A variety of
music
Music is generally defined as the art of arranging sound to create some combination of form, harmony, melody, rhythm or otherwise expressive content. Exact definitions of music vary considerably around the world, though it is an aspect ...
al terms are likely to be encountered in
printed scores,
music reviews, and
program notes
A concert program is a selection and ordering, or programming, of pieces to be performed at an occasion, or concert. Programs may be influenced by the available ensemble of instruments, by performer ability or skill, by theme ( historical, progra ...
. Most of the terms
are Italian, in accordance with the Italian origins of many European musical conventions. Sometimes, the special musical meanings of these phrases differ from the original or current Italian meanings. Most of the other terms are taken from
French and
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
**Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ger ...
, indicated by ''Fr.'' and ''Ger.'', respectively.
Unless specified, the terms are Italian or English. The list can never be complete: some terms are common, and others are used only occasionally, and new ones are coined from time to time. Some composers prefer terms from their own language rather than the standard terms listed here.
0–9
![Hollywood High Organ Opus 481 100 0718 600x800](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/db/Hollywood_High_Organ_Opus_481_100_0718_600x800.jpg)
; 1′ : "sifflet" or one foot organ stop
; I : usually for
orchestral string instruments, used to indicate that the player should play the passage on the highest-pitched, thinnest string
; ′ : Tierce organ stop
; 2′ : two feet –
pipe organ
The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air (called ''wind'') through the organ pipes selected from a keyboard. Because each pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ''ranks ...
indication; see
; ′ : pipe organ stop for the twelfth interval
; II : usually for orchestral string instruments, used to indicate that the player should play the passage on the string adjacent to the highest-pitched, thinnest string, ie the highest string
; II : cymbal stop on pipe organ
; III : usually for orchestral string instruments, used to indicate that the player should play the passage on string adjacent to (but higher in pitch) than the lowest-pitched, thickest string, ie the third-highest string
; 4′: four feet –
pipe organ
The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air (called ''wind'') through the organ pipes selected from a keyboard. Because each pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ''ranks ...
rank that speaks one
octave
In music, an octave ( la, octavus: eighth) or perfect octave (sometimes called the diapason) is the interval between one musical pitch and another with double its frequency. The octave relationship is a natural phenomenon that has been refer ...
higher than 8′
; IV : usually for orchestral string instruments, used to indicate that the player should play the passage on the lowest-pitched, thickest string, ie the fourth-highest string
; IV–VI :
mixture stop A mixture is an organ stop, usually of principal tone quality, that contains multiple ranks of pipes including at least one mutation stop. It is designed to be drawn with a combination of stops that forms a complete chorus (for example, principals ...
on pipe organ
; 8′ :
eight-foot pipe – pipe organ indication
; 16′ : sixteen-foot pipe – pipe organ indication calling for one octave below 8′
; 32′ : thirty-two-foot pipe – pipe organ indication calling for two octaves below 8′ also called ''sub-bass''
; 64′ : sixty-four-foot pipe – pipe organ indication (only a few organs have this deep a pitch)
A
; a
or à (
Fr.) : at, to, by, for, in
; à la (
Fr.) : in the style of...
; a battuta : Return to normal tempo after a deviation. Not recommended in string parts, due to possible confusion with ''battuto'' (qv.); use ''a tempo'', which means the same thing
; a bene placito : Up to the performer
;
a cappella
''A cappella'' (, also , ; ) music is a performance by a singer or a singing group without instrumental accompaniment, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. The term ''a cappella'' was originally intended to differentiate between Ren ...
: lit. "as in a chapel"; vocal parts only, without instrumental accompaniment
;
a capriccio
''A capriccio'' (Italian: "following one's fancy") is a tempo marking indicating a free and capricious approach to the tempo (and possibly the style) of the piece. This marking will usually modify another, such as ''lento a capriccio'', often us ...
: A free and capricious approach to tempo
;
a due A due in Italian or à deux in French is a musical direction meaning "for two". Most often seen in its abbreviated form ''a2'', the marking signifies that on a staff that normally carries parts for two players, both players are to play the single ...
(a 2): intended as a duet; for two voices or instruments; together; two instruments are to play in unison after a solo passage for one of the instruments
; a niente: To nothing; indicating a diminuendo which fades completely away
; a piacere : At pleasure (i.e. the performer need not follow the
rhythm
Rhythm (from Greek , ''rhythmos'', "any regular recurring motion, symmetry") generally means a " movement marked by the regulated succession of strong and weak elements, or of opposite or different conditions". This general meaning of regular recu ...
strictly, for example in a cadenza)
; a prima vista : ''lit.'' "at first sight".
Sight-reading
In music, sight-reading, also called ''a prima vista'' (Italian meaning "at first sight"), is the practice of reading and performing of a piece in a music notation that the performer has not seen or learned before. Sight-singing is used to descri ...
(i.e. played or sung from written notation but without prior review of the written material; refer to the figure)
; a tempo : In time (i.e. the performer should return to the main tempo of the piece, such as after an ''accelerando'' or ''ritardando''); also may be found in combination with other terms such as ''a tempo giusto'' (in strict time) or ''a tempo di menuetto'' (at the speed of a minuet)
; ab (
Ger.) : off, organ stops or mutes
; abafando (
Port.) : muffled, muted
; abandon or avec (
Fr.) : free, unrestrained, passionate
; abbandonatamente, con abbandono : freely, in relaxed mode
; aber (
Ger.) : but
;
accarezzevole : Expressive and caressing
; (accel.) : Accelerating; gradually increasing the
tempo
In musical terminology, tempo (Italian, 'time'; plural ''tempos'', or ''tempi'' from the Italian plural) is the speed or pace of a given piece. In classical music, tempo is typically indicated with an instruction at the start of a piece (often ...
; accelerato : with increased tempo
;
accent : Accent, emphasis
; accentato/accentuato : Accented; with emphasis
; acceso : Ignited, on fire
; accessible : Music that is easy to listen to/understand
; acciaccato : Broken down, crushed; the sounding of the notes of a chord not quite simultaneously, but from bottom to top
;
acciaccatura
In music, ornaments or embellishments are musical flourishes—typically, added notes—that are not essential to carry the overall line of the melody (or harmony), but serve instead to decorate or "ornament" that line (or harmony), provide added ...
: Crushing (i.e. a very fast
grace note
A grace note is a kind of music notation denoting several kinds of musical ornaments. It is usually printed smaller to indicate that it is melodically and harmonically nonessential. When occurring by itself, a single grace note indicates eithe ...
that is "crushed" against the note that follows and takes up no value in the measure)
;
accidental: A note that is not part of the scale indicated by the key signature.
; : Accompanied (i.e. with the accompaniment following the soloist, who may speed up or slow down at will)
; accuratezza : Precision; accuracy. ''con accuratezza'': with precision
;
acoustic : Relating to music produced by instruments, as opposed to
electric
Electricity is the set of physical phenomena associated with the presence and motion of matter that has a property of electric charge. Electricity is related to magnetism, both being part of the phenomenon of electromagnetism, as described by ...
or
electronic
Electronic may refer to:
*Electronics, the science of how to control electric energy in semiconductor
* ''Electronics'' (magazine), a defunct American trade journal
*Electronic storage, the storage of data using an electronic device
*Electronic co ...
means
;
ad libitum
In music and other performing arts, the phrase (; from Latin for 'at one's pleasure' or 'as you desire'), often shortened to "ad lib" (as an adjective or adverb) or "ad-lib" (as a verb or noun), refers to various forms of improvisation.
The r ...
(commonly ''ad lib''; Latin) : At liberty (i.e. the speed and manner of execution are left to the performer. It can also mean
improvisation
Improvisation is the activity of making or doing something not planned beforehand, using whatever can be found. Improvisation in the performing arts is a very spontaneous performance without specific or scripted preparation. The skills of impr ...
.)
; adagietto : Fairly slowly (but faster than adagio)
; adagio : Slowly
; adagissimo : Very, very slowly
; affannato, affannoso : Anguished
; affetto or : with
affect (that is, with emotion)
; affettuoso, affettuosamente, or affectueusement (
Fr.) : With
affect (that is, with emotion); see also ''
con affetto
A variety of musical terms are likely to be encountered in printed scores, music reviews, and program notes. Most of the terms are Italian, in accordance with the Italian origins of many European musical conventions. Sometimes, the special mus ...
''
; : Hurrying, pressing onwards
; agile : Agile, nimble
; agitato : Agitated
; al or alla : To the, in the manner of (''al'' before masculine nouns, ''alla'' before feminine)
; alcuna licenza : Used in ''con alcuna licenza'', meaning (play) with some freedom in the time, see ''
rubato Tempo rubato (, , ; 'free in the presentation', literally ) is a musical term referring to expressive and rhythmic freedom by a slight speeding up and then slowing down of the tempo of a piece at the discretion of the soloist or the conductor. Rub ...
''
;
alla breve
''Alla breve'' also known as cut time or cut common timeis a musical meter notated by the time signature symbol (a C with a vertical line through it), which is the equivalent of . The term is Italian for "on the breve", originally meaning tha ...
: In cut-time; two beats per measure or the equivalent thereof
; alla marcia : In the style of a march
; alla polacca : In the style of a
polonaise
The polonaise (, ; pl, polonez ) is a dance of Polish origin, one of the five Polish national dances in time. Its name is French for "Polish" adjective feminine/"Polish woman"/"girl". The original Polish name of the dance is Chodzony, meani ...
, a dance
; allargando : Broadening, becoming progressively slower
;
allegretto
In musical terminology, tempo (Italian, 'time'; plural ''tempos'', or ''tempi'' from the Italian plural) is the speed or pace of a given piece. In classical music, tempo is typically indicated with an instruction at the start of a piece (often ...
: A little lively, moderately fast
; allegretto vivace : A moderately quick tempo
; allegrezza : Cheerfulness, joyfulness
; allegrissimo : Very fast, though slower than presto
; allegro : Cheerful or brisk; but commonly interpreted as lively, fast
; all'ottava : "at the octave", see
ottava
; alt (
Eng.), alt dom, or altered dominant : A jazz term which instructs chord-playing musicians such as a jazz pianist or jazz guitarist to perform a dominant (V7) chord with at least one (often both) altered (sharpened or flattened) 5th or 9th
; altissimo : Very high; see also ''
in altissimo
A variety of musical terms are likely to be encountered in printed scores, music reviews, and program notes. Most of the terms are Italian, in accordance with the Italian origins of many European musical conventions. Sometimes, the special mus ...
''
; alto : High; often refers to a particular range of voice, higher than a tenor but lower than a soprano
; alzate sordini : Lift or raise the
mutes (i.e. remove mutes)
; am Steg (
Ger.) : At the bridge (i.e. playing a bowed string instrument near its bridge, which produces a heavier, stronger tone); see
sul ponticello
A variety of musical terms are likely to be encountered in Sheet music, printed scores, music reviews, and program notes. Most of the terms Italian musical terms used in English, are Italian, in accordance with the Italian origins of many Europea ...
; amabile : Amiable, pleasant
;
ambitus
In ancient Roman law, ''ambitus'' was a crime of political corruption, mainly a candidate's attempt to influence the outcome (or direction) of an election through bribery or other forms of soft power. The Latin word ''ambitus'' is the origin ...
: Range between highest and lowest note
; amore
or amor (Sp./Port., sometimes It.) : Love; ''con amore'': with love, tenderly
; amoroso : Loving
;
anacrusis
In poetic and musical meter, and by analogy in publishing, an anacrusis (from , , literally: 'pushing up', plural ''anacruses'') is a brief introduction (distinct from a literary or musical introduction, foreword, or preface).
It is a set of s ...
: A note or notes that precede the first full bar; a pickup
;
andamento
Andamento is an Italian musical term used to refer to a fugue subject of above-average length.
Definition
The term was coined by G.B. Martini in the second volume of his work ''Esemplare, ossia Saggio fondamentale pratico di contrappunto'' (1 ...
: Used to refer to a fugue subject of above-average length
; andante : At a walking pace (i.e. at a moderate tempo)
; andantino : Slightly faster than ''andante'' (but earlier it is sometimes used to mean slightly slower than ''andante'')
; ängstlich (
Ger.) : Anxiously
; anima : Soul; ''con anima'': with feeling
; animandosi : Progressively more animated
; animato : Animated, lively
;
antiphon
An antiphon (Greek ἀντίφωνον, ἀντί "opposite" and φωνή "voice") is a short chant in Christian ritual, sung as a refrain. The texts of antiphons are the Psalms. Their form was favored by St Ambrose and they feature prominently ...
: A liturgical or other composition consisting of choral responses, sometimes between two choirs; a passage of this nature forming part of another composition; a repeated passage in a psalm or other liturgical piece, similar to a
refrain
A refrain (from Vulgar Latin ''refringere'', "to repeat", and later from Old French ''refraindre'') is the line or lines that are repeated in music or in poetry — the "chorus" of a song. Poetic fixed forms that feature refrains include the vi ...
.
[''Collins Music Encyclopedia'', 1959.]
; antiphonal: A style of composition in which two sections of singers or instrumentalists exchange sections or music one after the other; typically the performers are on different sides of a hall or venue
; apaisé (
Fr.) : Calmed
; appassionato : Passionate
;
appoggiatura
An appoggiatura ( , ; german: Vorschlag or ; french: port de voix) is a musical ornament that consists of an added non-chord note in a melody that is resolved to the regular note of the chord. By putting the non-chord tone on a strong beat, (ty ...
or leaning note : One or more
grace note
A grace note is a kind of music notation denoting several kinds of musical ornaments. It is usually printed smaller to indicate that it is melodically and harmonically nonessential. When occurring by itself, a single grace note indicates eithe ...
s that take up some note value of the next full note.
;
arco
ARCO ( ) is a brand of gasoline stations currently owned by Marathon Petroleum after BP sold its rights. BP commercializes the brand in Northern California, Oregon and Washington, while Marathon has rights for the rest of the United States an ...
:The bow used for playing some string instruments (i.e. played with the bow, as opposed to
pizzicato
Pizzicato (, ; translated as "pinched", and sometimes roughly as "plucked") is a playing technique that involves plucking the strings of a string instrument. The exact technique varies somewhat depending on the type of instrument :
* On bowed ...
, in music for bowed instruments); normally used to cancel a pizzicato direction
;
aria
In music, an aria (Italian: ; plural: ''arie'' , or ''arias'' in common usage, diminutive form arietta , plural ariette, or in English simply air) is a self-contained piece for one voice, with or without instrumental or orchestral accompanime ...
: Self-contained piece for one voice usually with orchestral accompaniment (which may be provided by a pianist using an
orchestral reduction
In music, a reduction is an arrangement or transcription of an existing score or composition in which complexity is lessened to make analysis, performance, or practice easier or clearer; the number of parts may be reduced or rhythm may be si ...
)
; arietta : A short aria
;
arioso
In classical music, arioso (also aria parlante ) is a category of solo vocal piece, usually occurring in an opera or oratorio, falling somewhere between recitative and aria in style. Literally, arioso means ''airy''. The term arose in the 16th ...
: Airy, or like an air (a melody) (i.e. in the manner of an aria); melodious
; armonioso : Harmonious
;
arpeggio
A broken chord is a chord broken into a sequence of notes. A broken chord may repeat some of the notes from the chord and span one or more octaves.
An arpeggio () is a type of broken chord, in which the notes that compose a chord are played ...
, arpeggiato: played like a
harp
The harp is a stringed musical instrument that has a number of individual strings running at an angle to its soundboard; the strings are plucked with the fingers. Harps can be made and played in various ways, standing or sitting, and in orche ...
