A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Ferial and Festal

by George Grove

FERIAL and FESTAL. In the Christian Church from very early times the term Feria secunda was used to denote Monday, Feria tertia Tuesday, and so on. Hence the word Feria, or Ferial day, came to denote a day marked by no special observance, either of a festal or a penitential character. So far as music is concerned, the chief difference is that on the ferial days the music is less elaborate and ornate than on festal days, when it is more florid, for more voices, accompanied by the organ, etc. The two kinds are known respectively as the ferial use and festal use.

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