A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Fa-La

by John Hullah

FA-LA. A piece of vocal music for three or more voices, originally set wholly or in part to these two sol-fa syllables. Fa-las belong essentially to the madrigalian era, most of the composers of which have left specimens of them. They are said to be the invention of Gastoldi di Caravaggio—if the utterance of musical sounds on unmeaning syllables can be called an invention. Many of his 'balletti,' like many of the Ballets of Morley—such as 'Now is the month of Maying'—end with a lengthened Fa-la. A 4-part song known as 'The Waitts,' by an English composer Jeremiah Saville, set wholly on those syllables, is probably the most popular Fa-la in existence.

[ J. H. ]