[a. F. concert (16th c.), ad. It. concerto concert, harmony, f. concertare to CONCERT. At its first adoption this word was confounded with the earlier word CONSORT, which was constantly written for it down to the Restoration, and often later; e.g.,
1611. Cotgr., Concert de Musique, a consort of Musicke.]
1. Agreement of two or more persons or parties in a plan, design, or enterprise; union formed by such mutual agreement; accordance, harmony.
[1590–1793. see CONSORT 2.]
1665. Evelyn, Mem. (1857), III. 161. We have hardly any words that do so fully express the French naivete, ennui, bizarre, concert … let us therefore … make as many of these do homage as are like to prove good citizens.
1668. Temple, Lett. Wks. (1731), II. 86. He … press’d us to a Concert for the Defence of Flanders.
1727. De Foe, Syst. Magic, II. vi. 376. By concert and agreement.
1777. Robertson, Hist. Amer., I. IV. 342. They act together from instinct … rather than from any formal concert.
1814. Chalmers, Evid. Chr. Revel., i. 13. The total want of … concert or collusion.
1884. Times, 10 Oct., 3/2. Is there a perfect European Concert?
b. esp. in phrase in concert (with).
[1634–1793. see CONSORT 2 b.]
1712. Addison, Spect., No. 487, ¶ 10. When she [the Soul] operates more in concert with the Body.
1772. Priestley, Inst. Relig. (1782), I. 390. They did not write in concert.
1844. Thirlwall, Greece, VIII. lxv. 360. The envoys did not act in concert with one another.
1860. Tyndall, Glac., I. vii. 47. We worked in concert for a few days.
c. fig. Agreement, harmony, orderly union or combination (of things). (Influenced by 2, 2 b.)
1796. H. Hunter, trans. St.-Pierre’s Stud. Nat. (1799), II. 28. Concert is an order formed of several harmonies of various kinds … Every particular Work of Nature presents … harmonies, consonances, contrasts; and forms a real concert.
† 2. Accordance of voices or instruments; harmonious combination of sounds produced by a number of performers singing or playing together.
[1586–1710. see CONSORT 3, 3 b.]
1674. Lond. Gaz., No. 961, Feb., 4. A rare concert of four Trumpets Marine, never heard of before in England … Every concert shall continue one hour.
1732. Lediard, Sethos, II. VIII. 184. The prayers … are then sung in a concert of voices and instruments.
1770. Gentl. Mag., XL. 449. Whether their concerts were composed of one and the same tone, but sung by different voices.
b. transf. and fig. Any combination of voices or sounds. (Now often viewed as fig. from 4.)
1758. Johnson, Idler, No. 8, ¶ 12. A sudden concert of terrific vociferation.
1805. Southey, Madoc in Azt., XI. The woodman’s measured stroke, the regular saw, The wain slow-creaking, and the voice of man Answering his fellow … Strange concert made to those fierce Aztecas.
1862. Sala, Seven Sons, I. vi. 130. They sobbed in concert till the vehicle stopped.
1874. Bryant, Among the Trees, 61. The linden in the fervors of July, Hums with a louder concert.
† c. A piece of music for several instruments; = CONCERTO (in the earlier sense). Obs.
1730–6. Bailey (folio), Consort, better Concert, (in Musick) a Piece that consists of 3 or more parts.
† 3. A company or set of musicians; a choir. Obs.
[1606–1704. see CONSORT 4.]
1727. De Foe, Hist. Appar., xiv. 353. A concert of angels made most excellent music at his grave.
1743. Tindal, Rapin’s Hist. Eng., II. 669. The Queen … wanting a Bass to her concert.
4. A musical performance (usually of a series of separate pieces) in which a number of singers or players, or both, take part; a public musical entertainment; = CONSORT 5.
[1671–1774. see CONSORT 5, and 1674 in 2 above.]
1689. Lond. Gaz., No. 2496/4. The Concerts of Musick that were held in Bow-street and in York-Buildings, are now joyn’d together.
1740. Lady M. W. Montague, Lett., III. ix. 17. I am invited … to dinner, which is to be followed by a concert and a ball.
1768. Sterne, Sent. Journ., The Translation. I was going … to Martini’s concert at Milan.
1855. De Quincey, in Page, Life (1877), II. xviii. 97. On two separate days of next week Julien gives concerts.
Cats’ concert, the noise of a number of cats wauling; any hideous combination of voices; Dutch concert, ‘where each performer plays a different tune.’ Slang Dict. (1864), 128.
5. Comb. as concert-bill (cf. play-bill), -giver, -music, -piece; concert-grand (colloq.), a grand piano of powerful and brilliant tone suitable for concerts; concert-pitch, ‘a pitch slightly higher than the ordinary pitch, used at concerts for brilliancy and effect’ (Grove, Dict. Mus.); also fig.; concert-room, a large room used for concerts.
c. 1815. Jane Austen, Persuas. (1833), II. viii. 379. They all had a *concert bill between them.
1836–7. Dickens, Sk. Boz (1850), 248/2. Whenever a juggler, or waxwork man, or *concert giver, takes Great Winglebury in his circuit.
1775. Phil. Trans., LXV. 71. These tones are adapted to English *consort pitch.
1819. Pantologia, Concert pitch implies that … tone to which instruments are adjusted, before they can be used in concert.
1866. Mrs. Stowe, Lit. Foxes, 115. If a piano is tuned to exact concert pitch, the majority of voices must fall below it.
1888. Burgon, 12 Good Men, II. v. 47. Screwing up to ‘concert pitch’ … men whose traditions were lax and unsatisfactory.
1799. Southey, Ballads, St. Gualberto, 23. Then had not Westminster, the house of God, Served for a *concert-room.
1886. Pall Mall G., 9 June, 4/2. Concert-room music must bow to concert-room traditions.
