Quodlibet
[KWAD-lə-bet]
Part of speech: noun
Origin: Latin, 15th century
1.
(Literary) A lighthearted medley of well-known tunes.
2.
(Archaic) A topic for or exercise in philosophical or theological discussion.
Examples of Quodlibet in a sentence
"I went to a jazz brunch this weekend that opened with a quodlibet of some of my favorite songs."
"Classic songwriters Irving Berlin and Gilbert & Sullivan were fond of including quodlibets in their tunes."
About Quodlibet
“Quodlibet” is a combination of the Latin words “quod libet,” meaning “that which is pleasing.”
Did you Know?
A “quodlibet” often refers to a medley of songs, but the term can also refer to the insertion of an easily recognizable reference to another song into a new tune. For example, on his 1963 breakthrough single “Fingertips,” Stevie Wonder inserts a quodlibet of the melody of “Mary Had a Little Lamb” into a long harmonica solo. Joni Mitchell’s 1971 song “River” contains a quodlibet melody lifted from the Christmas song “Jingle Bells,” but reimagined in a more melancholy tone. The Beach Boys may have intended “Surfin' USA” to be a quodlibet to Chuck Berry, but Berry still sued for a songwriting credit. Quodlibets are not plagiarized; they are intended to be obvious and recognizable nods to other songs.
