breve
Noun
Meaning
A note or character of time, equivalent to two semibreves or four minims. When dotted, it is equal to three semibreves. It was formerly of a square figure (as thus: / ), but is now made oval, with a line perpendicular to the staff on each of its sides; -- formerly much used for choir service.
Any writ or precept under seal, issued out of any court.
A curved mark [/] used commonly to indicate the short quantity of a vowel.
The great ant thrush of Sumatra (Pitta gigas), which has a very short tail.
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By the 16th century, the tactus was generally two semibreves per breve, with three per breve used for special effects and climactic sections.
In modern notation, it is used in place of main and is called alla breve or, colloquially, cut time or cut common time.
The relation between the breve and the semibreve was called tempus, and the relation between the semibreve and the minim was called prolatio.
For Vitry the breve could be divided, for an entire composition, or section of one, into groups of two or three smaller semibreves.
Petrus is credited with the innovation of writing more than three semibreves to fit the length of a breve.
There are complicated rules concerning how a breve is sometimes three and sometimes two semibreves.