The Word of the Day for May 29 is:
hemidemisemiquaver \hem-ih-dem-ih-SEM-ih-kway-ver\ noun
: a musical note with the time value of 1/64 of a whole note : sixty-fourth note
Example sentence: The pianist's fingers became a blur flying over the keys as she played the difficult hemidemisemiquavers of the allegro movement.
Did you know?
Hemidemisemiquavers are the fastest musical notes that are commonly played, and performing them well can stretch human technique to its limit. The term is mainly used in Britain, where eighth notes are called "quavers," sixteenth notes are called "semiquavers," and thirty-second notes are called "demisemiquavers." In the United States, "hemidemisemiquaver" is likely to be used humorously, occurring especially as a clever substitute for "moment" or "bit," as in "the concert ended not a hemidemisemiquaver too soon."
3 comments:
Scary thing is, I've heard the term used before and not as a joke!
I actually knew that word, too -- Daniel first quoted it to me years ago. I am personally lucky to be able to play semiquavers on the piano -- and I can barely sing them, so hemidemisemiquavers on either instrument are way out.
Definitely one of the most fun words in music!
I have never heard it - but I LOVE it!!! Hee hee.
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