The Ashkenazi leining for the end of an aliya generally has a drop of 4 tones. In my preferred key, that's from D to A (hit y then e on this virtual piano). However, some baalei kriah in my shul do not do this when the last word of the aliya is Hashem's name, and instead drop only a single tone (D to C, hit y then t on that piano).
I would guess that the reason for this is some notion of respect, where they don't want to make such a drop on His name.
Is there any basis in halacha or firmly established minhag for this, or is it merely a personal quirk of a few people?
Answer
You asked:
Is there any basis in halacha or firmly established minhag for this, or is it merely a personal quirk of a few people?
According to Rav שמואל פנחס גלברד it's a Minhag originating in Ashkenaz (Germany, I assume), and to this day Yekkes lein this way.
He gives a reason that it's more correct (as in honorable) to raise one's tone when saying Hashem's name than to go lower - along the lines of (תְּנוּ עֹז לֵא-לֹקִים (תהלים סח, לה - attribute Strength to Hashem.
המנהג אכן היה קיים באשכנז, ועד היום יוצאי אשכנז נוהגים לפיו. הטעם הוא, כאשר מסיימים את הפרשה או חלקה בשם ה', אין לרדת בקול, אלא להיפך, בבחינת "תנו עוז לאלקים" - (תהלים סח, לה).
Source: Shut Moreshet
I grew up in a Yekkish shul and everybody leined like that. I was taught it was to prevent the congregation humming along - and saying The Name of Hashem in vain - as some (annoyingly) tend to do as the Aliya ends.
Source: My grandfathers ז"ל
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