organista

Forms

organista m (genitive organistae); first declension^[1][2]

Etymology

It is formed from Latin organum + -ista, a Medieval Latin word.^[3][4][2]

Earliest recorded meaning

Its first record is about 1200, when one William of Wilton signs a charter as organista, a player of the organ.^[4][3]

Semantic evolution

Niermeyer and Stelten give the sense “organist”.^[5][6] In 13th-century music theory it also meant a composer or singer of organum, polyphony: one treatise calls Master Leoninus the best organista.^[7][4] Accounts of 1303 use it of an organ maker, and Roger Bacon of players in the Psalms.^[4] In Poland it is recorded for a church organist from 1352, for an organ builder in 1373 and for a player of other instruments in 1390.^[2]

Neo-Latin writers kept it for the organ player.^[1] English organist (1590s) was formed in English or came from French organiste, from the Medieval Latin.^[8]

Timeline

• c. 1200 – William of Wilton signs a charter as organista.^[4][3]
• 13th century – A music treatise calls Leoninus the best organista, composer of organum.^[7]
• 1303 – Accounts of 1303 use it of an organ maker.^[4]
• 1352 – A Polish document names a church organist.^[2]
• 1537 – A grant gives a yearly rent to “our chief organist”.^[4]
• 1538 – Winmann uses it of an organ player.^[1]
• 1590s – English has organist, partly from the Medieval Latin.^[8]

Meanings

Noun

1. An organist, a player of the organ.^[5][6][4][1]
2. A player of musical instruments in general.^[4][2]
3. (music) A composer or singer of organum, polyphony.^[7][4]
4. An organ builder.^[4][2]

Related words

• English organist

References

1. ^ a b c d Ramminger, Johann, Neulateinische Wortliste: Ein Wörterbuch des Lateinischen von Petrarca bis 1700, www.neulatein.de
2. ^ a b c d e f Lexicon mediae et infimae Latinitatis Polonorum (1953–), Kraków: Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN; electronic ed. elexicon.scriptores.pl
3. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
5. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
6. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
7. ^ a b c Lexicon musicum Latinum medii aevi (1992–), Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften; online ed. Wörterbuchnetz
8. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com