Discantus

This article explains the musical term, for the French vocal ensemble see Discantus (Ensemble) .

Discantus or discantus factur ( middle lat. ) Is the artificial type of polyphony that emerged in the 12th century , the principle of which - in contrast to the previously common parallel movement of the organum - was the strictly executed countermovement (French: Déchant ).

The actual counterpoint developed from the merging of the two initially opposed types of sentence . The discantus was initially only two-part: the melody of the cantus firmus was contrasted note against note with a higher voice, which the singers, the discantistae , improvised without prior writing . Later two and three falsetting voices were added, and now the written fixation became essential. The highest voice in a polyphonic movement was later called a discant .

According to the oldest Regulae discantandi, the only permissible intervals were the octave , fifth and unison ( prime ).

See also

• treble
• Holding tone
• Soprano (French Dessus )