What is the origin of Do Re Mi?
The origin of the use these specific names for the notes starts with the comment at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solfege that there is a variation “Do, Re, Mi, Fa, So, La, Si, Do” that is used in Continental Europe and was common in English-speaking countries until John Curwen changed Si to Ti so each syllable would start with a different letter. Hence one needs to look at Do, Re, Mi, Fa, So, La, Si, Do. The sub-article at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ut_queant_laxis gives something of the flavour of the origin – it comes from a hymn and “Do” is ‘probably inspired by the word Dominus (Lord)’ and the main article indicates that Solfege had been discussed in the Upanishads, philosophical and spiritual commentaries. Expanding on this is the following explanation which I have heard. The names of the notes are the first t
