A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Crotchet
CROTCHET, a note which is half the value of a minim, and twice that of a quaver, and is represented thus
. The origin of the name is not known. It is apparently derived from the French croche; but croche is a quaver,
, and is so called on account of the hook at the end of its tail, whereas a crotchet has no hook. The French name for this note is noire, the Italian, semi-minima, and the German Viertel, 'a quarter'—i.e. of a semi-breve. The French call a crochet rest,
, by the pretty name of un soupir.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/83/Figure_rythmique_noire_hampe_bas.svg/6px-Figure_rythmique_noire_hampe_bas.svg.png)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/32/Figure_rythmique_croche_hampe_bas.svg/6px-Figure_rythmique_croche_hampe_bas.svg.png)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d7/Crotchet_rest_plain-svg.svg/6px-Crotchet_rest_plain-svg.svg.png)
[ G. ]