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
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
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for melodist
Noun
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Shot on a real-life lavish Utah estate, Mountainhead is another modern satire from Succession creator Jesse Armstrong — who reunited with that HBO drama’s composer Nicholas Britell for more unforgettable music.—
Jack Smart,
PEOPLE,
7 Sep. 2025
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Now-former The White Lotus composer Cristóbal Tapia de Veer won the Emmy Award for his theme song for the HBO series’ third season Saturday, despite the track sparking a disagreement with creator Mike White that resulted in Tapia de Veer’s exit from the show.—
Daniel Kreps,
Rolling Stone,
7 Sep. 2025
Noun
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All of the musicians will be local or have local ties.—
Michael Deeds,
Idaho Statesman,
10 Sep. 2025
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Saint Etienne is not so much a British trio of musicians but rather a band of music fans whose origins go back over 30 years, when childhood friends Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs formed the group.—
David Chiu,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Melodist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/melodist. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.
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