What Does Diminution Mean?
Diminution is derived from the Italian word diminuimento. It is usually known as a process of diminishing, in other words anything that is lessening or reduction. In terms of music it refers to a theme in notes of minor length, usually one-half, of the original. It also holds different meanings in terms of melodies and intervals or chords. Diminution is also a mocking technique. It reduces the dimension so that it may appear to be ridiculous, or in order to be intimately examined. One of the well known examples of a diminutive satire is Gulliver’s Travels. It is also referred to as a division in terms of Schenkerian analysis.