(i.e. the notes of the
chords
Chord may refer to:
* Chord (music), an aggregate of musical pitches sounded simultaneously
** Guitar chord a chord played on a guitar, which has a particular tuning
* Chord (geometry), a line segment joining two points on a curve
* Chord (as ...
are to be played quickly one after another instead of simultaneously); in music for
piano
The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keyboa ...
, this is sometimes a solution in playing a wide-ranging chord whose notes cannot be played otherwise; arpeggios are frequently used as an accompaniment; see also
broken chord
A broken chord is a chord broken into a sequence of notes. A broken chord may repeat some of the notes from the chord and span one or more octaves.
An arpeggio () is a type of broken chord, in which the notes that compose a chord are played ...
; articulato : Articulate
; assai : Much, Very much
; assez (
Fr.) : Enough, sufficiently
;attacca :Attack or attach; go straight on (i.e. at the end of a
movement
Movement may refer to:
Common uses
* Movement (clockwork), the internal mechanism of a timepiece
* Motion, commonly referred to as movement
Arts, entertainment, and media
Literature
* "Movement" (short story), a short story by Nancy Fu ...
, a direction to attach the next movement to the previous one, without a gap or pause). Often used as "''attacca subito''," meaning a "sudden" movement transition (literally, "''attack suddenly''").
; Ausdruck (
Ger.) : Expression
; ausdrucksvoll or mit Ausdruck (
Ger.) : Expressively, with expression
; avec (
Fr.) : With
B
; : German for
B flat (also in Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, Icelandic, Danish, Croatian, Estonian and Hungarian); ''H'' in German is
B natural
; : (from the Italian ''Ballabile'' meaning "danceable") In
ballet
Ballet () is a type of performance dance that originated during the Italian Renaissance in the fifteenth century and later developed into a concert dance form in France and Russia. It has since become a widespread and highly technical form of ...
the term refers to a dance performed by the ''
corps de ballet
In ballet, the ''corps de ballet'' (; French for "body of the ballet") is the group of dancers who are not principal dancers or soloists. They are a permanent part of the ballet company and often work as a backdrop for the principal dancers.
...
''. The term ''Grand ballabile'' is used if nearly all participants (including principal characters) of a particular scene in a full-length work perform a large-scale dance.
;
bar
Bar or BAR may refer to:
Food and drink
* Bar (establishment), selling alcoholic beverages
* Candy bar
* Chocolate bar
Science and technology
* Bar (river morphology), a deposit of sediment
* Bar (tropical cyclone), a layer of cloud
* Bar (u ...
, or measure : unit of music containing a number of
beats as indicated by a
time signature
The time signature (also known as meter signature, metre signature, or measure signature) is a notational convention used in Western musical notation to specify how many beats (pulses) are contained in each measure (bar), and which note value ...
; also the vertical bar enclosing it.
; : Barbarous (notably used in ''
Allegro barbaro'' by
Béla Bartók
Béla Viktor János Bartók (; ; 25 March 1881 – 26 September 1945) was a Hungarian composer, pianist, and ethnomusicologist. He is considered one of the most important composers of the 20th century; he and Franz Liszt are regarded as H ...
)
; : A term that instructs string performers to play a pizzicato note to pull the string away from the fingerboard so that it snaps back percussively on the fingerboard.
; : The lowest of the standard four voice ranges (bass, tenor, alto, soprano); the lowest melodic line in a musical composition, often thought of as defining and supporting the
harmony
In music, harmony is the process by which individual sounds are joined together or composed into whole units or compositions. Often, the term harmony refers to simultaneously occurring frequencies, pitches ( tones, notes), or chords. However ...
; in an orchestral context, the term usually refers to the
double bass
The double bass (), also known simply as the bass () (or #Terminology, by other names), is the largest and lowest-pitched Bow (music), bowed (or plucked) string instrument in the modern orchestra, symphony orchestra (excluding unorthodox addit ...
.
; : Continuous bass, i.e. a bass
accompaniment
Accompaniment is the musical part which provides the rhythmic and/or harmonic support for the melody or main themes of a song or instrumental piece. There are many different styles and types of accompaniment in different genres and styles ...
part played continuously throughout a piece by a chordal instrument (pipe organ, harpischord, lute, etc.), often with a bass instrument, to give harmonic structure; used especially in the
Baroque
The Baroque (, ; ) is a style of architecture, music, dance, painting, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished in Europe from the early 17th century until the 1750s. In the territories of the Spanish and Portuguese empires including t ...
period
; (
Fr.) : Used in the 17th century to refer to ornaments consisting of two adjacent notes, such as
trills or
mordent
In music, a mordent is an ornament indicating that the note is to be played with ''a single'' rapid alternation with the note above or below. Like trills, they can be chromatically modified by a small flat, sharp or natural accidental. The ter ...
s
; (
Ital.) : To strike the strings with the bow (on a bowed stringed instrument)
; : Horizontal or diagonal line used to connect multiple consecutive
notes
Note, notes, or NOTE may refer to:
Music and entertainment
* Musical note, a pitched sound (or a symbol for a sound) in music
* Notes (album), ''Notes'' (album), a 1987 album by Paul Bley and Paul Motian
* ''Notes'', a common (yet unofficial) sho ...
.
; :
# The pronounced
rhythm
Rhythm (from Greek , ''rhythmos'', "any regular recurring motion, symmetry") generally means a " movement marked by the regulated succession of strong and weak elements, or of opposite or different conditions". This general meaning of regular recu ...
of music
# One single stroke of a
rhythm
Rhythm (from Greek , ''rhythmos'', "any regular recurring motion, symmetry") generally means a " movement marked by the regulated succession of strong and weak elements, or of opposite or different conditions". This general meaning of regular recu ...
ic accent
; or (
Ger.) : Spirited, vivacious, lively
; : Warlike, aggressive (English cognate is "bellicose")
;
or : Well; in ''ben marcato'' ("well marked") for example
; : Jazz term referring either to establishing a pitch, sliding down half a step and returning to the original pitch or sliding up half a step from the original note.
; (
Ger.) : Accelerated, as in ''mit beschleunigter Geschwindigkeit'', at an accelerated tempo
; (
Ger.) : Moved, with speed
; : A musical form in two sections: AB
; : A slang term for ''
fermata
A fermata (; "from ''fermare'', to stay, or stop"; also known as a hold, pause, colloquially a birdseye or cyclops eye, or as a grand pause when placed on a note or a rest) is a symbol of musical notation indicating that the note should be pr ...
'', which instructs the performer to hold a note or chord as long as they wish or following cues from a
conductor
; (
Fr., It.) : Twice (i.e. repeat the relevant action or passage)
; : Whispering (i.e. a special tremolo effect on the
harp
The harp is a stringed musical instrument that has a number of individual strings running at an angle to its soundboard; the strings are plucked with the fingers. Harps can be made and played in various ways, standing or sitting, and in orche ...
where a chord or note is rapidly repeated at a low volume)
; : with closed mouth (sometimes abbreviated B.C.)
; : Boldness; as in ''con bravura'', boldly, flaunting technical skill
; (
Ger.) : Broad
; :
# Transitional passage connecting two sections of a composition, or between two A sections (e.g., in an A/B/A form).
# Part of a violin family or guitar/lute stringed instrument that holds the strings in place and transmits their vibrations to the resonant body of the instrument.
; : Brilliantly, with sparkle. Play in a showy and spirited style.
;
or : Vigour; usually in ''con brio'': with spirit or vigour
; : A
chord in which the notes are not all played at once, but in some more or less consistent sequence. They may follow singly one after the other, or two notes may be immediately followed by another two, for example. See also ''
arpeggio
A broken chord is a chord broken into a sequence of notes. A broken chord may repeat some of the notes from the chord and span one or more octaves.
An arpeggio () is a type of broken chord, in which the notes that compose a chord are played ...
'', which as an accompaniment pattern may be seen as a kind of broken chord; see
Alberti bass
Alberti bass is a particular kind of accompaniment figure (music), figure in music, often used in the classical music era, Classical era, and sometimes the Romantic music, Romantic era. It was named after Domenico Alberti (1710–1740/46), ...
.
; : Brusquely, suddenly
C
; cabaletta: The concluding, rapid, audience-rousing section of an aria
;
cadence
In Western musical theory, a cadence (Latin ''cadentia'', "a falling") is the end of a phrase in which the melody or harmony creates a sense of full or partial resolution, especially in music of the 16th century onwards.Don Michael Randel (1999) ...
: A melodic or harmonic configuration that creates a sense of resolution
;
cadenza
In music, a cadenza (from it, cadenza, link=no , meaning cadence; plural, ''cadenze'' ) is, generically, an improvisation, improvised or written-out ornament (music), ornamental passage (music), passage played or sung by a solo (music), sol ...
: A solo section, usually in a
concerto
A concerto (; plural ''concertos'', or ''concerti'' from the Italian plural) is, from the late Baroque era, mostly understood as an instrumental composition, written for one or more soloists accompanied by an orchestra or other ensemble. The typi ...
or similar work, that is used to display the performer's technique, sometimes at considerable length
; calando : Falling away, or lowering (i.e. getting slower and quieter; ritardando along with diminuendo)
; calma : Calm; so ''con calma'', calmly. Also calmato meaning calmed, relaxed
; calore : Warmth; so ''con calore'', warmly
; cambiare : To change (i.e. any change, such as to a new instrument)
;
cambiata Cambiata, or ''nota cambiata'' (Italian for ''changed note''), has a number of different and related meanings in music. Generally it refers to a pattern in a homophonic or polyphonic (and usually contrapuntal) setting of a melody where a note is s ...
: An ornamental tone following a principal tone by a skip up or down, usually of a third, and proceeding in the opposite direction by a step, not to be confused with changing tone.
;
canon
Canon or Canons may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* Canon (fiction), the conceptual material accepted as official in a fictional universe by its fan base
* Literary canon, an accepted body of works considered as high culture
** Western ca ...
or kanon (
Ger.) : A theme that is repeated and imitated and built upon by other instruments with a time delay, creating a layered effect; see
Pachelbel's Canon
Pachelbel's Canon (also known as the Canon in D, P 37) is an accompanied canon by the German Baroque composer Johann Pachelbel. The canon was originally scored for three violins and basso continuo and paired with a gigue, known as ''Canon and G ...
.
;
cantabile
In music, ''cantabile'' , an Italian word, means literally "singable" or "songlike". In instrumental music, it is a particular style of playing designed to imitate the human voice.
For 18th-century composers, ''cantabile'' is often synonymous wi ...
or cantando : In a singing style. In instrumental music, a style of playing that imitates the way the human voice might express the music, with a measured tempo and flexible legato.
;
cantilena
A cantilena (Italian for "lullaby" and Latin for "old, familiar song") is a vocal melody or instrumental passage in a smooth, lyrical style.
References
{{classical-music-stub
Classical music styles ...
: a vocal melody or instrumental passage in a smooth, lyrical style
; canto : Chorus; choral; chant
; cantus mensuratus or cantus figuratus (
Lat.)
:Meaning respectively "measured song" or "figured song". Originally used by medieval music theorists, it refers to
polyphonic
Polyphony ( ) is a type of musical texture consisting of two or more simultaneous lines of independent melody, as opposed to a musical texture with just one voice, monophony, or a texture with one dominant melodic voice accompanied by chords, h ...
song with exactly
measured notes and is used in contrast to
cantus planus
Plainsong or plainchant (calque from the French ''plain-chant''; la, cantus planus) is a body of chants used in the liturgies of the Western Church. When referring to the term plainsong, it is those sacred pieces that are composed in Latin text. ...
. A later term for cantus mensuratus or cantus figuratus is cantus musicus ("musical song").
; capo :1.
capo (short for ''capotasto'': "nut") : A key-changing device for stringed instruments (e.g. guitars and banjos)
: 2. head (i.e. the beginning, as in ''
da capo
Da capo (, also , ) is an Italian musical term that means "from the beginning" (literally, "from the head"). It is often abbreviated as D.C. The term is a directive to repeat the previous part of music, often used to save space, and thus is an ...
'')
; capriccio : "A humorous, fanciful, or bizarre, composition, often characterized by an idiosyncratic departure from current stylistic norms." ''See also:
Capriccio (disambiguation)''
; capriccioso : Capricious, unpredictable, volatile
; cassa : Drum, usually an orchestral bass drum. Sometimes written as Gran Cassa where Gran specifically means Bass
; cavalleresco : Chivalrous (used in Carl Nielsen's
violin concerto
A violin concerto is a concerto for solo violin (occasionally, two or more violins) and instrumental ensemble (customarily orchestra). Such works have been written since the Baroque period, when the solo concerto form was first developed, up thro ...
)
; cédez (
Fr.) : Yield, give way
;
cesura
image:Music-caesura.svg, 300px, An example of a caesura in modern western music notation
A caesura (, . caesuras or caesurae; Latin for "cutting"), also written cæsura and cesura, is a Metre (poetry), metrical pause or break in a Verse (poetry), ...
or caesura (
Lat.) : Break, stop; (i.e. a complete break in sound) (sometimes nicknamed "railroad tracks" in reference to their appearance)
; chiuso : Closed (i.e. muted by hand) (for a horn, or similar instrument; but see also ''
bocca chiusa'', which uses the feminine form)
;
coda
Coda or CODA may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Films
* Movie coda, a post-credits scene
* ''Coda'' (1987 film), an Australian horror film about a serial killer, made for television
*''Coda'', a 2017 American experimental film from Na ...
: A tail (i.e. a closing section appended to a movement)
;
codetta
In music, a coda () (Italian for "tail", plural ''code'') is a passage that brings a piece (or a movement) to an end. It may be as simple as a few measures, or as complex as an entire section.
In classical music
The presence of a coda as a st ...
: A small coda, but usually applied to a passage appended to a ''section'' of a movement, not to a whole movement
; or : with the (''col'' before a masculine noun, ''colla'' before a feminine noun); (see next for example)
; col canto : with the singing, see '' colla voce''
;
col legno
In music for bowed string instruments, , or more precisely (, ), is an instruction to strike the string with the stick of the bow across the strings.
History
The earliest known use of in Western music is to be found in a piece entitled "Har ...
: with the wood: for bowed strings, strike the strings with the stick of the bow (''col legno battuto'') or draw the stick across the strings (''col legno tratto'')
; col pugno : With the fist (e.g., bang the piano with the fist)
;
coll'ottava
In music, an octave ( la, octavus: eighth) or perfect octave (sometimes called the diapason) is the interval between one musical pitch and another with double its frequency. The octave relationship is a natural phenomenon that has been refer ...
: With the addition of the octave note above or below the written note; abbreviated as ''col 8'', ''coll' 8'', and ''c. 8va''
; : literally "with the part". An indication that another (written-out) part should be followed, i.e. accommodate the tempo, expression, phrasing, and possible ''rubato'' of the leading part. In vocal music, also expressed by colla voce
; colla voce : literally "with the voice". An instruction, in a choral or orchestral part, that a vocal part should be followed, e.g., play the same notes as the vocal part and accommodate the tempo, expression, etc. of the vocalist
;
coloratura
Coloratura is an elaborate melody with runs, trills, wide leaps, or similar virtuoso-like material,''Oxford American Dictionaries''.Apel (1969), p. 184. or a passage of such music. Operatic roles in which such music plays a prominent part, an ...
: Coloration (i.e. elaborate ornamentation of a vocal line, or a soprano voice that is well-suited to such elaboration)
;
colossale
The musical term ''colossale'' indicates that the performer is to play the so marked passage in a fashion that suggests immensity. An example of this rare expression can be found at the climax of the huge cadenza
In music, a cadenza (from ...
