syntonous, a. Mus.
(ˈsɪntənəs)
[f. Gr. σύντονος strained tight, high-pitched, intense, severe, f. συντείνειν to strain tight, f. σύν syn-1 + τείνειν to stretch: see -ous.]
An epithet for the ordinary form of diatonic scale (διάτονον σύντονον) in ancient Greek music, in which the tetrachord was divided into a semitone and two tones, the third note of it being thus tuned to a higher pitch than in the other scales; nearly corresponding to the modern diatonic scale.
| 1789 Burney Hist. Mus. III. ii. 164 In describing the diatonic genus, in which the tetrachord is divided into tone major, tone minor, and major semitone:..for which division, commonly called the syntonous, or intense of Ptolemy, he [sc. Zarlino] constantly contends. 1889 W. S. Rockstro in Grove Dict. Mus. IV. 502/1 The Syntonous Diatonic of Ptolemy coincided..with the system advocated by Kepler, Mersenne, Des Cartes, and all the most learned theoretical writers of later date. |