Word of the Day: Quodlibet

[Capt Lightning]

Quodlibet : A subtle point (chiefly philosophical) for discussion or, A musical composition containing a mixture of other melodies.

 

[Aunt Marg]

I thank you, Capt Lightening, for posted this great word.

They vary widely in character, from extremely simple settings of a "cantus firmus", to contrapuntal tours-de-force such as elaborate canons and quodlibets.

 

[Aunt Marg]

The professor emeritus engaged other wannabe professors in a quodlibet related to Medieval Latin.

 

[Kaila]

I wonder if a quodlibet consists of a certain number of melodies, or if it could be of any number.

I also wonder if the melodies are short ones. due to the term quodlibet partly seeming to indicate "small" within the word, itself.

 

[Em in Ohio]

Quodlibet is one archaic term that I have never used in Scrabble - and often, my custom Scrabble game accuses me of being archaic!

From Wikipedia: A quodlibet (/ˈkwɒdlɪbɛt/; 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.