dausgaard.

The music alternates between the sorrowful, which - according to the Prince Consort's biography (2010) - being unexpected at a birthday concert, caused unease among some of the guests present at the first performance of the Cortège & Danse Macabre in 2009, and sudden bursts of humour.

Besides the original text by Prince Henrik in French, a Danish translation by Per Aage Brandt is also used in the work, and at places French and Danish is being sung at the same time.

Cantabile is a collection of poems written by Henrik, the Prince Consort of Denmark and published in 2000. It is illustrated by the Queen of Denmark, Margrethe II.

The book contains both the original poems by Prince Henrik, written in French, as well as Danish translations by Per Aage Brandt.

Cantabile is a musical term meaning literally "singable" or "songlike".

Cantabile may also refer to:

• Cantabile (group), a British a cappella vocal quartet
• Cantabile (symphonic suite), a work by Frederik Magle
• Liuto cantabile, a ten-stringed mandocello
• Cantabile (book), a collection of poems by Henrik, Prince Consort of Denmark