Cantus firmus
Pre-existing melody forming the basis of a polyphonic composition / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dear Wikiwand AI, let's keep it short by simply answering these key questions:
Can you list the top facts and stats about Cantus firmus?
Summarize this article for a 10 year old
SHOW ALL QUESTIONS
In music, a cantus firmus ("fixed melody") is a pre-existing melody forming the basis of a polyphonic composition.
The plural of this Latin term is cantus firmi, although the corrupt form canti firmi (resulting from the grammatically incorrect treatment of cantus as a second- rather than a fourth-declension noun) can also be found. The Italian is often used instead: canto fermo (and the plural in Italian is canti fermi).