Ever Heard of This?

[amp]

I was having a disscussion with a "piano" friend and I referenced the D major scale. And she said "what?" Apparently in her country (Bulgaria) they use "Solfege" like "re" major scale, not letters. So, what to me is middle C to her is middle Do (or D is re). She said this is the standard outside of US for piano. Is this true? I did not think so, but how can I argue if that is how she claimed she learned it?

Sounds very different to me. From what I understand Solfege is a device really made for singers. BTW, she is a very competent pianist with a high skill level, anyway.

Thanks!

[xenon]

Yes, it is an older version of the lettering system some are accustomed to.  It originated from the development of the 12 tones.  I have better notes in some music textbook, but I don't know where it is.  If I find it, I will let you know.

In Italy, as well, they use Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Si (or Ti), and back to Do, representing C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C, respectively.  They also have a different word for flats and sharps.

[eddie92099]

Yes, in France they use this system too. However, in my experience in the UK and Asia I have not come across it except in "The Sound of Music",
Ed

[ned]

English speakers and Germans refer to the degrees of the scale as C,D,E,F etc. The Latins, however, base their nomenclature on do, re, mi, which derives from  a medieval hymn, each line of which starts a degree higher than the previous.  The re mi fa etc. are the first syllables of the Latin words that begin each line of the hymn. The first lines are: "UT queant laxis, REsonare fibris,MIra gestorum, etc""  DO has replaced UT, except in France. This is well known, but here's the practical angle. If you plan to announce your encores or have a technical conversation in another language, you need to know this stuff.  With Russians you can use either the French or the German system. If you listen to Richter or Artur Rubinstein speaking Russian you will hear them use the German system. My teacher prefers the French note names. Richter was a fluent German speaker and Rubinstein studied in Berlin.
Didn't somebody here study in Moscow? What did you say?
Solfege is a whole discipline that goes beyond naming the notes.

[ahmedito]

We use this system in mexico and in most spanish speaking countries...

[amp]

So, is it the case, that the "do-re" system is used in most places? That it is more promient, and the "C-D" way is less?