sb. Pl. solfeggi, solfeggios. [It., f. sol-fa SOL-FA.] An exercise for the voice, in which the sol-fa syllables are employed; † also transf., an exercise for a musical instrument.
1774. Joel Collier [J. L. Bicknell], Mus. Trav., Ded. p. iv. Playing his new Solfeggi to the dying groans of the obstinate Dantziggers. Ibid. (1776), 28. He was seated opposite to a glass practising some solfeggi on the flute.
1836. R. Furness, Astrol., I. Wks. (1858), 138. For Thor loved music…, Taught the sol-feggio, Aretino’s scale.
1844. Calvin & Budd, Mus. Catal., 191. Solfeggios for the Voice, with an Accompaniment for the Piano Forte.
1873. Miss Braddon, Str. & Pilgr., I. vii. 83. You can’t imagine I could spend half my existence in shrieking solfeggi.
attrib. 1867. Chamb. Encycl., IX. 480/1. The seven notes of the diatonic scale are represented by the Solfeggio syllables.
1896. Hutchinson, trans. Gounod’s Reminisc., 14. I easily held my place, even at that early age, in a Solfeggio class.
Hence Solfeggio v. rare.
1831. Examiner, 6 Nov., 708/2. The verses should be spoken, and then the music solfagioed [sic].
