The Greater Third

[nfortin]

We were rehearsing Stanford in F evening canticles on Friday when one of my choristers noticed that on the front cover of our copies it says 'In the key of F with the greater third'. I have to admit that, when asked, I had no idea what 'with the greater third' means. Is it just a different way of saying "F major"?

[DHM]

... I had no idea what 'with the greater third' means. Is it just a different way of saying "F major"?

So far as I know, yes.

 

Robert Ashfield wrote an Evening Service for men's voices "In G minor with the Greater Sixth" i.e. G minor with only one flat.

[After completing it, he then discovered that he had omitted a verse of text, and had to go back and re-work a very complicated canon he had included at that point! - But that's another story.]

[MusingMuso]

So far as I know, yes.

 

Robert Ashfield wrote an Evening Service for men's voices "In G minor with the Greater Sixth" i.e. G minor with only one flat.

[After completing it, he then discovered that he had omitted a verse of text, and had to go back and re-work a very complicated canon he had included at that point! - But that's another story.]

 

 

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By use of the term "the greater third," one must assume that there is a "lesser third".....perhaps even a "developing third."

 

Not even relationships (false or otherwise), tread such dangerous ground; the usual term "my other half" implying a certain equality.

 

If we are true to our craft, all quarter-tones and micro-tones must be considered equal, but no doubt there will be some which are more equal than others, which I consider mean and intemperate.

 

As the clock-maker said, "Why settle for a quarter when you could ask for a chime?"

 

MM

[wolsey]

We were rehearsing Stanford in F evening canticles on Friday when one of my choristers noticed that on the front cover of our copies it says 'In the key of F with the greater third'. I have to admit that, when asked, I had no idea what 'with the greater third' means. Is it just a different way of saying "F major"?

The greater third is the interval of two whole tones or a major third, but does not necessarily mean that the key of the setting you were singing is F major.

[innate]

By use of the term "the greater third," one must assume that there is a "lesser third".....perhaps even a "developing third."

I only learned of the existence of the greater and lesser SEMITONE in my recent reading about temperaments in the C18 and C19. One was 5/9 of a tone and the other 4/9, apparently; string players were consistently taught this in the old days.

[Davidb]

Is it anything to do with the tendancy of choirs to sing the pitch of 'A' when in the key of F as a smaller interval than it is on the keyboard? Therefore the 'greater third' would refer to keeping the thing in pitch?!