as in composer
a person who writes musical compositions
a melodist whose music is not likely to be very accessible to the casual listener
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Recent Examples of melodist
The album puts a further exclamation point on Schwartz’s rare brilliance as both melodist and lyricist, a la Sondheim.
—
Chris Willman, Variety, 23 Nov. 2024
In Radiance Rising, inspired by anime openings, Ben Spivey imagines the violins as melodists, the viola as an electric guitar, the cello as percussion, progressing to a dancelike ending.
—Scott Cantrell, Dallas News, 24 Apr. 2023
His poetry has been continuously set to music by composers, from his contemporaries to still-living melodists, including Carrie Jacobs-Bond, John Alden Carpenter, Harry Thacker Burleigh, William Bolcom and Zenobia Powell Perry.
—Minnita Daniel-Cox, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 Mar. 2023
The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center’s six-concert winter festival, the Magic of Schubert, considers the legacy of a melodist both gracious and sublime, all culminating in the unrushed pleasures of Schubert’s hour-long Octet in F Major (Jan. 22-Feb. 10).
—Oussama Zahr, The New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2022
Harrison liked to say music is a song and a dance, and in the last decades of the 20th century no one could touch him as a melodist.
—Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 2 Dec. 2020
As a tunesmith, the nonpareil melodist Bacharach found fame in every medium.
—Chris Morris, Variety, 9 Feb. 2023
But the Romanian conductor happens to be music director of the Cabrillo Festival, which was founded by Lou Harrison, California’s great melodist and eclectic.
—Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 5 Aug. 2022
Where Lang Lang is a melodist, Wang is marvel of rhythm.
—Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2022
Chris Willman, Variety, 23 Nov. 2024
In Radiance Rising, inspired by anime openings, Ben Spivey imagines the violins as melodists, the viola as an electric guitar, the cello as percussion, progressing to a dancelike ending.
—Scott Cantrell, Dallas News, 24 Apr. 2023
His poetry has been continuously set to music by composers, from his contemporaries to still-living melodists, including Carrie Jacobs-Bond, John Alden Carpenter, Harry Thacker Burleigh, William Bolcom and Zenobia Powell Perry.
—Minnita Daniel-Cox, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 Mar. 2023
The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center’s six-concert winter festival, the Magic of Schubert, considers the legacy of a melodist both gracious and sublime, all culminating in the unrushed pleasures of Schubert’s hour-long Octet in F Major (Jan. 22-Feb. 10).
—Oussama Zahr, The New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2022
Harrison liked to say music is a song and a dance, and in the last decades of the 20th century no one could touch him as a melodist.
—Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 2 Dec. 2020
As a tunesmith, the nonpareil melodist Bacharach found fame in every medium.
—Chris Morris, Variety, 9 Feb. 2023
But the Romanian conductor happens to be music director of the Cabrillo Festival, which was founded by Lou Harrison, California’s great melodist and eclectic.
—Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 5 Aug. 2022
Where Lang Lang is a melodist, Wang is marvel of rhythm.
—Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for melodist
Noun
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The cellist and composer, 36, makes music out of noise others might wish to tune out: turn-signal clicks, a far-off tornado siren test, the hums of refrigerators.—
Hannah Edgar,
Chicago Tribune,
10 May 2025
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The family of the late record producer and composer is selling his longtime residence in the coveted Lower Bel Air enclave of Los Angeles for $60 million.—
Wendy Bowman,
Robb Report,
9 May 2025
Noun
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After several women came forward with claims that the musician had raped them, the Bad Boy Records founder denied all of the allegations in a statement to PEOPLE in December 2023.—
Jordana Comiter,
People.com,
14 May 2025
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The country musician took the stage alongside his band for the rollicking tune, which reflects on a free-spirited woman who’s vanished from his life (but who is probably in Texas).—
Emily Zemler,
Rolling Stone,
14 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Melodist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/melodist. Accessed 24 May. 2025.
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