Bob Kasenchak <[log in to unmask]> wrote on why a whole note is called a
semibreve:

>IIRC (I mean it this time!) there used to be a 'breve', which was twice the
>length of a whole note and looks something like a whole note with vertical
>lines on either side of it.

Nah!  It's 'cos that's as long a note as you could sing wivout having to
breeve!

Tim M.
Refuting solicitations