polyphonist means one who is proficient in the art of multiplying sounds; a ventriloquist. Lexicurio rates it Sui generis — a strength score of 87 out of 100.
polyphonist is pronounced /pəˈlɪfənɪst/.
Why “polyphonist” is a great word
A musician skilled in the composition or performance of polyphony. The word is formed within English from 'polyphony' (itself from Greek *polyphōnia*, from *poly-* 'many' + *phōnē* 'sound, voice') and the agent-noun suffix *-ist*. Unlike a 'contrapuntist,' who specializes in the formal rules of counterpoint, or a 'ventriloquist,' which shares the root for 'voice' but denotes a vocal illusionist, a polyphonist is a weaver of independent melodic lines into a single, complex fabric of sound. It is the intricate fugue unfolding from a harpsichord, the resonant ache of a Renaissance motet floating in a stone vault, and the living tapestry of a jazz ensemble in full flight—a testament to the human capacity to find sublime harmony not in unison, but in layered, concurrent difference.
Etymology
From polyphony + -ist.
noun
- One who is proficient in the art of multiplying sounds; a ventriloquist.
- A musician skilled at of polyphony