Symphonie

Symphonie [Gk. *symphonia], 1. OFr. name of the organistrum from ca. 1155 to 1377; later it is used in a historical sense by writers such as Mersenne, who added “qu'on nomme vielle” (that one calls vielle). During this period and after it also was known as chifonie; 2. occasional name of the drum, used in an antiquarian sense only (see: symphonia), by Arbeau, for instance, who in 1588 uses the word as syn. for tabourin; 3. MEngl.: word occurring in literature from ca. 1330 to 1430, taken over…