: Enormous
; come prima : As before, typically referring to an earlier tempo
; come sopra : As above (i.e. like the previous tempo)
;
common time
The time signature (also known as meter signature, metre signature, or measure signature) is a notational convention used in Western musical notation to specify how many beats (pulses) are contained in each measure (bar), and which note value ...
: The
time signature
The time signature (also known as meter signature, metre signature, or measure signature) is a notational convention used in Western musical notation to specify how many beats (pulses) are contained in each measure (bar), and which note value ...
: four beats per measure, each beat a
quarter note
A quarter note (American) or crotchet ( ) (British) is a note (music), musical note played for one quarter of the duration of a whole note (or semibreve). Quarter notes are notated with a filled-in oval note head and a straight, flagless ste ...
(a crotchet) in length. is often written on the
as . The symbol is not a C as an abbreviation for common time, but a broken circle; the full circle at one time stood for triple time, .
; comodo : Comfortable (i.e. at moderate speed); also, ''allegro comodo'', ''tempo comodo'', etc.
; comp : 1. abbreviation of accompanying, accompanying music,
accompaniment
Accompaniment is the musical part which provides the rhythmic and/or harmonic support for the melody or main themes of a song or instrumental piece. There are many different styles and types of accompaniment in different genres and styles ...
: 2. describes the chords, rhythms, and countermelodies that instrumental players used to support a musician's melody and improvised solos.
: 3.
Ostinato
In music, an ostinato (; derived from Italian word for ''stubborn'', compare English ''obstinate'') is a motif or phrase that persistently repeats in the same musical voice, frequently in the same pitch. Well-known ostinato-based pieces include ...
;
comping (jazz)
In jazz, comping (an abbreviation of accompaniment; or possibly from the verb, to "complement") is the chords, rhythms, and countermelodies that keyboard players (piano or organ), guitar players, or drummers use to support a musician's improvi ...
:1. to comp; action of accompanying.
; con : With; used in very many musical directions, for example ''con allegrezza'' (with liveliness), ''con amore'' (with tenderness); (see also ''
col'' and ''
colla'')
; : See
dolce
Dolce, the Italian word for 'sweet', may refer to:
Places
*Dolcè, a municipality in Italy
*Dolce (Plzeň-South District), a municipality and village in the Czech Republic
*Dolce, a village and part of Jesenice (Příbram District) in the Czech ...
; or con sordine (plural) : With a
mute
Muteness is a speech disorder in which a person lacks the ability to speak.
Mute or the Mute may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment Film and television
* ''Mute'' (2005 film), a short film by Melissa Joan Hart
* ''Mute'' (2018 film), a scien ...
, or with mutes. Frequently seen in music as (incorrect Italian) ''con sordino'', or ''con sordini'' (plural).
;
concerto
A concerto (; plural ''concertos'', or ''concerti'' from the Italian plural) is, from the late Baroque era, mostly understood as an instrumental composition, written for one or more soloists accompanied by an orchestra or other ensemble. The typi ...
: Composition for solo instrument(s) and orchestra
;
concerto grosso The concerto grosso (; Italian for ''big concert(o)'', plural ''concerti grossi'' ) is a form of baroque music in which the musical material is passed between a small group of soloists (the '' concertino'') and full orchestra (the ''ripieno'', ''tut ...
: Composition for a group of solo instruments (concertino or soli) and orchestra (ripieno or tutti)
;
conjunct
{{For, the linguistic and logical operation of conjunction, Logical conjunction
In linguistics, the term conjunct has three distinct uses:
*A conjunct is an adverbial that adds information to the sentence that is not considered part of the propos ...
: An adjective applied to a
melodic
A melody (from Greek μελῳδία, ''melōidía'', "singing, chanting"), also tune, voice or line, is a linear succession of musical tones that the listener perceives as a single entity. In its most literal sense, a melody is a combinat ...
line that moves by step (
intervals
Interval may refer to:
Mathematics and physics
* Interval (mathematics), a range of numbers
** Partially ordered set#Intervals, its generalization from numbers to arbitrary partially ordered sets
* A statistical level of measurement
* Interval e ...
of a 2nd) rather in disjunct motion (by leap).
;
contralto
A contralto () is a type of classical female singing voice whose vocal range is the lowest female voice type.
The contralto's vocal range is fairly rare; similar to the mezzo-soprano, and almost identical to that of a countertenor, typically b ...
: Lowest female singing
voice type
A voice type is a group of voices with similar vocal ranges, capable of singing in a similar tessitura, and with similar vocal transition points ('' passaggi''). Voice classification is most strongly associated with European classical music, t ...
;
contrapuntalism : See
counterpoint
In music, counterpoint is the relationship between two or more musical lines (or voices) which are harmonically interdependent yet independent in rhythm and melodic contour. It has been most commonly identified in the European classical tradi ...
; coperti : (plural of ''coperto'') covered (i.e. on a drum, muted with a cloth)
; corda : String. On the piano it refers to use of the
soft pedal
The soft pedal (or pedal, ) is one of the standard pedals on a piano, generally placed leftmost among the pedals. On a grand piano this pedal shifts the whole action (including the keyboard) slightly to the right, so that the hammers which norm ...
which controls whether the hammer strikes one or three strings; see ''
una corda
The soft pedal (or pedal, ) is one of the standard pedals on a piano, generally placed leftmost among the pedals. On a grand piano this pedal shifts the whole action (including the keyboard) slightly to the right, so that the hammers which no ...
'', ''
tre corde'' below.
;
count
Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...
: Series of regularly occurring sounds to assist with ready identification of beat
;
crescendo
In music, the dynamics of a piece is the variation in loudness between notes or phrases. Dynamics are indicated by specific musical notation, often in some detail. However, dynamics markings still require interpretation by the performer dependi ...
: Growing; (i.e. progressively louder) (contrast ''
diminuendo
In music, the dynamics of a piece is the variation in loudness between notes or phrases. Dynamics are indicated by specific musical notation, often in some detail. However, dynamics markings still require interpretation by the performer dependi ...
'')
; cuivré : Brassy. Used almost exclusively as a
French Horn technique to indicate a forced, rough tone. A note marked both stopped and loud will be ''cuivré'' automatically
; custos : Symbol at the very end of a staff of music which indicates the pitch for the first note of the next line as a warning of what is to come. The ''custos'' was commonly used in handwritten Renaissance and typeset Baroque music.
;
cut time
''Alla breve'' also known as cut time or cut common timeis a musical meter notated by the time signature symbol (a C with a vertical line through it), which is the equivalent of . The term is Italian for "on the breve", originally meaning tha ...
: Same as the
meter
The metre (British spelling) or meter (American spelling; see spelling differences) (from the French unit , from the Greek noun , "measure"), symbol m, is the primary unit of length in the International System of Units (SI), though its prefi ...
: two half-note (minim) beats per measure. Notated and executed like
common time
The time signature (also known as meter signature, metre signature, or measure signature) is a notational convention used in Western musical notation to specify how many beats (pulses) are contained in each measure (bar), and which note value ...
(), except with the beat lengths doubled. Indicated by . This comes from a literal cut of the symbol of
common time
The time signature (also known as meter signature, metre signature, or measure signature) is a notational convention used in Western musical notation to specify how many beats (pulses) are contained in each measure (bar), and which note value ...
. Thus, a
quarter note
A quarter note (American) or crotchet ( ) (British) is a note (music), musical note played for one quarter of the duration of a whole note (or semibreve). Quarter notes are notated with a filled-in oval note head and a straight, flagless ste ...
in cut time is only half a beat long, and a measure has only two beats. See also ''
alla breve
''Alla breve'' also known as cut time or cut common timeis a musical meter notated by the time signature symbol (a C with a vertical line through it), which is the equivalent of . The term is Italian for "on the breve", originally meaning tha ...
''.
D
;
da capo
Da capo (, also , ) is an Italian musical term that means "from the beginning" (literally, "from the head"). It is often abbreviated as D.C. The term is a directive to repeat the previous part of music, often used to save space, and thus is an ...
: From the head (i.e. from the beginning) (see also ''
capo'')
;
dal segno (D.S.) : From the sign (
![SegnoTeken](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/82/SegnoTeken.svg)
)
; dal segno alla coda (D.S. alla coda) : Repeat to the sign and continue to the
coda
Coda or CODA may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Films
* Movie coda, a post-credits scene
* ''Coda'' (1987 film), an Australian horror film about a serial killer, made for television
*''Coda'', a 2017 American experimental film from Na ...
sign, then play coda
; dal segno al fine (D.S. al fine) : From the sign to the end (i.e. return to a place in the music designated by the sign
![SegnoTeken](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/82/SegnoTeken.svg)
and continue to the end of the piece)
; dal segno segno alla coda (D.S.S. alla coda) : Same as D.S. alla coda, but with a double segno
; dal segno segno al fine (D.S.S. al fine) : From the double sign to the end (i.e. return to place in the music designated by the double sign (see D.S. alla coda) and continue to the end of the piece)
; decelerando : Slowing down; decelerating; opposite of ''accelerando'' (same as ''ritardando'' or ''rallentando'')
; deciso : Firm
; declamando : Solemn, expressive, impassioned
; (decresc.) : Gradually decreasing volume (same as diminuendo)
; : From the
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
''
deesse'' meaning ''to be missing''; placed after a
catalogue abbreviation to indicate that this particular work does not appear in it; the
plural
The plural (sometimes abbreviated pl., pl, or ), in many languages, is one of the values of the grammatical category of number. The plural of a noun typically denotes a quantity greater than the default quantity represented by that noun. This de ...
, ''desunt'', is used when referring to several works
; delicatamente : Delicately
; delicato : Delicate
; détaché (
Fr.) : Act of playing notes separately
; devoto : Pious, religious
;
diminuendo
In music, the dynamics of a piece is the variation in loudness between notes or phrases. Dynamics are indicated by specific musical notation, often in some detail. However, dynamics markings still require interpretation by the performer dependi ...
, dim. : Dwindling (i.e. with gradually decreasing volume) (same as
decrescendo
In music, the dynamics of a piece is the variation in loudness between notes or phrases. Dynamics are indicated by specific musical notation, often in some detail. However, dynamics markings still require interpretation by the performer dependi ...
)
;
disjunct : An adjective applied to a
melodic
A melody (from Greek μελῳδία, ''melōidía'', "singing, chanting"), also tune, voice or line, is a linear succession of musical tones that the listener perceives as a single entity. In its most literal sense, a melody is a combinat ...
line which moves by leap (
intervals
Interval may refer to:
Mathematics and physics
* Interval (mathematics), a range of numbers
** Partially ordered set#Intervals, its generalization from numbers to arbitrary partially ordered sets
* A statistical level of measurement
* Interval e ...
of more than a 2nd) as opposed to conjunct motion (by step)
; di : Of
; dissonante :
Dissonant
In music, consonance and dissonance are categorizations of simultaneous or successive Sound, sounds. Within the Western tradition, some listeners associate consonance with sweetness, pleasantness, and acceptability, and dissonance with harshness ...
;
divisi In musical terminology, ''divisi'', or as typically printed ''“div.,”'' is an instruction to divide a single section of instruments into multiple subsections. This usually applies to the violins of the string section in an orchestra, although v ...
(div.) : Divided (i.e. in a part in which several musicians normally play exactly the same notes they are instead to split the playing of the written simultaneous notes among themselves); it is most often used for string instruments, since with them another means of execution is often possible (the return from ''divisi'' is marked ''
unisono'')
; doit : Jazz term referring to a note that slides to an indefinite pitch chromatically upwards
; : Sweet; ''con dolcezza'': with sweetness
; dolcemente: Sweetly
; dolcissimo : Very sweet
; dolente : Sorrowful, plaintive
; dolore : Pain, distress, sorrow, grief; ''con dolore'': with sadness
; doloroso : Sorrowful, plaintive
; doppio movimento : lit. Double movement, i.e. twice as fast
;
double dot : Two dots placed side by side after a note to indicate that it is to be lengthened by three quarters of its value
;
double stop
In music, a double stop is the technique of playing two notes simultaneously on a stringed instrument such as a violin, a viola, a cello, or a double bass. On instruments such as the Hardanger fiddle it is common and often employed. In performin ...
: The technique of playing two notes simultaneously on a bowed
string instrument
String instruments, stringed instruments, or chordophones are musical instruments that produce sound from vibrating strings when a performer plays or sounds the strings in some manner.
Musicians play some string instruments by plucking the ...
; downtempo : A slow, moody, or decreased tempo or played or done in such a tempo. It also refers to a genre of
electronic music
Electronic music is a genre of music that employs electronic musical instruments, digital instruments, or circuitry-based music technology in its creation. It includes both music made using electronic and electromechanical means ( electroac ...
based on this (
downtempo
Downtempo (or downbeat) is a broad label for electronic music that features an atmospheric sound and slower beats than would typically be found in dance music. Closely related to ambient music but with greater emphasis on rhythm, the style may ...
)
; drammatico : Dramatic
;
drone
Drone most commonly refers to:
* Drone (bee), a male bee, from an unfertilized egg
* Unmanned aerial vehicle
* Unmanned surface vehicle, watercraft
* Unmanned underwater vehicle or underwater drone
Drone, drones or The Drones may also refer to:
...
: Bass note or chord performed continuously throughout a composition
; drop : Jazz term referring to a note that slides to an indefinite pitch chromatically downwards
; duolo : (
Ital.) grief
; dumpf (
Ger.) : Dull
; Dur (
Ger.):
major
Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...
; used in
key signature
In Western musical notation, a key signature is a set of sharp (), flat (), or rarely, natural () symbols placed on the staff at the beginning of a section of music. The initial key signature in a piece is placed immediately after the clef at ...
s as, for example, A-Dur (
A major
A major (or the key of A) is a major scale based on A, with the pitches A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. Its key signature has three sharps. Its relative minor is F-sharp minor and its parallel minor is A minor. The key of A major is the only k ...
), B-Dur (
B major
B major (or the key of B) is a major scale based on B. The pitches B, C, D, E, F, G, and A are all part of the B major scale. Its key signature has five sharps. Its relative minor is G-sharp minor, its parallel minor is B minor, and its ...
), or H-Dur (
B major
B major (or the key of B) is a major scale based on B. The pitches B, C, D, E, F, G, and A are all part of the B major scale. Its key signature has five sharps. Its relative minor is G-sharp minor, its parallel minor is B minor, and its ...
) (see also ''
Moll
Moll can refer to:
As a name
* Moll (surname)
* Moll Anderson, interior designer, life stylist, author, and former national iHeart Radio host
* Moll Anthony, aka Mary Lesson (1807–1878), Irish ''bean feasa'' (wise-woman)
* Moll Cutpurse, a ...
'' (minor))
;
dynamics : The relative volume in the execution of a piece of music
E
; e (
Ital.)
or ed (
Ital., used before vowels) : And
; eco : The Italian word for "echo"; an effect in which a group of notes is repeated, usually more softly, and perhaps at a different octave, to create an echo effect
; égal (
Fr.) : Equal
; eilend (
Ger.) : Hurrying
; ein wenig (
Ger.) : A little
; einfach (
Ger.) : Simple
; emporté (
Fr.) : Fiery, impetuous
; en animant (
Fr.) : Becoming very lively
; en cédant (
Fr.) : Yielding
; en dehors (
Fr.) : Prominently, a directive to make the melody stand out
; en mesure (
Fr.): In time
; en pressant (
Fr.) : Hurrying forward
; en retenant (
Fr.) : Slowing, holding back
; en serrant (
Fr.) : Becoming quicker
;
encore
An encore is an additional performance given by performers after the planned show has ended, usually in response to extended applause from the audience.Lalange Cochrane, in ''Oxford Companion to Music'', Alison Latham, ed., Oxford University Pres ...
