▪ I. sol-fa, n. Mus.
(ˈsɒlfɑː, ˈsəʊlfɑː)
Also 6 solle fa, 6–9 sol fa, 7– 8 solfa.
[From the syllables sol (sol n.2) and fa (fa) of the scale: see gamut.]
1. The set of syllables ‘do (or ut), re, mi, fa, sol, la, si’, sung to the respective notes of the major scale; the system of singing notes to these syllables; a musical scale or exercise thus sung. † Occas. in the phr. to sing sol-fa. tonic sol-fa: see tonic a.
| 1548 Hooper Declar. Commandm. viii. 134 Souche as syng solle fa, and can do nothyng lesse then the thing that apertainithe to there offyce. 1580 Lyly Euphues (Arb.) 213 As froward as the Musition, who being entreated, will scarse sing sol fa, but not desired, straine aboue Ela. 1602 Breton Wonders Worth Hearing Wks. (Grosart) II. 7/2 My Hostesse..began with a note about Ela to sing them..a solfa. 1644 Milton Areop. (Arb.) 64 A Harmony and a Catena..out of which, as out of an alphabet or sol fa,..a little book-craft..might furnish him unspeakably. 1714 Gay What d'ye call it ii. iv, I might have learnt Accounts, and sung Sol-fa. 1730 Treat. Harmony 63 We must give the same solfa to the Notes defining the Leaps. 1840 Barham Ingol. Leg. Ser. ii. (1905) 353 We'll have nobody give us sol fa but He! 1887 Dowden Life Shelley II. vii. 309 Claire had her singing-master, and got on prosperously with her sol fa's. |
| fig. 1579 Lyly Euphues (Arb.) 93 If thou haddest learned..the first noat of Descant, thou wouldest haue kept thy Sol. Fa. [= complaint] to thy selfe. |
2. attrib., as sol-fa man, sol-fa notation.
| 1676 Poor Robin's Intell. 15–22 Aug. 1/1 He contracts with an able Sol-fa-man to teach him..the rudiments of song. 1890 W. J. Gordon Foundry 82 Hymns..in which the music is given in the sol-fa notation. |
So † sol-fa-re. Obs.—1
| 1600 Dekker Old Fortunatus v. ii, There's more music in this, than all the gamut airs, and sol fa res in the world. |
▪ II. sol-fa, v. Mus.
(ˈsɒlfɑː, ˈsəʊlfɑː)
Also 6 sole-fay, 6–7 sol fa, 6– 9 solfa.
[See prec.]
1. trans. To sing (a tune, air, etc.) to the sol-fa syllables. Also fig.
| 1568 V. Skinner tr. Montanus' Inquisit. 40 b, He..shall not be suffered to speake but in a very low note, whereof they themselues will apoint him the tune, and Solfa it before him. 1597 Morley Mus. iii. 156 You shall not find a musicion..able to sol fa it right. 1609 Douland Ornith. Microl. 15 He that will Solfa any Song, must aboue all things haue an eye to the Tone. 1730 Treat. Harmony 65 When we would solfa any Musick that is written in a Transposed key. 1767 Ann. Reg., Ess. 198/2, I sol-fa'd them exactly by note, with⁓out any ornament. 1833 A. Clarke in J. B. B. Clarke Life I. 61 Each tune was at first sol-fa'd, till it was tolerably well learned. 1862 Catal. Internat. Exhib., Brit. II. No. 5383, The teacher Sol-fas a short musical phrase while he points to the notes on the Modulator. |
2. intr. To sing in this manner; to use the sol-fa syllables in singing.
| 1584 Peele Arraignm. Paris v. i, Music sounds, and the Nymphs within sing or solfa with voices and instruments awhile. 1609 Douland Ornith. Microl. 14 To solfa..is to expresse the Syllables and names of the Voyces. 1623 Middleton More Dissemblers v. i, Let whoso would Sol Fa, I'ld give them my part. 1730 Treat. Harmony 64 Solfaing from D to D, we shall find the Sillables to be the same. Ibid. 77 The Leading Part and the Answer to it must Solfa alike. 1809 Malkin Gil Blas v. i. ¶7 To all appearance you sol-fa with your whole heart and soul. 1838 W. Gardiner Music & Friends II. 807 In the singing-room they were solfaing in every kind of voice. 1881 Grove's Dict. Music III. 545. |
† b. With it. Obs.—1
| 1692 L'Estrange Fables i. cccxi, His Son follow'd the Corps, Singing. Why Sirrah, says the Father; You should Howle and Wring your Hands,..and not go Sol-Fa-ing it about like a Mad-man. |
Hence sol-faer, one who sol-fas; sol-faist, an adherent of the (tonic) sol-fa system.
| 1609 J. Dowland Ornith. Microl. 15 Euery Solfaer must needs looke, whether the song be regular, or no. 1882 Athenæum 24 June 806/2 We think that the Sol-faists have made out a most excellent case in the replies which Mr. Curwen has collected. 1883 American VI. 174 The sol-fa-ists are now a power in the musical world. |