1.44 breve

Note value: twice the length of a whole note (semibreve).

Mainly used in music from before 1650. In mensural notation, it was a note of fairly short duration—hence the name, which is Latin for ‘short’ or ‘of short duration’.

[image of music]

See also

mensural notation, note value, semibreve.

LilyPond Music Glossary v2.25.22 (development-branch).