I insist on using the word "staff" - I also insist that all members of my stave use it.
Raymond Horton Bass Trombonist, Louisville Orchestra Minister of Music, Edwardsville (IN) UMC Composer, Arranger VISIT US AT rayhortonmusic.com On Thu, Jun 14, 2012 at 8:30 AM, dc <den...@free.fr> wrote: > Le 14/06/2012 14:14, Dennis Bathory-Kitsz écrit : > > Just curious: Do you use 'stave' for the singular form? It sounds odd to > me, > > even though it's apparently correct. I hadn't heard this singular form > until > > recently, and wondered if it's regional? > It is regional, the region in question being a large Island off the > French coast. > > Here's what the OED says: > > 20.II.20 Mus. A set of horizontal lines (now five in number) on which, > > and in the spaces between, notes are placed so as to indicate pitch. > > Also stave. > > In harmonic or concerted music two or more staffs are used together, > > connected by a brace. > > > > 1662 Playford Skill Mus. i. i. 4 But [for all] Lessons for the Organ, > > Virginals, or Harp, two staves of six lines together are required. > > 1688 Holme Armoury iii. 157/1 [Follows Playford and adds:] They are > > called a Staff or Stansa. 1776 Burney Hist. Mus. (1789) II. 87 The > > regular staff of four lines. 1806 J. W. Callcott Mus. Gram. 1 The > > lines and spaces of the Staff are counted upwards. 1842 Westm. Rev. > > Jan. 34 note, There is a schism among musicians, whether this should > > be staff or stave, pronounced by some staaf. Authorities are mostly in > > favour of ‘stave’ but custom may be pleaded for ‘staff’ and ‘staves’ > > in the plural. 1873 H. C. Banister Mus. 2 Musical characters are > > written upon a series of parallel lines, termed a Stave or Staff. > > Dennis #2 > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Finale mailing list > Finale@shsu.edu > http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale > _______________________________________________ Finale mailing list Finale@shsu.edu http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale
