> as lemmas

1574 F. Kinwelmersh tr. A. Le Roy Briefe Instr. Musicke Lute f. 72 The thirde parte called the greate meanes, shalbe higher by three notes then the Countertenour, in vnitie: The small meanes, fower notes higher then the greate meanes.

1654 J. Playford Breefe Introd. Skill Musick 29 The third [string is named] the Great Meane.

1658 J. Playford Breif Introd. Skill Musick (new ed.) 76 In Tuning of your Violin..the Basse or fourth string is called G sol re ut..The Third or Great Mean is D la sol re.

1756 W. Tans'ur New Musical Gram. (ed. 3) ii. ii. 96 The Viol di Gambo..is what we call our Bass-Viol, having six Strings, called, 1st the Treble; 2d Small-Mean; 3d Great-Mean; [etc.].

1859 W. Chappell Ballad Lit. & Pop. Music Olden Time I. 103 The most usual mode of tuning it [sc. the lute] was as follows:..the great mean, or third, d.

1894 I. S. E. Stigand tr. W. J. von Wasielewski Violoncello & its Hist. Introd. 2 The so-called violas (fiddles) were provided with six strings which were called, like the six lute chords, Great Bumhardt (Bombarte)..middle string (great mean); vocal string (small mean); and quint string (treble).

1982 D. Poulton John Dowland (rev. ed.) App. II. 456 The lute in Dowland's lifetime was basically a six-course instrument... In descending order of pitch these courses were named Treble, Small mean, Great mean, Contra- tenor, Tenor and Bass.