(
Fr.) : Again (i.e. a request to perform once more a passage or a piece); a performer returning to the stage to perform an unlisted piece
; energico : Energetic, strong
; enfatico : Emphatic
; eroico : Heroic
; espansivo : Effusive; excessive in emotional expression; gushy
; espirando : Expiring (i.e. dying away)
; espressione : Expression; e.g. ''con (gran, molta) espressione'': with (great, much) expression
; espressivo, espress. or espr. : (Italian) Expressive
; estinto : Extinct, extinguished (i.e. as soft as possible, lifeless, barely audible)
; esultazione : Exultation
; et (
Fr.) : And
;
Étude
An étude (; ) or study is an instrumental musical composition, usually short, designed to provide practice material for perfecting a particular musical skill. The tradition of writing études emerged in the early 19th century with the rapidl ...
(
Fr.) : A composition intended for practice
; etwas (
Ger.) : As an adverb, little, somewhat, slightly
; etwas bewegter (
Ger.) : Moving forward a little
F
; facile : Easy
; fall : Jazz term describing a note of definite pitch sliding downwards to another note of definite pitch
;
falsetto
''Falsetto'' (, ; Italian diminutive of , "false") is the vocal register occupying the frequency range just above the modal voice register and overlapping with it by approximately one octave.
It is produced by the vibration of the ligamentous ed ...
:
vocal register
A vocal register is a range of tones in the human voice produced by a particular vibratory pattern of the vocal folds. These registers include modal voice (or normal voice), vocal fry, falsetto, and the whistle register.
Registers originate in la ...
above the normal voice
;
fantasia
Fantasia International Film Festival (also known as Fantasia-fest, FanTasia, and Fant-Asia) is a film festival that has been based mainly in Montreal since its founding in 1996. Regularly held in July of each year, it is valued by both hardcore ...
: A piece not adhering to any strict musical form; can also be used in ''con fantasia'': with imagination
; feierlich (
Ger.) : Solemn, solemnly
;
fermata
A fermata (; "from ''fermare'', to stay, or stop"; also known as a hold, pause, colloquially a birdseye or cyclops eye, or as a grand pause when placed on a note or a rest) is a symbol of musical notation indicating that the note should be pr ...
: Stop (i.e. a rest or note to be held for a duration that is at the discretion of the performer or conductor) (sometimes called ''bird's eye''); a fermata at the end of a first or intermediate movement or section is usually moderately prolonged, but the final fermata of a symphony may be prolonged for longer than the note's value, typically twice its printed length or more for dramatic effect
; feroce : Ferocious
; festivamente : Cheerfully, in a celebratory mode
; feurig (
Ger.) : Fiery
; fieramente : Proudly
; fil di voce : "thread of voice", very quiet, pianissimo
;
fill (
Eng.) : A jazz or rock term which instructs performers to improvise a scalar passage or
riff
A riff is a repeated chord progression or refrain in music (also known as an ostinato figure in classical music); it is a pattern, or melody, often played by the rhythm section instruments or solo instrument, that forms the basis or accompani ...
to "fill in" the brief time between
lyrical phrases, the lines of
melody
A melody (from Greek language, Greek μελῳδία, ''melōidía'', "singing, chanting"), also tune, voice or line, is a Linearity#Music, linear succession of musical tones that the listener perceives as a single entity. In its most liter ...
, or between two sections
; fine : The end, often in phrases like ''al fine'' (to the end)
;
fioritura
Fioritura ( , , meaning "flourish" or "flowering"; plural ) is the florid embellishment of melodic lines, either notated by a composer or improvised during a performance. It usually involves lengthy, complex embellishments, as opposed to standardi ...
: the florid embellishment of melodic lines, either notated by a composer or improvised during a performance.
; flat : A symbol (
) that lowers the pitch of a note by a semitone. The term may also be used as an adjective to describe a situation where a singer or musician is performing a note in which the intonation is an eighth or a quarter of a semitone too low.
; flautando :
Flute
The flute is a family of classical music instrument in the woodwind group. Like all woodwinds, flutes are aerophones, meaning they make sound by vibrating a column of air. However, unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is a reedless ...
like mode; used especially for string instruments to indicate a light, rapid bowing over the fingerboard
; flebile : Feeble, low volume
; flessibile : flexible
; focoso or fuocoso : Fiery (i.e. passionate)
; forte () : Strong (i.e. to be played or sung loudly)
; forte-piano () : Strong-gentle (i.e. loud, then immediately soft; see
dynamics)
; fortepiano: An
early pianoforte
; () : Very loud (see note at
pianissimo
In music, the dynamics of a piece is the variation in loudness between notes or phrases. Dynamics are indicated by specific musical notation, often in some detail. However, dynamics markings still require interpretation by the performer dependin ...
)
; fortissimissimo () : As loud as possible
; forza : Musical force; ''con forza'': with force
; forzando () : See
sforzando
; freddo : Cold; hence depressive, unemotional
; fresco : Fresh
; fröhlich (
Ger.): Lively, joyfully
;
fugue
In music, a fugue () is a contrapuntal compositional technique in two or more voices, built on a subject (a musical theme) that is introduced at the beginning in imitation (repetition at different pitches) and which recurs frequently in the c ...
(
Fr.), fuga (Latin and Italian) : Literally "flight"; hence a complex and highly regimented
contrapuntal
In music, counterpoint is the relationship between two or more musical lines (or voices) which are harmonically interdependent yet independent in rhythm and melodic contour. It has been most commonly identified in the European classical tradi ...
form in music; a short theme (the ''subject'') is introduced in one voice (or part) alone, then in others, with imitation and characteristic development as the piece progresses
; funebre : Funeral; often seen as ''marcia funebre'' (funeral march), indicating a stately and plodding tempo
;
fuoco : Fire; ''con fuoco'': with fire, in a fiery manner
; furia : Fury
; furioso : Furious
G
; G.P. : Grand Pause, General Pause; indicates to the performers that the entire ensemble has a rest of indeterminate length, often as a dramatic effect during a loud section
; gaudioso : With joy
; gemächlich (
Ger.) : Unhurried, at a leisurely pace
; gemendo : Groaningly
; gentile : Gentle
; geschwind (
Ger.) : Quickly
; geteilt (
Ger.) : See
divisi In musical terminology, ''divisi'', or as typically printed ''“div.,”'' is an instruction to divide a single section of instruments into multiple subsections. This usually applies to the violins of the string section in an orchestra, although v ...
; getragen (
Ger.) : Solemnly, in a stately tempo
; giocoso : Playful
; gioioso : With joy
; giusto : Strict, exact, right (e.g. ''tempo giusto'' in strict time)
;
glissando
In music, a glissando (; plural: ''glissandi'', abbreviated ''gliss.'') is a glide from one pitch to another (). It is an Italianized musical term derived from the French ''glisser'', "to glide". In some contexts, it is distinguished from the co ...
: A continuous sliding from one pitch to another (a true glissando), or an incidental scale executed while moving from one melodic note to another (an effective glissando). See
glissando
In music, a glissando (; plural: ''glissandi'', abbreviated ''gliss.'') is a glide from one pitch to another (). It is an Italianized musical term derived from the French ''glisser'', "to glide". In some contexts, it is distinguished from the co ...
for further information; and compare
portamento
In music, portamento (plural: ''portamenti'', from old it, portamento, meaning "carriage" or "carrying") is a pitch sliding from one note to another. The term originated from the Italian expression "''portamento della voce''" ("carriage of the v ...
.
;
grace note
A grace note is a kind of music notation denoting several kinds of musical ornaments. It is usually printed smaller to indicate that it is melodically and harmonically nonessential. When occurring by itself, a single grace note indicates eithe ...
: An extra note added as an embellishment and not essential to the harmony or melody.
; grandioso : Grand, solemn
; grave : Slow and serious
; grazioso (Fr. ''gratieusement'' or ''gracieusement''): Graceful
; guerriero : Warlike, martial
; gustoso : (It. ''tasteful, agreeable'') With happy emphasis and forcefulness; in an agreeable manner
H
; H : German for
B natural; ''B'' in German means
B flat
;
Hauptstimme
In music, (German for ''primary voice'') or is the main voice, chief part; i.e., the contrapuntal or melodic line of primary importance, in opposition to . (German for ''secondary voice'') or is the secondary part; i.e., a secondary contr ...
(
Ger.) : Main voice, chief part (i.e. the contrapuntal line of primary importance, in opposition to ''Nebenstimme'')
;
hemiola
In music, hemiola (also hemiolia) is the ratio 3:2. The equivalent Latin term is sesquialtera. In rhythm, ''hemiola'' refers to three beats of equal value in the time normally occupied by two beats. In pitch, ''hemiola'' refers to the interval of ...
(English, from Greek) : The imposition of a pattern of
rhythm
Rhythm (from Greek , ''rhythmos'', "any regular recurring motion, symmetry") generally means a " movement marked by the regulated succession of strong and weak elements, or of opposite or different conditions". This general meaning of regular recu ...
or
articulation other than that implied by the time signature; specifically, in triple time (for example in ) the imposition of a duple pattern (as if the time signature were, for example, ). See
Syncopation
In music, syncopation is a variety of rhythms played together to make a piece of music, making part or all of a tune or piece of music off-beat. More simply, syncopation is "a disturbance or interruption of the regular flow of rhythm": a "place ...
.
; hervortretend (
Ger.) : Prominent, pronounced
; hold, see
fermata
A fermata (; "from ''fermare'', to stay, or stop"; also known as a hold, pause, colloquially a birdseye or cyclops eye, or as a grand pause when placed on a note or a rest) is a symbol of musical notation indicating that the note should be pr ...
;
homophony
In music, homophony (;, Greek: ὁμόφωνος, ''homóphōnos'', from ὁμός, ''homós'', "same" and φωνή, ''phōnē'', "sound, tone") is a texture in which a primary part is supported by one or more additional strands that flesh ou ...
: A musical texture with one voice (or melody line) accompanied by subordinate chords; also used as an adjective (homophonic). Compare with
polyphony
Polyphony ( ) is a type of musical texture consisting of two or more simultaneous lines of independent melody, as opposed to a musical texture with just one voice, monophony, or a texture with one dominant melodic voice accompanied by chords, h ...
, in which several independent voices or melody lines are performed at the same time.
;
hook
A hook is a tool consisting of a length of material, typically metal, that contains a portion that is curved or indented, such that it can be used to grab onto, connect, or otherwise attach itself onto another object. In a number of uses, one e ...
: A musical idea, often a short riff, passage or phrase, that is used in popular music to make a song appealing and to "catch the ear of the listener".
I
; immer (
Ger.) : Always
; imperioso : Imperious, overbearing
; impetuoso : Impetuous
; improvvisando : With improvisation
; improvvisato : Improvised, or as if improvised
; improvise : To create music at the spur of the moment, spontaneously, and without preparation (often over a given harmonic framework or
chord progression
In a musical composition, a chord progression or harmonic progression (informally chord changes, used as a plural) is a succession of chords. Chord progressions are the foundation of harmony in Western musical tradition from the common practice ...
)
; :
octave
In music, an octave ( la, octavus: eighth) or perfect octave (sometimes called the diapason) is the interval between one musical pitch and another with double its frequency. The octave relationship is a natural phenomenon that has been refer ...
above the
treble staff,
G5 to G
6
; : Octave above the ''in alt'' octave, G
6 to G
7
; in modo di : In the art of, in the style of
; in stand : A term for brass players that requires them to direct the bell of their instrument into the music stand, instead of up and toward the audience, thus muting the sound but without changing the timbre as a mute would
; incalzando : Getting faster and louder
; innig (
Ger.) : Intimate, heartfelt
; insistendo : Insistently, deliberately
; intimo : Intimate
; intro : Opening section of a piece
; irato : Angry
; -issimamente : A suffix meaning ''as ... as can be'' (e.g. leggerissimamente, meaning ''as light as can be'')
; -issimo : A suffix meaning ''extremely'' (e.g. fortissimo or prestissimo)
; izq. or iz. (
Spa.) : Left (hand); abbreviation of ''izquierda''
J
;
Jazz standard
Jazz standards are musical compositions that are an important part of the musical repertoire of jazz musicians, in that they are widely known, performed, and recorded by jazz musicians, and widely known by listeners. There is no definitive lis ...
(or simply "
standard Standard may refer to:
Symbols
* Colours, standards and guidons, kinds of military signs
* Standard (emblem), a type of a large symbol or emblem used for identification
Norms, conventions or requirements
* Standard (metrology), an object th ...
") : A well-known composition from the jazz repertoire which is widely played and recorded.
;
jete (
Fr. ) : Jump; a
bowing
Bowing (also called stooping) is the act of lowering the torso and head as a social gesture in direction to another person or symbol. It is most prominent in Asian cultures but it is also typical of nobility and aristocracy in many European coun ...
technique in which the player is instructed to let the bow bounce or jump off the strings.
K
;
keyboardist
A keyboardist or keyboard player is a musician who plays keyboard instruments. Until the early 1960s musicians who played keyboards were generally classified as either pianists or organists. Since the mid-1960s, a plethora of new musical instr ...
(
Eng.) : A musician who plays any instrument with a keyboard. In Classical music, this may refer to instruments such as the piano, pipe organ, harpsichord, and so on. In a jazz or popular music context, this may refer to instruments such as the piano, electric piano, synthesizer, Hammond organ, and so on.
;
Klangfarbenmelodie
''Klangfarbenmelodie'' (German for "sound-color melody") is a musical technique that involves splitting a musical line or melody between several instruments, rather than assigning it to just one instrument (or set of instruments), thereby adding c ...
(
Ger.) : "Tone-color melody", distribution of pitch or melody among instruments, varying timbre
; kräftig (
Ger.) : Strong
L
; lacrimoso or lagrimoso : Tearful (i.e. sad)
; laissez vibrer, l.v. (
Fr.) : French for ''lasciare vibrare'' ("let vibrate").
; lamentando : Lamenting, mournfully
; lamentoso : Lamenting, mournfully
; langsam (
Ger.) : Slowly
; largamente : Broadly (i.e. slowly) (same as ''largo'')
; larghetto : Somewhat slow; not as slow as ''largo''
; larghezza : Broadness; ''con larghezza'': with broadness; broadly
; larghissimo : Very slow; slower than ''largo''
; largo : Broad (i.e. slow)
; lasciare suonare : "Let ring", meaning allow the sound to continue, do not damp; used frequently in harp or guitar music, occasionally in piano or percussion. Abbreviated "lasc. suon."
; leap or
skip
Skip or Skips may refer to:
Acronyms
* SKIP (Skeletal muscle and kidney enriched inositol phosphatase), a human gene
* Simple Key-Management for Internet Protocol
* SKIP of New York (Sick Kids need Involved People), a non-profit agency aidin ...
: A
melodic
A melody (from Greek μελῳδία, ''melōidía'', "singing, chanting"), also tune, voice or line, is a linear succession of musical tones that the listener perceives as a single entity. In its most literal sense, a melody is a combinat ...
interval greater than a major 2nd, as opposed to a step. Melodies which move by a leap are called "disjunct".
