Fermata

I’ve always liked the word and concept of fermata. In music, it means to momentarily suspend the beat. It doesn’t mean to pause for a beat or two, it means that the beat actually stops for a short time. It’s unmeasured time. Your foot stops tapping, the pulse is suspended. It’s a special moment.

fer-MA-ta

  1. The prolongation of a tone, chord, or rest beyond its indicated time value.
  2. The sign indicating this prolongation.

[Italian, from feminine past participle of fermare, to stop, from Latin firmāre, to make firm, from firmus, firm.]

This Post Has 2 Comments

  1. John,

    Good luck with your new blog. Be sure to post lots of pictures of your neck of the woods.

    Cheers,
    Ken

  2. Thank you, Ken! Will do. And you keep those excellent YouTube videos coming. -John

Leave a Reply

Close Menu