The conductus (plural: conducti) was a sacred Latin song in the Middle Ages, one whose poetry and music were newly composed. It is non-liturgical since its Latin lyric borrows little from previous chants. The conductus was northern French equivalent of the versus, which flourished in …

Conductus, in medieval music, a metrical Latin song of ceremonial character for one, two, or three voices. The word first appeared in mid-12th-century manuscripts with reference to processional pieces. In the 13th century the conductus was one of three genres that dominated French polyphonic music.

The meaning of CONDUCTUS is a medieval vocal composition consisting of one to four voice parts the lowest of which is composed of a Latin text set to an invented melody and accompanied homophonically by the other voices.

There is one meaning in OED's entry for the noun conductus. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definition, usage, and quotation evidence.

Originally the conductus was a monodic processional song intended to accompany the actions of the priest or the faithful during the service -- hence its name. But by the end of the 12th century it had been affected by the advent of polyphony.

The conductus (plural: conducti) was a sacred Latin song in the Middle Ages, one whose poetry and music were newly composed. It is non-liturgical since its Latin lyric borrows little from previous chants.

Polyphony in music and meaning (content of the verses). Two or even four voices. The aesthetic element gains priority over the clarity of consciousness. Think of Adam de la Halle. Like the motet, but the first voice (tenor) is no longer obliged to sing a religious text.

This often-hedged explanation for the basic etymological derivation of the conductus has arisen for two main reasons: because of rubrics often asso- ciated with the term; and because of the supposed root meaning for the verb conducere from which it is drawn.

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Vt qui conducti plorant in funere dicunt et faciunt prope plura dolentibus ex animo, sic derisor uero plus laudatore mouetur. Find more Latin words with our Advanced Search functionality.