Octave
In music, an octave ( la, octavus: eighth) or perfect octave (sometimes called the diapason) is the interval between one musical pitch and another with double its frequency. The octave relationship is a natural phenomenon that has been refer ...
leaps are not uncommon in
florid
Florid (literally "flowery") is a word with several meanings, including red in color, ornate, and abundant or disorganized.
It may also refer to:
* Florid, Illinois, United States, an unincorporated community
* Great Wall Florid, a car
See also
...
vocal music.
; lebhaft (
Ger.) : Briskly, lively
;
legato
In music performance and notation, legato (; Italian for "tied together"; French ''lié''; German ''gebunden'') indicates that musical notes are played or sung smoothly and connected. That is, the player makes a transition from note to note wit ...
: Joined (i.e. smoothly, in a connected manner) (see also
articulation)
; leggiadro : Pretty, graceful
; leggierissimo : Very light and delicate
; leggiero or leggiermente : Light or lightly (the different forms of this word, including ''leggierezza'', "lightness", are spelled without the ''i'' in modern Italian, i.e. ''leggero'', ''leggerissimo'', ''leggermente'', ''leggerezza''.)
; leidenschaftlich(er) (
Ger.) : (More) passionately
; lent (
Fr.) : Slow
; lentando : Gradual slowing and softer
; lentissimo : Very slow
; lento : Slow
; liberamente : Freely
; libero : Free
; lilt : A jaunty rhythm
; l'istesso, l'istesso tempo, or lo stesso tempo : The same tempo, despite changes of time signature, see
metric modulation
In music, metric modulation is a change in pulse rate (tempo) and/or pulse grouping ( subdivision) which is derived from a note value or grouping heard before the change. Examples of metric modulation may include changes in time signature across ...
; lo stesso : The same; applied to the manner of articulation, tempo, etc.
; loco :
nplace, i.e. perform the notes at the pitch written, generally used to cancel an
8va
In music, an octave ( la, octavus: eighth) or perfect octave (sometimes called the diapason) is the interval between one musical pitch and another with double its frequency. The octave relationship is a natural phenomenon that has been refer ...
or
8vb
In music, an octave ( la, octavus: eighth) or perfect octave (sometimes called the diapason) is the interval between one musical pitch and another with double its frequency. The octave relationship is a natural phenomenon that has been refer ...
direction; in string music, also used to indicate return to normal playing position (see
Playing the violin
Playing the violin entails holding the instrument between the jaw and the collar bone (see below for variations of this posture). The strings are sounded either by drawing the bow across them (''arco''), or by plucking them (''pizzicato''). The ...
)
; long
accent : Hit hard and keep full value of note (>)
; lontano : Distant, far away
; lugubre : Lugubrious, mournful
; luminoso : Luminous
; lunga : Long (often applied to a ''
fermata
A fermata (; "from ''fermare'', to stay, or stop"; also known as a hold, pause, colloquially a birdseye or cyclops eye, or as a grand pause when placed on a note or a rest) is a symbol of musical notation indicating that the note should be pr ...
'')
; lusingando, lusinghiero : Coaxingly, flatteringly, caressingly
M
; ma : But
; ma non tanto : But not much
; ma non troppo : But not too much
; maestoso : Majestic, stately
;
maggiore : The major key
; magico : Magical
; magnifico : Magnificent
; main droite (
Fr.) :
layed with theright hand (abbreviation: MD or m.d.)
; main gauche (
Fr.) :
layed with theleft hand (abbreviation: MG or m.g.)
; malinconico : Melancholic
; mancando : Dying away
; mano destra :
layed with theright hand (abbreviation: MD or m.d.)
; mano izquierda (
Spa.) :
layed with theleft hand (abbreviation: m.iz.)
; mano sinistra :
layed with theleft hand (abbreviation: MS or m.s.)
; marcatissimo : With much accentuation
; marcato, marc. : Marked (i.e. with accentuation, execute every note as if it were to be accented)
; marcia : A
march
March is the third month of the year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. It is the second of seven months to have a length of 31 days. In the Northern Hemisphere, the meteorological beginning of spring occurs on the first day of Marc ...
; ''alla marcia'' means in the manner of a march
;
martellato : Hammered out
; marziale : Martial, solemn and fierce
; mäßig (
Ger.) : (sometimes given as "mässig", "maessig") Moderately
; MD : See
mano destra or
main droite
; measure : Also "
bar
Bar or BAR may refer to:
Food and drink
* Bar (establishment), selling alcoholic beverages
* Candy bar
* Chocolate bar
Science and technology
* Bar (river morphology), a deposit of sediment
* Bar (tropical cyclone), a layer of cloud
* Bar (u ...
": the period of a musical piece that encompasses a complete cycle of the
time signature
The time signature (also known as meter signature, metre signature, or measure signature) is a notational convention used in Western musical notation to specify how many beats (pulses) are contained in each measure (bar), and which note value ...
(e.g. in time, a measure has four
quarter note
A quarter note (American) or crotchet ( ) (British) is a note (music), musical note played for one quarter of the duration of a whole note (or semibreve). Quarter notes are notated with a filled-in oval note head and a straight, flagless ste ...
beats)
; medesimo tempo : Same tempo, despite changes of time signature
; medley : Piece composed from parts of existing pieces, usually three, played one after another, sometimes overlapping.
; melancolico : Melancholic
;
melisma
Melisma ( grc-gre, μέλισμα, , ; from grc, , melos, song, melody, label=none, plural: ''melismata'') is the singing of a single syllable of text while moving between several different notes in succession. Music sung in this style is referr ...
: The technique of changing the note (pitch) of a syllable of text while it is being sung
; meno : Less; see
meno mosso, for example, less ''mosso''
;
messa di voce
''Messa di voce'' (Italian, ''placing of the voice'') is a singing technique that requires sustaining a single pitch while gradually making the voice louder (crescendo) and then softer (diminuendo). It is considered to be a particularly advanced t ...
: In singing, a controlled swell (i.e.
crescendo
In music, the dynamics of a piece is the variation in loudness between notes or phrases. Dynamics are indicated by specific musical notation, often in some detail. However, dynamics markings still require interpretation by the performer dependi ...
then
diminuendo
In music, the dynamics of a piece is the variation in loudness between notes or phrases. Dynamics are indicated by specific musical notation, often in some detail. However, dynamics markings still require interpretation by the performer dependi ...
, on a long held note, especially in
Baroque music
Baroque music ( or ) refers to the period or dominant style of Western classical music composed from about 1600 to 1750. The Baroque style followed the Renaissance period, and was followed in turn by the Classical period after a short transiti ...
and in the
bel canto
Bel canto (Italian for "beautiful singing" or "beautiful song", )—with several similar constructions (''bellezze del canto'', ''bell'arte del canto'')—is a term with several meanings that relate to Italian singing.
The phrase was not associat ...
period)
; mesto : Mournful, sad
;
meter
The metre (British spelling) or meter (American spelling; see spelling differences) (from the French unit , from the Greek noun , "measure"), symbol m, is the primary unit of length in the International System of Units (SI), though its prefi ...
or metre : The pattern of a music piece's rhythm of strong and weak beats
; : Half voice (i.e. with subdued or moderated volume)
; mezzo : Half; used in combinations like ''mezzo forte'' (), meaning moderately loud
; mezzo forte () : Half loudly (i.e. moderately loudly). See
dynamics.
; mezzo piano () : Half softly (i.e. moderately soft). See
dynamics.
;
mezzo-soprano
A mezzo-soprano or mezzo (; ; meaning "half soprano") is a type of classical female singing voice whose vocal range lies between the soprano and the contralto voice types. The mezzo-soprano's vocal range usually extends from the A below middle C ...
: A female singer with a range usually extending from the A below middle C to the F an eleventh above middle C. Mezzo-sopranos generally have a darker vocal tone than sopranos, and their vocal range is between that of a
soprano
A soprano () is a type of classical female singing voice and has the highest vocal range of all voice types. The soprano's vocal range (using scientific pitch notation) is from approximately middle C (C4) = 261 Hz to "high A" (A5) = 880&n ...
and that of a
contralto
A contralto () is a type of classical female singing voice whose vocal range is the lowest female voice type.
The contralto's vocal range is fairly rare; similar to the mezzo-soprano, and almost identical to that of a countertenor, typically b ...
.
; MG : See
main gauche
;
minore : Minor key
; misterioso : Mysterious
; mit Dämpfer (
Ger.) : With a
mute
Muteness is a speech disorder in which a person lacks the ability to speak.
Mute or the Mute may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment Film and television
* ''Mute'' (2005 film), a short film by Melissa Joan Hart
* ''Mute'' (2018 film), a scien ...
; M.M. :
Metronome
A metronome, from ancient Greek μέτρον (''métron'', "measure") and νομός (nomós, "custom", "melody") is a device that produces an audible click or other sound at a regular interval that can be set by the user, typically in beats pe ...
Marking. Formerly "Mälzel Metronome."
; mobile : Mobile, changeable
; moderato : Moderate; often combined with other terms, usually relating to tempo; for example, allegro moderato
; modéré (
Fr.) : Moderate
; modesto : Modest
;
modulation
In electronics and telecommunications, modulation is the process of varying one or more properties of a periodic waveform, called the ''carrier signal'', with a separate signal called the ''modulation signal'' that typically contains informatio ...
: The act or process of changing from one key (tonic, or tonal center) to another. This may or may not be accompanied by a change in key signature.
; (
Ger.) :
minor
Minor may refer to:
* Minor (law), a person under the age of certain legal activities.
** A person who has not reached the age of majority
* Academic minor, a secondary field of study in undergraduate education
Music theory
*Minor chord
** Barb ...
; used in
key signature
In Western musical notation, a key signature is a set of sharp (), flat (), or rarely, natural () symbols placed on the staff at the beginning of a section of music. The initial key signature in a piece is placed immediately after the clef at ...
s as, for example, a-Moll (
A minor
A minor is a minor scale based on A, with the pitches A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. Its key signature has no flats and no sharps. Its relative major is C major and its parallel major is A major.
The A natural minor scale is:
:
Changes ...
), b-Moll (
B minor
B minor is a minor scale based on B, consisting of the pitches B, C, D, E, F, G, and A. Its key signature has two sharps. Its relative major is D major and its parallel major is B major.
The B natural minor scale is:
:
Changes neede ...
), or h-Moll (
B minor
B minor is a minor scale based on B, consisting of the pitches B, C, D, E, F, G, and A. Its key signature has two sharps. Its relative major is D major and its parallel major is B major.
The B natural minor scale is:
:
Changes neede ...
); see also ''
Dur'' (major)
; molto : Very
;
mordent
In music, a mordent is an ornament indicating that the note is to be played with ''a single'' rapid alternation with the note above or below. Like trills, they can be chromatically modified by a small flat, sharp or natural accidental. The ter ...
: Rapid alternation of a note with the note immediately below or above it in the scale, sometimes further distinguished as lower mordent and upper mordent. The term "inverted mordent" usually refers to the upper mordent.
; morendo : Dying (i.e. dying away in dynamics, and perhaps also in tempo)
; mosso : Moved, moving; used with a preceding più or
meno
''Meno'' (; grc-gre, Μένων, ''Ménōn'') is a Socratic dialogue by Plato. Meno begins the dialogue by asking Socrates whether virtue is taught, acquired by practice, or comes by nature. In order to determine whether virtue is teachable ...
, for faster or slower respectively
; moto : Motion; usually seen as ''con moto'', meaning with motion or quickly
;
movement
Movement may refer to:
Common uses
* Movement (clockwork), the internal mechanism of a timepiece
* Motion, commonly referred to as movement
Arts, entertainment, and media
Literature
* "Movement" (short story), a short story by Nancy Fu ...
: A section of a musical composition (such as a
sonata
Sonata (; Italian: , pl. ''sonate''; from Latin and Italian: ''sonare'' rchaic Italian; replaced in the modern language by ''suonare'' "to sound"), in music, literally means a piece ''played'' as opposed to a cantata (Latin and Italian ''cant ...
or
concerto
A concerto (; plural ''concertos'', or ''concerti'' from the Italian plural) is, from the late Baroque era, mostly understood as an instrumental composition, written for one or more soloists accompanied by an orchestra or other ensemble. The typi ...
)
; MS : See
mano sinistra
; munter (
Ger.) : Lively
; Musette (
Fr.) : A dance or tune of a drone-bass character, originally played by a
musette
Musette may refer to:
Music
* Musette de cour, or baroque musette, a musical instrument of the bagpipe family
* Musette bechonnet, a type of French bagpipe
* Musette bressane, a type of French bagpipe
* Oboe musette, or piccolo oboe, the small ...
; muta
n...: Change
o... an instruction either to change instrument (e.g. flute to piccolo, horn in F to horn in B) or to change tuning (e.g. guitar ''muta 6 in D''). Note: ''muta'' comes from the Italian verb ''mutare'' (to change); therefore it does not mean "mute", for which ''
con sordina
A mute is a device attached to a musical instrument which changes the instrument's tone quality (timbre) or lowers its volume. Mutes are commonly used on string and brass instruments, especially the trumpet and trombone, and are occasiona ...
'' or ''con sordino'' is used.
N
; nach und nach (
Ger.) : Literally "more and more" with an increasing feeling. Ex. "nach und nach belebter und leidenschaftlicher" (with increasing animation and passion)
; narrante : Narrating
;
natural
Nature, in the broadest sense, is the physical world or universe. "Nature" can refer to the phenomena of the physical world, and also to life in general. The study of nature is a large, if not the only, part of science. Although humans are p ...
: A symbol () that cancels the effect of a sharp or a flat
; naturale (nat.) : Natural (i.e. discontinue a special effect, such as col legno,
sul tasto
A variety of musical terms are likely to be encountered in printed scores, music reviews, and program notes. Most of the terms are Italian, in accordance with the Italian origins of many European musical conventions. Sometimes, the special mus ...
,
sul ponticello
A variety of musical terms are likely to be encountered in Sheet music, printed scores, music reviews, and program notes. Most of the terms Italian musical terms used in English, are Italian, in accordance with the Italian origins of many Europea ...
, or playing in harmonics)
;
N.C. : No chord, written in the chord row of music notation to show there is no chord being played, and no implied harmony
; Nebenstimme (
Ger.) : Secondary part (i.e. a secondary contrapuntal part, always occurring simultaneously with, and subsidiary to, the ''
Hauptstimme
In music, (German for ''primary voice'') or is the main voice, chief part; i.e., the contrapuntal or melodic line of primary importance, in opposition to . (German for ''secondary voice'') or is the secondary part; i.e., a secondary contr ...
'')
; nicht (
Ger.) : Not
; niente : "nothing", barely audible, dying away, sometimes indicated with a dynamic
; nobile
or nobilmente (
Ital.)
or Noblement (
Fr.) : In a noble fashion
; noblezza : Nobility
;
nocturne
A nocturne is a musical composition that is inspired by, or evocative of, the night.
History
The term ''nocturne'' (from French '' nocturne'' 'of the night') was first applied to musical pieces in the 18th century, when it indicated an ensembl ...
(
Fr.) : A piece written for the night
;
notes inégales
In music, ''notes inégales'' is a performance practice, mainly from the Baroque and Classical music eras, in which some notes with equal written time values are performed with unequal durations, usually as alternating long and short. The pra ...
(
Fr.) : Unequal notes; a principally Baroque performance practice of applying long-short rhythms to pairs of notes written as equal; see also
swung note
Swing or swinging may refer to:
Apparatus
* Swing (seat), a hanging seat that swings back and forth
* Pendulum, an object that swings
* Russian swing, a swing-like circus apparatus
* Sex swing, a type of harness for sexual intercourse
* Swing rid ...
