A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Pentatonon

by William Smyth Rockstro

PENTATONON (πεντάτονόν) The Greek term for the interval known in Modern Music as the Augmented Sixth, which consists, in the aggregate, of five Tones; i.e. two Greater and two Lesser Tones, and one Diatonic and one Chromatic Semitone.

The term cannot be correctly applied to the Minor Seventh, since, though this contains the aggregate of five Tones, in Equal Temperament, it contains more than that in Just two Greater and two Lesser Tones, and two Diatonic Semitones.

[ W. S. R. ]