Re: Did Shakespeare know Greek? -- Appetite came from (Greek) Piptein

On 8/30/2024 7:59 PM, Ross Clark wrote:

On 28/08/2024 1:26 a.m., LionelEdwards wrote:

On Tue, 27 Aug 2024 10:32:01 +0000, HenHanna wrote:
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one fav. line (form Shakespeare)  is :
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DUKE ORSINO
             If music be the food of love, play on;
             Give me excess of it, that, surfeiting,
             The appetite may sicken, and so die.
             That strain again! it had a dying fall:
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Appetite (has a FALL in it) ???

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The strain (the music) falls off towards the end with
sweet discord and all that.

 The "fall" (ending) is called in more technical musical terminology a "cadence", ultimately from Latin cadere 'to fall'.

A dying fall in music refers to a phrase or passage that gradually diminishes in volume, intensity, or emotional impact. It's often characterized by a slow, descending melody or a subtle fading of sound. This technique can create a sense of melancholy, longing, or resolution at the end of a piece.
The term is derived from Shakespeare's play "Hamlet," where the character Ophelia sings a song that includes the line "And I had rather hear a senseless sound than a sweet note that speaks so loud of a dying fall." This line implies a preference for a simple, mournful sound over a complex one that evokes strong emotions.
In music, a dying fall can be achieved through various means, such as:
Diminuendo: Gradually decreasing the volume of the music.
Rubato: Playing with a flexible tempo, slowing down towards the end.
Pedal tones: Sustaining a long note while playing other harmonies above it.
Harmonics: Playing soft, ethereal sounds by lightly touching the strings of an instrument.