; notturno : See
nocturne
A nocturne is a musical composition that is inspired by, or evocative of, the night.
History
The term ''nocturne'' (from French '' nocturne'' 'of the night') was first applied to musical pieces in the 18th century, when it indicated an ensembl ...
.
;
number opera A number opera (; ) is an opera consisting of individual pieces of music ('numbers') which can be easily extracted from the larger work."Number opera" in ''New Grove''. They may be numbered consecutively in the score, and may be interspersed with r ...
: An opera consisting of "numbers" (e.g.
aria
In music, an aria (Italian: ; plural: ''arie'' , or ''arias'' in common usage, diminutive form arietta , plural ariette, or in English simply air) is a self-contained piece for one voice, with or without instrumental or orchestral accompanime ...
s, intermixed with
recitative
Recitative (, also known by its Italian name "''recitativo''" ()) is a style of delivery (much used in operas, oratorios, and cantatas) in which a singer is allowed to adopt the rhythms and delivery of ordinary speech. Recitative does not repea ...
)
O
;
obbligato
In Western classical music, ''obbligato'' (, also spelled ''obligato'') usually describes a musical line that is in some way indispensable in performance. Its opposite is the marking ''ad libitum''. It can also be used, more specifically, to indica ...
: Bound, constrained
;
octave
In music, an octave ( la, octavus: eighth) or perfect octave (sometimes called the diapason) is the interval between one musical pitch and another with double its frequency. The octave relationship is a natural phenomenon that has been refer ...
: Interval between one musical pitch and another with half or double its frequency. Twelve
semitone
A semitone, also called a half step or a half tone, is the smallest musical interval commonly used in Western tonal music, and it is considered the most dissonant when sounded harmonically.
It is defined as the interval between two adjacent no ...
s equal an octave, so do the first and the eighth (hence "oct"ave) note in a major or minor
scale.
; ohne Dämpfer (
Ger.) : Without a
mute
Muteness is a speech disorder in which a person lacks the ability to speak.
Mute or the Mute may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment Film and television
* ''Mute'' (2005 film), a short film by Melissa Joan Hart
* ''Mute'' (2018 film), a scien ...
; omaggio : Homage, celebration
; one-voice-per-part (
OVPP
In music, one voice per part (OVPP) is the practice of performing choral music with a single voice on each vocal line. In the specific context of Johann Sebastian Bach's works it is also known as the Rifkin hypothesis, set forth in Joshua Rifkin' ...
) : The practice of using solo voices on each musical line or part in choral music.
; ordinario (ord.) (
Ital.)
or position ordinaire (
Fr.): In bowed string music, an indication to discontinue extended techniques such as
sul ponticello
A variety of musical terms are likely to be encountered in Sheet music, printed scores, music reviews, and program notes. Most of the terms Italian musical terms used in English, are Italian, in accordance with the Italian origins of many Europea ...
,
sul tasto
A variety of musical terms are likely to be encountered in printed scores, music reviews, and program notes. Most of the terms are Italian, in accordance with the Italian origins of many European musical conventions. Sometimes, the special mus ...
or
col legno
In music for bowed string instruments, , or more precisely (, ), is an instruction to strike the string with the stick of the bow across the strings.
History
The earliest known use of in Western music is to be found in a piece entitled "Har ...
, and return to normal playing. The same as "naturale".
;
organ trio
An organ trio is a form of jazz ensemble consisting of three musicians; a Hammond organ player, a drummer, and either a jazz guitarist or a saxophone player. In some cases the saxophonist will join a trio which consists of an organist, guitarist, ...
: In jazz or rock, a group of three musicians which includes a
Hammond organ
The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond and John M. Hanert and first manufactured in 1935. Multiple models have been produced, most of which use sliding drawbars to vary sounds. Until 1975, Hammond organs generated s ...
player and two other instruments, often an
electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that requires external amplification in order to be heard at typical performance volumes, unlike a standard acoustic guitar (however combinations of the two - a semi-acoustic guitar and an electric acoustic gui ...
player and a drummer.
; oppure
or ossia : Or (giving an alternative way of performing a passage, which is marked with a footnote, additional small notes, or an additional staff)
;
ostinato
In music, an ostinato (; derived from Italian word for ''stubborn'', compare English ''obstinate'') is a motif or phrase that persistently repeats in the same musical voice, frequently in the same pitch. Well-known ostinato-based pieces include ...
: Obstinate, persistent (i.e. a short musical pattern that is repeated throughout an entire composition or portion of a composition)
; ottava : Octave (e.g. ''ottava bassa'': an octave lower)
; ouverture (
Fr.): see Overture
;
oversinging Oversinging is a term, sometimes derogatory, aimed at vocal styles that dominate the music they are performed in, including melisma and belting, and overuse of embellishments on one sound.
Definition
Professor and voice instructor Melinda Imthu ...
: a term used to describe vocal styles that dominate the music they are performed in
;
overture
Overture (from French ''ouverture'', "opening") in music was originally the instrumental introduction to a ballet, opera, or oratorio in the 17th century. During the early Romantic era, composers such as Beethoven and Mendelssohn composed overt ...
: An orchestral composition forming the prelude or introduction to an
opera
Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a librett ...
,
oratorio
An oratorio () is a large musical composition for orchestra, choir, and soloists. Like most operas, an oratorio includes the use of a choir, soloists, an instrumental ensemble, various distinguishable characters, and arias. However, opera is mus ...
, etc.
P
; parlando or parlante : Lit. speaking; like speech, enunciated
; Partitur (
Ger.) : Full orchestral score
; passionato : Passionate
; pastorale : In a pastoral style, peaceful and simple
; patetico : Passionate, emotional. A related term is ''Pathetique'': a name attributed to certain works with an emotional focus such as Tchaikovsky's 6th symphony.
; pausa :
rest
Rest or REST may refer to:
Relief from activity
* Sleep
** Bed rest
* Kneeling
* Lying (position)
* Sitting
* Squatting position
Structural support
* Structural support
** Rest (cue sports)
** Armrest
** Headrest
** Footrest
Arts and entert ...
; pedale or ped : In piano scores, this instructs the player to press the
damper pedal
A sustain pedal or sustaining pedal (also called damper pedal, loud pedal, or open pedal) is the most commonly used pedal in a modern piano. It is typically the rightmost of two or three pedals. When pressed, the sustain pedal "sustains" all ...
to sustain the note or chord being played. The player may be instructed to release the pedal with an asterisk marking (*). In organ scores, it tells the organist that a section is to be performed on the
bass pedalboard
A pedalboard (also called a pedal keyboard, pedal clavier, or, with electronic instruments, a bass pedalboard) is a keyboard played with the feet that is usually used to produce the low-pitched bass line of a piece of music. A pedalboard has long ...
with the feet.
; pensieroso : Thoughtfully, meditatively
; perdendosi : Dying away; decrease in dynamics, perhaps also in tempo
; pesante : Heavy, ponderous
; peu à peu (
Fr.) : Little by little
; pezzo : A composition
; piacevole : Pleasant, agreeable
; piangendo : Literally 'crying' (used in Liszt's La Lugubre Gondola no. 2).
; piangevole : Plaintive
; (): very gently (i.e. perform very softly, even softer than ''piano''). This convention can be extended; the more s that are written, the softer the composer wants the musician to play or sing, thus (pianissimissimo) would be softer than . Dynamics in a piece should be interpreted relative to the other dynamics in the same piece. For example, should be executed very softly, but if is found later in the piece, should be markedly louder than . More than three s () or three s () are uncommon.
; piano () : Gently (i.e. played or sung softly) (see
dynamics)
;
piano-vocal score : The same as a
vocal score
The human voice consists of sound made by a human being using the vocal tract, including talking, singing, laughing, crying, screaming, shouting, humming or yelling. The human voice frequency is specifically a part of human sound production i ...
, a piano arrangement along with the vocal parts of an opera, cantata, or similar
;
Picardy third
A Picardy third, (; french: tierce picarde) also known as a Picardy cadence or Tierce de Picardie, is a major chord of the tonic at the end of a musical section that is either modal or in a minor key. This is achieved by raising the third of the ...
: A Picardy third, Picardy cadence (ˈpɪkərdi ) or, in French, ''tierce picarde'' is a harmonic device used in Western classical music. It refers to the use of a major chord of the tonic at the end of a musical section that is either modal or in a minor key.
; piatti : Cymbals, generally meaning a pair of orchestral clashed cymbals
; piena : Full, as, for example, ''a voce piena'' = "in full voice"
; pietoso : Pitiful, piteous
; più : More; see
mosso
; piuttosto : Rather, somewhat (e.g. allegro piuttosto presto)
;
pizzicato
Pizzicato (, ; translated as "pinched", and sometimes roughly as "plucked") is a playing technique that involves plucking the strings of a string instrument. The exact technique varies somewhat depending on the type of instrument :
* On bowed ...
: Pinched, plucked (i.e. in music for bowed strings, plucked with the fingers as opposed to played with the bow; compare
arco
ARCO ( ) is a brand of gasoline stations currently owned by Marathon Petroleum after BP sold its rights. BP commercializes the brand in Northern California, Oregon and Washington, while Marathon has rights for the rest of the United States an ...
, which is inserted to cancel a pizzicato instruction; in music for guitar, to mute the strings by resting the palm on the ''bridge'', simulating the sound of ''pizz.'' of the bowed string instruments)
; plop : Jazz term referring to a note that slides to an indefinite pitch chromatically downwards.
; pochettino or poch. : Very little; diminutive of poco
; pochissimo or pochiss.: Very little; superlative of poco
; poco : A little, as in ''poco più allegro'' (a little faster)
; poco rall: a gradual decrease in speed
; poco a poco : Little by little
; poetico : Poetic discourse
; poi : Then, indicating a subsequent instruction in a sequence; ''diminuendo poi subito fortissimo'', for example: getting softer then suddenly very loud
; pomposo : Pompous, ceremonious
; or (pont.) : On the bridge (i.e. in string playing, an indication to
bow or to
pluck
Pluck or plucking may refer to:
Removal
* Plucking (hair removal), the removal of hair, fur, or feathers
* Feather-plucking, a behavior in birds
* Plucking post, as used by birds of prey to dismember their prey
* Plucking (glaciation), a proces ...
very near to the
bridge
A bridge is a structure built to span a physical obstacle (such as a body of water, valley, road, or rail) without blocking the way underneath. It is constructed for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle, which is usually somethi ...
, producing a characteristic glassy sound, which emphasizes the higher
harmonic
A harmonic is a wave with a frequency that is a positive integer multiple of the ''fundamental frequency'', the frequency of the original periodic signal, such as a sinusoidal wave. The original signal is also called the ''1st harmonic'', the ...
s at the expense of the
fundamental
Fundamental may refer to:
* Foundation of reality
* Fundamental frequency, as in music or phonetics, often referred to as simply a "fundamental"
* Fundamentalism, the belief in, and usually the strict adherence to, the simple or "fundamental" idea ...
); the opposite of ''
sul tasto
A variety of musical terms are likely to be encountered in printed scores, music reviews, and program notes. Most of the terms are Italian, in accordance with the Italian origins of many European musical conventions. Sometimes, the special mus ...
''
; portamento : Carrying (i.e. 1. generally, sliding in pitch from one note to another, usually pausing just above or below the final pitch, then sliding quickly to that pitch. If no pause is executed, then it is a basic glissando; or 2. in piano music, an
articulation between
legato
In music performance and notation, legato (; Italian for "tied together"; French ''lié''; German ''gebunden'') indicates that musical notes are played or sung smoothly and connected. That is, the player makes a transition from note to note wit ...
and
staccato
Staccato (; Italian for "detached") is a form of musical articulation. In modern notation, it signifies a note of shortened duration, separated from the note that may follow by silence. It has been described by theorists and has appeared in music ...
, like ''
portato
Portato (; Italian past participle of ''portare'', "to carry"), also mezzo-staccato, French notes portées, in music denotes a smooth, pulsing articulation and is often notated by adding dots under slur markings.
Portato is also known as arti ...
'')
;
portato
Portato (; Italian past participle of ''portare'', "to carry"), also mezzo-staccato, French notes portées, in music denotes a smooth, pulsing articulation and is often notated by adding dots under slur markings.
Portato is also known as arti ...
or louré : Carried (i.e. non-legato, but not as detached as staccato) (same as
portamento
In music, portamento (plural: ''portamenti'', from old it, portamento, meaning "carriage" or "carrying") is a pitch sliding from one note to another. The term originated from the Italian expression "''portamento della voce''" ("carriage of the v ...
)
; posato : Settled
;
potpourri
Potpourri ( ) is a mixture of dried, naturally fragrant plant materials used to provide a gentle natural scent, commonly in residential settings. It is often placed in a decorative bowl.
The word "potpourri" comes into English from the French ...
or pot-pourri (
Fr.) : Potpourri (as used in other senses in English) (i.e. a kind of musical form structured as ABCDEF... etc.; the same as ''
medley'' or, sometimes, ''
fantasia
Fantasia International Film Festival (also known as Fantasia-fest, FanTasia, and Fant-Asia) is a film festival that has been based mainly in Montreal since its founding in 1996. Regularly held in July of each year, it is valued by both hardcore ...
'')
; precipitato : Precipitately
;
prelude, prélude (
Fr.), preludio (It), praeludium (
Lat.), präludium (
Ger.) : A musical introduction to subsequent movements during the
Baroque
The Baroque (, ; ) is a style of architecture, music, dance, painting, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished in Europe from the early 17th century until the 1750s. In the territories of the Spanish and Portuguese empires including t ...
era (1600s/17th century). It can also be a movement in its own right, which was more common in the
Romantic era
Romanticism (also known as the Romantic movement or Romantic era) was an artistic, literary, musical, and intellectual movement that originated in Europe towards the end of the 18th century, and in most areas was at its peak in the approximate ...
(mid-1700s/18th century)
; prestissimo : Extremely quickly, as fast as possible
; presto : Very quickly
; prima or primo (the masculine form) : First
;
prima donna
In opera or commedia dell'arte, a prima donna (; Italian for "first lady"; plural: ''prime donne'') is the leading female singer in the company, the person to whom the prime roles would be given.
''Prime donne'' often had grand off-stage pers ...
: Leading female singer in an opera company
; prima volta : The first time; for example ''prima volta senza accompagnamento'' (the first time without accompaniment)
Q
; quartal : Composed of the musical ''
interval'' of the ''
fourth''; as in ''
quartal harmony
In music, quartal harmony is the building of harmonic structures built from the intervals of the perfect fourth, the augmented fourth and the diminished fourth. For instance, a three-note quartal chord on C can be built by stacking perfect fourt ...
''
;
quarter tone
A quarter tone is a pitch halfway between the usual notes of a chromatic scale or an interval about half as wide (aurally, or logarithmically) as a semitone, which itself is half a whole tone. Quarter tones divide the octave by 50 cents each, a ...
: Half of a semitone; a pitch division not used in most Western music notation, except in some contemporary art music or experimental music. Quarter tones are used in Western popular music forms such as jazz and blues and in a variety of non-Western musical cultures.
; quasi (Latin and Italian) : Almost (e.g. ''quasi recitativo'' almost a
recitative
Recitative (, also known by its Italian name "''recitativo''" ()) is a style of delivery (much used in operas, oratorios, and cantatas) in which a singer is allowed to adopt the rhythms and delivery of ordinary speech. Recitative does not repea ...
in an opera, or ''quasi una fantasia'' almost a
fantasia
Fantasia International Film Festival (also known as Fantasia-fest, FanTasia, and Fant-Asia) is a film festival that has been based mainly in Montreal since its founding in 1996. Regularly held in July of each year, it is valued by both hardcore ...
