What is "quodlibet"

Quodlibet \Quod"li*bet\ (kw[o^]d"l[i^]*b[e^]t), n. [L., what you please.]

1. A nice point; a subtilty; a debatable point.

   These are your quodlibets, but no learning.
   --P. Fletcher.

2. (Mus.) A medley improvised by several performers.

"a nicety, subtlety," late 14c., Latin, literally "what you will, what you please," from quod "what," neuter of qui (see who) + libet "it pleases" (see love (n.)).

n. 1 (context music English) A form of music with melodies in counterpoint. 2 (context art English) A form of trompe l'oeil which realistically renders domestic items (paper-knives, playing-cards, ribbons, etc). 3 (context philosophy English) A mode of philosophical debate popular in the Middle Ages, in which any question could be posed extemporaneously.

n. an issue that is presented for formal disputation

A quodlibet (; Latin for "whatever you wish" from quod, "what" and libet, "pleases") is a musical composition that combines several different melodies—usually popular tunes—in counterpoint, and often in a light-hearted, humorous manner.

There are three main types of quodlibet:

• A catalogue quodlibet consists of a free setting of catalogue poetry (usually humorous lists of loosely related items).
• In a successive quodlibet, one voice has short musical quotations and textual quotations while the other voices provide homophonic accompaniment.
• In a simultaneous quodlibet, two or more pre-existing melodies are combined. The simultaneous quodlibet may be considered a historical antecedent to the modern-day musical mashup.

Quodlibet is a peer-reviewed academic journal of philosophy. It deals with issues that present a common ground between philosophy and theology. The journal covers all areas of theology and philosophy with particular attention for Christianity, though not excluding contributions from other perspectives. Both articles and book reviews are published.