alto – Definition in music

Definition of the French term alto in music:

viola (string instrument)
contralto (the lowest female voice type with an approximate range of F3 to D5)
alto (member of an instrument family with a range between tenor and soprano)
alto (the second-highest part in four-part harmony)

Language

French

Singular

alto

Plural

altos

Abbreviation

A.

Alt. abbreviation

Alt.

Synonyms

(1) violon alto(2) contralto

French musical terms that include alto:

alto électrique – electric viola
alto moderne – viole-ténor (string instrument)
alto solo – viola solo (passage in which the viola is featured...
chalemie alto – alto shawm
chalumeau alto – alto chalumeau
clairon alto – alto bugle
clarinette alto – alto clarinet
cornamuse alto – alto cornamuse (double reed wind instrument)
flûte à bec alto – alto recorder (recorder whose lowest note is F4)
flûte alto – alto flute
flûte contre-alto – contra-alto flute (concert flute pitched either on...
flûte douce alto – alto recorder (recorder whose lowest note is F4)
flûte subcontre-alto – subcontrabass flute in G
méthode d'alto – viola method (method for playing the viola)
sarrussophone alto – alto sarrusophone
saxhorn alto – alto saxhorn (equivalent to the modern tenor horn,...
saxophone alto – alto saxophone
sheng alto – alto sheng
tournebout alto – alto crumhorn
trombone alto – alto trombone
viole de gambe alto – alto viol (alto viola da gamba)
violon alto – viola (string instrument)

Music scores that include alto:

Arthur Honegger: Pacific 231 (1923) Page 1
Camille Saint-Saëns: Danse macabre (1874) Page 1
Claude Debussy: La mer (1903‑1905) Page 1
Claudio Monteverdi: L'Incoronazione di Poppea (1642) Page 1
Gabriel Fauré: Pavane (1887) Page 1
Hector Berlioz: Grande messe des morts (1837) Page 1
Jacques Ibert: Escales (1920‑1922) Page 1
Jean-Philippe Rameau: Castor et Pollux (1737) Page 1
Léo Delibes: Lakmé (1883) Page 1
Maurice Ravel: Boléro (1928) Page 1

French musical terms related to alto:

contrebasse – double bass (string instrument)...
gambe – viol...
octobasse – octobass (large bowed string instrument invented i...
viole – viol (viola da gamba)...
violette – violetta (16th-century musical instrument, similar...
violon – violin (bowed string instrument)...
violoncelle – cello...
violone – violone (term used for several large instruments i...