)
; quintal : Composed of the musical ''
interval'' of the ''
fifth''; as in ''
quintal harmony''
R
; rallentando
or rall. : Broadening of the tempo (often not discernible from ritardando); progressively slower
; rapide (
Fr.) : Fast
; rapido : Fast
; rasch (
Ger.) : Fast
; rasguedo (
Spa.) : (on the guitar) to play strings with the back of the fingernail; esp. to fan the strings rapidly with the nails of multiple fingers
; ravvivando : Quickening (lit. "reviving"), as in "ravvivando il tempo", returning to a faster tempo that occurred earlier in the piece
; recitativo : Recitative (lyrics not to be sung but to be recited, imitating the natural inflections of speech)
; religioso : Religious
; repente : Suddenly
;
reprise
In music, a reprise ( , ; from the verb 'to resume') is the repetition or reiteration of the opening material later in a composition as occurs in the recapitulation of sonata form, though—originally in the 18th century—was simply any repea ...
: Repetition of a phrase or verse; return to the original theme
; restez (
Fr.) : Stay in position, i.e., do not shift (string instruments)
; retenu (
Fr.) : Hold back; same as the Italian ''ritenuto'' (see below)
; : Ridiculous, comical
;
riff
A riff is a repeated chord progression or refrain in music (also known as an ostinato figure in classical music); it is a pattern, or melody, often played by the rhythm section instruments or solo instrument, that forms the basis or accompani ...
: a repeated chord progression or refrain
; rilassato : Relaxed
; rinforzando (, or rinf.) : Reinforcing (i.e. emphasizing); sometimes like a sudden ''crescendo'', but often applied to a single note
; risoluto : Resolute
; rit. : An abbreviation for ''ritardando''; also an abbreviation for ''ritenuto''
; ritardando, ritard., rit. : Slowing down; decelerating; opposite of ''
accelerando
''Accelerando'' is a 2005 science fiction novel consisting of a series of interconnected short stories written by British author Charles Stross. As well as normal hardback and paperback editions, it was released as a free e-book under the CC ...
''
; ritenuto, riten., rit. : Suddenly slower, held back (usually more so but more temporarily than a ''ritardando'', and it may, unlike ritardando, apply to a single note); opposite of ''accelerato''
; ritmico : Rhythmical
; ritmo : Rhythm (e.g. ''ritmo di # battute'' meaning a rhythm of # measures)
;
ritornello
A ritornello (Italian; "little return") is a recurring passage in Baroque music for orchestra or chorus.
Early history
The earliest use of the term "ritornello" in music referred to the final lines of a fourteenth-century madrigal, which were usu ...
: A recurring passage
; rolled chord : See
Arpeggio
A broken chord is a chord broken into a sequence of notes. A broken chord may repeat some of the notes from the chord and span one or more octaves.
An arpeggio () is a type of broken chord, in which the notes that compose a chord are played ...
;
rondo
The rondo is an instrumental musical form introduced in the Classical period.
Etymology
The English word ''rondo'' comes from the Italian form of the French ''rondeau'', which means "a little round".
Despite the common etymological root, rondo ...
: A musical form in which a certain section returns repeatedly, interspersed with other sections: ABACA is a typical structure or ABACABA
; roulade (
Fr.) : A rolling (i.e. a florid vocal phrase)
;
rubato Tempo rubato (, , ; 'free in the presentation', literally ) is a musical term referring to expressive and rhythmic freedom by a slight speeding up and then slowing down of the tempo of a piece at the discretion of the soloist or the conductor. Rub ...
: Stolen, robbed (i.e. flexible in tempo), applied to notes within a musical phrase for expressive effect
; ruhig (
Ger.) : Calm, peaceful
; : A rapid series of ascending or descending musical notes which are closely spaced in pitch forming a
scale,
arpeggio
A broken chord is a chord broken into a sequence of notes. A broken chord may repeat some of the notes from the chord and span one or more octaves.
An arpeggio () is a type of broken chord, in which the notes that compose a chord are played ...
, or other such pattern. See:
Fill (music)
In popular music, a fill is a short musical passage, riff, or rhythmic sound which helps to sustain the listener's attention during a break between the phrases of a melody. "The terms riff and fill are sometimes used interchangeably by musician ...
and
Melisma
Melisma ( grc-gre, μέλισμα, , ; from grc, , melos, song, melody, label=none, plural: ''melismata'') is the singing of a single syllable of text while moving between several different notes in succession. Music sung in this style is referr ...
.
; ruvido : Rough
S
; saltando : Lit. "jumping": bouncing the bow as in a staccato
arpeggio
A broken chord is a chord broken into a sequence of notes. A broken chord may repeat some of the notes from the chord and span one or more octaves.
An arpeggio () is a type of broken chord, in which the notes that compose a chord are played ...
; sanft (
Ger.) : Gently
; sans nuances (
Fr.) : Without shades, with no subtle variations
; sans presser (
Fr.) : Without rushing
; sans rigueur (
Fr.) : Without strictness, freely
; scatenato : Unchained, wild
; scherzando, scherzoso : Playfully
;
scherzo
A scherzo (, , ; plural scherzos or scherzi), in western classical music, is a short composition – sometimes a movement from a larger work such as a symphony or a sonata. The precise definition has varied over the years, but scherzo often ref ...
: A light, "joking" or playful musical form, originally and usually in fast
triple metre
Triple metre (or Am. triple meter, also known as triple time) is a musical metre characterized by a ''primary'' division of 3 beats to the bar, usually indicated by 3 (simple) or 9 (compound) in the upper figure of the time signature, with , , ...
, often replacing the
minuet
A minuet (; also spelled menuet) is a social dance of French origin for two people, usually in time. The English word was adapted from the Italian ''minuetto'' and the French ''menuet''.
The term also describes the musical form that accompa ...
in the later
Classical period and the
Romantic period
Romanticism (also known as the Romantic movement or Romantic era) was an artistic, literary, musical, and intellectual movement that originated in Europe towards the end of the 18th century, and in most areas was at its peak in the approximate ...
, in symphonies, sonatas, string quartets and the like; in the 19th century some scherzi were independent movements for piano, etc.
; schleppend, schleppen (
Ger.) : In a dragging manner, to drag; usually ''nicht schleppen'' ("don't drag"), paired with ''nicht eilen'' ("don't hurry") in
Gustav Mahler
Gustav Mahler (; 7 July 1860 – 18 May 1911) was an Austro-Bohemian Romantic composer, and one of the leading conductors of his generation. As a composer he acted as a bridge between the 19th-century Austro-German tradition and the modernism ...
's scores
; schlicht (
Ger.) : Plain, simple
; schnell (
Ger.) : Fast
; schneller (
Ger.) : Faster
; schmerzlich (
Ger.) : Sorrowful
; schwer (
Ger.) : Heavy
; schwungvoll (
Ger.) : Lively, swinging, bold, spirited
; scioltezza : Fluency, agility (used in ''con scioltezza'')
; sciolto: Fluent, agile
;
scordatura
Scordatura (; literally, Italian for "discord", or "mistuning") is a tuning of a string instrument that is different from the normal, standard tuning. It typically attempts to allow special effects or unusual chords or timbre, or to make certain pa ...
: Altered or alternative
tuning
Tuning can refer to:
Common uses
* Tuning, the process of tuning a tuned amplifier or other electronic component
* Musical tuning, musical systems of tuning, and the act of tuning an instrument or voice
** Guitar tunings
** Piano tuning, adjusti ...
used for the
strings
String or strings may refer to:
*String (structure), a long flexible structure made from threads twisted together, which is used to tie, bind, or hang other objects
Arts, entertainment, and media Films
* ''Strings'' (1991 film), a Canadian anim ...
of a
string instrument
String instruments, stringed instruments, or chordophones are musical instruments that produce sound from vibrating strings when a performer plays or sounds the strings in some manner.
Musicians play some string instruments by plucking the ...
; scorrendo, scorrevole : Gliding from note to note
; (sec) (
Fr.): Dry (sparse accompaniment, staccato, without resonance); with
basso continuo
Basso continuo parts, almost universal in the Baroque era (1600–1750), provided the harmonic structure of the music by supplying a bassline and a chord progression. The phrase is often shortened to continuo, and the instrumentalists playing th ...
accompaniment, this often means that only the chordal instrument will play, with the sustained bass instrument not playing
; : sign, usually ''
Dal segno'' (see above) "from the sign", indicating a return to the point marked by
![SegnoTeken](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/82/SegnoTeken.svg)
;
segue
A segue (; ) is a smooth transition from one topic or section to the next. The term is derived from Italian ''segue'', which literally means "follows".
In music
In music, ''segue'' is a direction to the performer. It means ''continue (the next ...
: Lit. "it follows"; to be carried on to the next section without a pause
; sehr (
Ger.) : Very
; sehr ausdrucksvoll (
Ger.) : Very expressive
; sehr getragen (
Ger.) : Very sustained
;
semitone
A semitone, also called a half step or a half tone, is the smallest musical interval commonly used in Western tonal music, and it is considered the most dissonant when sounded harmonically.
It is defined as the interval between two adjacent no ...
: The smallest
pitch difference between notes (in most Western music) (e.g. F–F) (Note: some contemporary music, non-Western music, and
blues
Blues is a music genre and musical form which originated in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues incorporated spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts, chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads from the Afr ...
and jazz uses microtonal divisions smaller than a semitone)
; semplice : Simple
; sempre : Always
; sentimento : Feeling, emotion
; sentito : lit. "felt", with expression
; senza : Without
;
senza misura : Without
measure
Measure may refer to:
* Measurement, the assignment of a number to a characteristic of an object or event
Law
* Ballot measure, proposed legislation in the United States
* Church of England Measure, legislation of the Church of England
* Mea ...
; senza replica: Without repetition: "when a movement, repeated in the first instance, must, on the Da Capo, be played throughout without repetition."
; or senza sordine (plural) : Without the
mute
Muteness is a speech disorder in which a person lacks the ability to speak.
Mute or the Mute may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment Film and television
* ''Mute'' (2005 film), a short film by Melissa Joan Hart
* ''Mute'' (2018 film), a scien ...
. See
sordina
A mute is a device attached to a musical instrument which changes the instrument's tone quality (timbre) or lowers its volume. Mutes are commonly used on string and brass instruments, especially the trumpet and trombone, and are occasiona ...
.
; serioso : Seriously
; serrez (
Fr.) : Getting faster
;
sforzando ( or ) : Getting louder with a sudden strong accent
; shake : A jazz term describing a trill between one note and its minor third; or, with brass instruments, between a note and its next overblown harmonic
;
sharp
Sharp or SHARP may refer to:
Acronyms
* SHARP (helmet ratings) (Safety Helmet Assessment and Rating Programme), a British motorcycle helmet safety rating scheme
* Self Help Addiction Recovery Program, a charitable organisation founded in 19 ...
: A symbol (
) that raises the pitch of the note by a semitone;the term may also be used as an adjective to describe a situation where a singer or musician is performing a note in which the intonation is somewhat too high in pitch
; short
accent : Hit the note hard and short (^)
; si (
Fr.) : Seventh note of the series ut, re, mi, fa, sol, la, si, in
fixed-doh solmization
Solmization is a system of attributing a distinct syllable to each note of a musical scale. Various forms of solmization are in use and have been used throughout the world, but solfège is the most common convention in countries of Western cultur ...
; also used for the 5th note, ''sol'', when sharpened, in solmization.
;
siciliana
The siciliana or siciliano (also known as the sicilienne or the ciciliano) is a musical style or genre often included as a movement within larger pieces of music starting in the Baroque period. It is in a slow or time with lilting rhythms, ...
: A
Sicilian dance in or meter
; sign : See ''
segno
Segno is a village in North Western Italy in the region of Liguria. It belongs to the Municipality of Vado Ligure.
Its countryside landscape makes it a popular venue for outdoor sports including mountain biking, cross-country running, trail and c ...
''
; silenzio : Silence (i.e. without reverberations)
; simile : Similar (i.e. continue applying the preceding directive, whatever it was, to the following passage)
; sipario : Curtain (stage)
; slancio : Momentum, ''con slancio'': with momentum; with enthusiasm
; slargando or slentando : Becoming broader or slower (that is, becoming more ''largo'' or more ''lento'')
;
slur : A symbol in Western musical notation (generally a curved line placed over the notes) indicating that the notes it embraces are to be played without separation (that is, with legato articulation)
; smorzando (smorz.) : Extinguishing or dampening; usually interpreted as a drop in dynamics, and very often in tempo as well
; soave : Smooth, gentle
; sognando : Dreaming
; solenne : Solemn
;
solo
Solo or SOLO may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Comics
* ''Solo'' (DC Comics), a DC comics series
* Solo, a 1996 mini-series from Dark Horse Comics
Characters
* Han Solo, a ''Star Wars'' character
* Jacen Solo, a Jedi in the non-canonical ''S ...
or soli (plural) : Alone (i.e. executed by a single instrument or voice). The instruction ''soli'' requires more than one player or singer; in a
jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...
big band
A big band or jazz orchestra is a type of musical ensemble of jazz music that usually consists of ten or more musicians with four sections: saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section. Big bands originated during the early 1910s an ...
this refers to an entire section playing in harmony. In orchestral works, soli refers to a divided string section with only one player to a line.
; solo break : A jazz term that instructs a lead player or
rhythm section
A rhythm section is a group of musicians within a music ensemble or band that provides the underlying rhythm, harmony and pulse of the accompaniment, providing a rhythmic and harmonic reference and "beat" for the rest of the band.
The rhythm sec ...
member to play an improvised solo
cadenza
In music, a cadenza (from it, cadenza, link=no , meaning cadence; plural, ''cadenze'' ) is, generically, an improvisation, improvised or written-out ornament (music), ornamental passage (music), passage played or sung by a solo (music), sol ...
for one or two measures (sometimes abbreviated as "break"), without any accompaniment. The solo part is often played in a rhythmically free manner, until the player performs a pickup or lead-in line, at which time the band recommences playing in the original tempo.
; sommo (masc.), somma (fem.): Highest, maximum; ''con somma passione'': with the greatest passion
;
sonata
Sonata (; Italian: , pl. ''sonate''; from Latin and Italian: ''sonare'' rchaic Italian; replaced in the modern language by ''suonare'' "to sound"), in music, literally means a piece ''played'' as opposed to a cantata (Latin and Italian ''cant ...
: A piece ''played'' as opposed to ''sung''
;
sonatina
A sonatina is a small sonata. As a musical term, sonatina has no single strict definition; it is rather a title applied by the composer to a piece that is in basic sonata form, but is shorter and lighter in character, or technically more elementar ...
: A little sonata
; sonatine : A little sonata, used in some countries instead of sonatina
; sonore : Sonorous (Deep or ringing sound)
; sonoro : With full sound
;
sopra : Above; directive to cross hands in a composition for piano, e.g. ''m.s. sopra'': left hand over; opposite: ''
sotto'' (below)
; ''sopra una corda'' or ''sull'istessa corda'' : To be played on one string
;
soprano
A soprano () is a type of classical female singing voice and has the highest vocal range of all voice types. The soprano's vocal range (using scientific pitch notation) is from approximately middle C (C4) = 261 Hz to "high A" (A5) = 880&n ...
: The highest of the standard four voice ranges (bass, tenor, alto, soprano)
;
sordina
A mute is a device attached to a musical instrument which changes the instrument's tone quality (timbre) or lowers its volume. Mutes are commonly used on string and brass instruments, especially the trumpet and trombone, and are occasiona ...
