INTONATION

(Lat. in, and tonus, a tone.") In Music, the act of sounding with the voice the consecutive notes of the scale, or in any other given intervals. To do this correctly is the first qualification of a good singer. It is scarcely practicable without the a istance of a good ear, as well as a reference to some common idea, such as the key or mode wherein a piece is written. From the word tone, sometimes used in a sense almost identical with that of key, the word has its origin. The musical definition of this word in Todd's edition of Johnson's Dictionary, is absurdly given as " the act of singing together." [s. 622]