4  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Viola  \Vi"o*la\,  n.  [It.  See  {Viol}.]  (Mus.) 
  An  instrument  in  form  and  use  resembling  the  violin,  but 
  larger,  and  a  fifth  lower  in  compass. 
 
  {Viola  da  braccio}  [It.,  viol  for  the  arm],  the  tenor  viol, 
  or  viola,  a  fifth  lower  than  the  violin.  Its  part  is 
  written  in  the  alto  clef,  hence  it  is  sometimes  called  the 
  {alto}. 
 
  {Viola  da  gamba}  [It.,  viol  for  the  leg],  an  instrument 
  resembling  the  viola,  but  larger,  and  held  between  the 
  knees.  It  is  now  rarely  used 
 
  {Viola  da  spalla}  [It.,  viol  for  the  shoulder],  an  instrument 
  formerly  used  resembling  the  viola,  and  intermediate  in 
  size  between  the  viola  and  the  viola  da  gamba. 
 
  {Viola  di  amore}  [It.,  viol  of  love:  cf  F.  viole  d'amour],  a 
  viol,  larger  than  the  viola,  having  catgut  strings  upon 
  and  brass  or  steel  wires  under  the  keyboard.  These 
  sounding  sympathetically  with  the  strings,  yield  a 
  peculiarly  soft  and  silvery  sound.  It  is  now  seldom  used 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Alto  \Al"to\,  n.;  pl  {Altos}.  [It.  alto  high,  fr  L.  altus.  Cf 
  {Alt}.] 
  1.  (Mus.)  Formerly  the  part  sung  by  the  highest  male,  or 
  counter-tenor,  voices;  now  the  part  sung  by  the  lowest 
  female,  or  contralto,  voices,  between  in  tenor  and 
  soprano.  In  instrumental  music  it  now  signifies  the  tenor. 
 
  2.  An  alto  singer. 
 
  {Alto  clef}  (Mus.)  the  counter-tenor  clef,  or  the  C  clef, 
  placed  so  that  the  two  strokes  include  the  middle  line  of 
  the  staff.  --Moore. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  alto 
  adj  1:  of  or  being  the  lowest  female  voice  [syn:  {contralto}] 
  2:  of  or  being  the  highest  male  voice;  having  a  range  above 
  that  of  tenor  [syn:  {countertenor}] 
  3:  (of  a  musical  instrument)  second  highest  member  of  a  group 
  "alto  clarinet  or  recorder" 
  n  1:  a  singer  whose  voice  lies  in  the  alto  clef 
  2:  the  lowest  female  singing  voice  [syn:  {contralto}] 
  3:  the  highest  adult  male  singing  voice  [syn:  {countertenor}] 
  4:  the  pitch  range  of  the  lowest  female  voice 
 
  From  U.S.  Gazetteer  (1990)  [gazetteer]: 
 
  Alto,  GA  (town,  FIPS  1948) 
  Location:  34.46744  N,  83.57448  W 
  Population  (1990):  651  (245  housing  units) 
  Area:  2.1  sq  km  (land),  0.0  sq  km  (water) 
  Zip  code(s):  30510 
  Alto,  LA 
  Zip  code(s):  71269 
  Alto,  MI 
  Zip  code(s):  49302 
  Alto,  TX  (town,  FIPS  2188) 
  Location:  31.65044  N,  95.07086  W 
  Population  (1990):  1027  (486  housing  units) 
  Area:  4.2  sq  km  (land),  0.0  sq  km  (water) 

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