, sordine (plural) : A
mute
Muteness is a speech disorder in which a person lacks the ability to speak.
Mute or the Mute may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment Film and television
* ''Mute'' (2005 film), a short film by Melissa Joan Hart
* ''Mute'' (2018 film), a scien ...
, Note: ''sordina'', with plural ''sordine'', is strictly correct Italian, but the forms ''sordino'' and ''sordini'' are much more commonly used as terms in music. Instruments can have their tone muted with wood, rubber, metal, or plastic devices, (for string instruments, mutes are clipped to the bridge; for brass instruments, mutes are inserted in the bell), or parts of the body (guitar; French Horn), or fabric (clarinet; timpani), among other means. In piano music (notably in Beethoven's ''
Moonlight Sonata
The Piano Sonata No. 14 in C-sharp minor, marked ''Quasi una fantasia'', Op. 27, No. 2, is a piano sonata by Ludwig van Beethoven. It was completed in 1801 and dedicated in 1802 to his pupil Countess Giulietta Guicciardi. The popular name ''Mo ...
''), senza sordini or senza sordina (or some variant) is sometimes used to mean ''keep the
sustain pedal
A sustain pedal or sustaining pedal (also called damper pedal, loud pedal, or open pedal) is the most commonly used pedal in a modern piano. It is typically the rightmost of two or three pedals. When pressed, the sustain pedal "sustains" all ...
depressed'', since the sustain pedal lifts the dampers off the strings, with the effect that all notes are sustained indefinitely.
; sordino : See
sordina
A mute is a device attached to a musical instrument which changes the instrument's tone quality (timbre) or lowers its volume. Mutes are commonly used on string and brass instruments, especially the trumpet and trombone, and are occasiona ...
.
; sortita : A principal singer's first entrance in an opera
; sospirando : Sighing
; sostendo (Galician): holding back, (notably used in ''
El Camino Real'' by Alfred Reed)
; sostenuto : Sustained, lengthened
;
sotto voce : In an undertone (i.e. quietly)
; soutenu (
Fr.) : sustained
;
Sprechgesang
(, "spoken singing") and (, "spoken voice") are expressionist vocal techniques between singing and speaking. Though sometimes used interchangeably, ''Sprechgesang'' is directly related to the operatic ''recitative'' manner of singing (in which ...
: "spoken singing",
expressionist
Expressionism is a modernist movement, initially in poetry and painting, originating in Northern Europe around the beginning of the 20th century. Its typical trait is to present the world solely from a subjective perspective, distorting it rad ...
vocal technique denoting pitched speaking. Used most notably in the compositions of
Arnold Schoenberg
Arnold Schoenberg or Schönberg (, ; ; 13 September 187413 July 1951) was an Austrian-American composer, music theorist, teacher, writer, and painter. He is widely considered one of the most influential composers of the 20th century. He was as ...
such as
Pierrot lunaire
''Dreimal sieben Gedichte aus Albert Girauds "Pierrot lunaire"'' ("Three times Seven Poems from Albert Giraud's 'Pierrot lunaire), commonly known simply as ''Pierrot lunaire'', Op. 21 ("Moonstruck Pierrot" or "Pierrot in the Moonlight"), is a me ...
.
; spianato : Smooth, even
;
spiccato
Spiccato is a bowing technique for string instruments in which the bow appears to bounce lightly upon the string. The term comes from the past participle of the Italian verb ''spiccare'', meaning "to separate". The terms '' martelé'', ''saltando ...
: Distinct, separated (i.e. a way of playing the violin and other bowed instruments by bouncing the bow on the string, giving a characteristic staccato effect)
;
spinto
Spinto (from Italian, "pushed") is a vocal term used to characterize a soprano or tenor voice of a weight between lyric and dramatic that is capable of handling large musical climaxes in opera at moderate intervals. (Sometimes the terms ' or ' a ...
: Lit. "pushed"
; spirito : Spirit, ''con spirito'': with spirit, with feeling
; spiritoso : Spirited
;
staccato
Staccato (; Italian for "detached") is a form of musical articulation. In modern notation, it signifies a note of shortened duration, separated from the note that may follow by silence. It has been described by theorists and has appeared in music ...
: Making each note brief and detached; the opposite of legato. In
musical notation
Music notation or musical notation is any system used to visually represent aurally perceived music played with instruments or sung by the human voice through the use of written, printed, or otherwise-produced symbols, including notation fo ...
, a small dot under or over the head of the note indicates that it is to be articulated as staccato.
; stanza : A verse of a song
;
stem
Stem or STEM may refer to:
Plant structures
* Plant stem, a plant's aboveground axis, made of vascular tissue, off which leaves and flowers hang
* Stipe (botany), a stalk to support some other structure
* Stipe (mycology), the stem of a mushro ...
: Vertical line that is directly connected to the
ote
OTE is the national telecommunications provider of Greece.
OTE may also refer to:
* Ocean thermal energy conversion, a renewable energy source
* Oda of Haldensleben (978–1023), daughter of the Margrave of the North March, Theoderich
* On-ta ...
head.
;
stentando Stentato or stentando (the past participle and gerund of the Italian verb '' stentare'' "to find it hard to do something, to have difficulty doing something") is a musical expression which means "labored, heavy, in a dragging manner, sluggish", or ...
or stentato (sten. or stent.) : Labored, heavy, in a dragging manner, holding back each note
; stornello : Originally truly 'improvised' now taken as 'appearing to be improvised,' an Italian 'folk' song, the style of which used for example by Puccini in certain of his operas
; strascinando or strascicante : Indicating a passage should be played in a heavily slurred manner; in some contexts it indicates a rhythmic motion resembling shuffling
; strepitoso : Noisy, forceful
;
stretto
In music, the Italian term ''stretto'' (plural: ''stretti'') has two distinct meanings:
# In a fugue, ''stretto'' (german: Engführung) is the imitation of the subject in close succession, so that the answer enters before the subject is complete ...
: Tight, narrow (i.e. faster or hastening ahead); also, a passage in a
fugue
In music, a fugue () is a contrapuntal compositional technique in two or more voices, built on a subject (a musical theme) that is introduced at the beginning in imitation (repetition at different pitches) and which recurs frequently in the c ...
in which the
contrapuntal
In music, counterpoint is the relationship between two or more musical lines (or voices) which are harmonically interdependent yet independent in rhythm and melodic contour. It has been most commonly identified in the European classical tradi ...
texture is denser, with close overlapping entries of the subject in different voices; by extension, similar closely imitative passages in other compositions
; stringendo : Gradually getting faster (literally, tightening, narrowing) (i.e. with a pressing forward or acceleration of the tempo, that is, becoming
stretto
In music, the Italian term ''stretto'' (plural: ''stretti'') has two distinct meanings:
# In a fugue, ''stretto'' (german: Engführung) is the imitation of the subject in close succession, so that the answer enters before the subject is complete ...
)
; strisciando : To be played with a smooth slur, a ''glissando''
; suave (
Sp.) : Soft
; subito : Immediately (e.g. ''subito '', which instructs the player to suddenly drop to ''pianissimo'' as an effect); often abbreviated as ''sub.''
; sul : Lit. "on the", as in ''sul ponticello'' (on the bridge); ''sul tasto'' (on the fingerboard); ''sul E'' (on the E string), etc.
; sul E : "on the E", indicating a passage is to be played on the E string of a violin. Also seen: ''sul A'', ''sul D'', ''sul G'', ''sul C'', indicating a passage to be played on one of the other strings of a string instrument.
; suono reale : Actual sound; primarily used with notated harmonics where the written pitch is also the sounding pitch
; sur la touche (
Fr.) : Sul tasto
;
syncopation
In music, syncopation is a variety of rhythms played together to make a piece of music, making part or all of a tune or piece of music off-beat. More simply, syncopation is "a disturbance or interruption of the regular flow of rhythm": a "place ...
: A disturbance or interruption of the regular flow of downbeat rhythm with emphasis on the sub-division or up-beat (e.g. in
Ragtime
Ragtime, also spelled rag-time or rag time, is a musical style that flourished from the 1890s to 1910s. Its cardinal trait is its syncopated or "ragged" rhythm. Ragtime was popularized during the early 20th century by composers such as Scott ...
music).
T
;
tacet
Tacet is Latin which translates literally into English as "(it) is silent" (pronounced: , , or ). It is a musical term to indicate that an instrument or voice does not sound, also known as a rest. In vocal polyphony and in orchestral scores, it u ...
(
Lat.) : Lit. "he/she keeps silent": do not play
; ,
or tastiera (tast.) : On the fingerboard (i.e. in string playing, an indication to bow or to pluck over the
fingerboard
The fingerboard (also known as a fretboard on fretted instruments) is an important component of most stringed instruments. It is a thin, long strip of material, usually wood, that is laminated to the front of the neck of an instrument. The stri ...
); playing over the fingerboard produces a duller, less harmonically rich, gentler tone. The opposite of ''
sul ponticello
A variety of musical terms are likely to be encountered in Sheet music, printed scores, music reviews, and program notes. Most of the terms Italian musical terms used in English, are Italian, in accordance with the Italian origins of many Europea ...
''.
;
tasto solo
''Tasto solo'' is an Italian term used in music scores, usually on the continuo part, to indicate that a note or section should be played on its own, without harmony. The term ''tasto'' is Italian for ''key'' (as Italian "tastiera" is for ''fing ...
: 'single key'; used on a
basso continuo
Basso continuo parts, almost universal in the Baroque era (1600–1750), provided the harmonic structure of the music by supplying a bassline and a chord progression. The phrase is often shortened to continuo, and the instrumentalists playing th ...
part to indicate that only the written notes should be played, without RH chords as normally played by the harpsichordist/organist
;
tempo
In musical terminology, tempo (Italian, 'time'; plural ''tempos'', or ''tempi'' from the Italian plural) is the speed or pace of a given piece. In classical music, tempo is typically indicated with an instruction at the start of a piece (often ...
: Time (i.e. the overall speed of a piece of music)
; tempo di marcia : March tempo
; tempo di mezzo : The middle section of a double aria, commonly found in bel canto era Italian operas, especially those of Rossini, Bellini, Donizetti, and their contemporaries as well in many early operas by Verdi. When present, the tempo di mezzo generally signals a shift in the drama from the slow cantabile of the first part to the
cabaletta
Cabaletta is a two-part musical form particularly favored for arias in 19th century Italian opera in the belcanto era until about the 1860s during which it was one of the era's most important elements. More properly, a cabaletta is a more animate ...
of the second, and this can take the form of some dramatic announcement or action to which the character(s) react in the cabaletta finale.
; tempo di valzer : Waltz tempo
; tempo giusto : In strict time
; tempo primo, tempo uno, or tempo I (sometimes tempo I° or tempo
1ero) : Resume the original speed
;
tempo rubato Tempo rubato (, , ; 'free in the presentation', literally ) is a musical term referring to expressive and rhythmic freedom by a slight speeding up and then slowing down of the tempo of a piece at the discretion of the soloist or the conductor. Rub ...
: "Stolen time"; an expressive way of performing a rhythm; see
rubato Tempo rubato (, , ; 'free in the presentation', literally ) is a musical term referring to expressive and rhythmic freedom by a slight speeding up and then slowing down of the tempo of a piece at the discretion of the soloist or the conductor. Rub ...
; ten. : See
tenuto
In musical notation, ''tenuto'' (Italian, past participle of ''tenere'', "to hold"), denoted as a horizontal bar adjacent to a note, is a direction for the performer to hold or sustain a note for its full length.
Its precise interpretation can ...
; teneramente; tendre or tendrement (
Fr.): Tenderly
; tenerezza : Tenderness
;
tenor
A tenor is a type of classical music, classical male singing human voice, voice whose vocal range lies between the countertenor and baritone voice types. It is the highest male chest voice type. The tenor's vocal range extends up to C5. The lo ...
: The second lowest of the standard four voice ranges (bass, tenor, alto, soprano)
;
tenuto
In musical notation, ''tenuto'' (Italian, past participle of ''tenere'', "to hold"), denoted as a horizontal bar adjacent to a note, is a direction for the performer to hold or sustain a note for its full length.
Its precise interpretation can ...
: Held (i.e. touch on a note slightly longer than usual, but without generally altering the note's value)
;
ternary
Ternary (from Latin ''ternarius'') or trinary is an adjective meaning "composed of three items". It can refer to:
Mathematics and logic
* Ternary numeral system, a base-3 counting system
** Balanced ternary, a positional numeral system, useful ...
: Having three parts. In particular, referring to a three-part musical form with the parts represented by letters: ABA
;
tessitura
In music, tessitura (, pl. ''tessiture'', "texture"; ) is the most acceptable and comfortable vocal range for a given singer or less frequently, musical instrument, the range in which a given type of voice presents its best-sounding (or character ...
: The 'best' or most comfortable pitch range, generally used to identify the most prominent / common vocal range within a piece of music
; tierce de Picardie (
Fr.): See
Picardy third
A Picardy third, (; french: tierce picarde) also known as a Picardy cadence or Tierce de Picardie, is a major chord of the tonic at the end of a musical section that is either modal or in a minor key. This is achieved by raising the third of the ...
;
timbre
In music, timbre ( ), also known as tone color or tone quality (from psychoacoustics), is the perceived sound quality of a musical note, sound or musical tone, tone. Timbre distinguishes different types of sound production, such as choir voice ...
: The quality of a musical tone that distinguishes voices and instruments
; time : In a jazz or rock score, after a rubato or rallentendo section, the term "time" indicates that performers should return to tempo (this is equivalent to the term "a tempo")
; tosto : Immediately
; tranquillo : Calm, peaceful
; trattenuto (tratt.): Held back with a sustained tone, similar to ritardando
; (tc) : Three strings (i.e. release the
soft pedal
The soft pedal (or pedal, ) is one of the standard pedals on a piano, generally placed leftmost among the pedals. On a grand piano this pedal shifts the whole action (including the keyboard) slightly to the right, so that the hammers which norm ...
of the piano) (see ''
una corda
The soft pedal (or pedal, ) is one of the standard pedals on a piano, generally placed leftmost among the pedals. On a grand piano this pedal shifts the whole action (including the keyboard) slightly to the right, so that the hammers which no ...
'')
;
tremolo
In music, ''tremolo'' (), or ''tremolando'' (), is a trembling effect. There are two types of tremolo.
The first is a rapid reiteration:
* Of a single Musical note, note, particularly used on String instrument#Bowing, bowed string instrument ...
: Shaking. As used in 1) and 2) below, it is notated by a strong diagonal bar (or bars) across the note stem, or a detached bar (or bars) for a set of notes.
:# A rapid, measured or unmeasured repetition of the same note. String players perform this tremolo with the bow by rapidly moving the bow while the arm is tense;
:# A rapid, measured or unmeasured alternation between two or more notes, usually more than a whole step apart. In older theory texts this form is sometimes referred to as a "trill-tremolo" (see
trill
TRILL (Transparent Interconnection of Lots of Links) is an Internet Standard implemented by devices called TRILL switches. TRILL combines techniques from bridging and routing, and is the application of link-state routing to the VLAN-aware cus ...
).
:# A rapid, repeated alteration of volume (as on an electronic instrument);
:#
vibrato
Vibrato (Italian language, Italian, from past participle of "wikt:vibrare, vibrare", to vibrate) is a musical effect consisting of a regular, pulsating change of pitch (music), pitch. It is used to add expression to vocal and instrumental music. ...
: an inaccurate usage, since vibrato is actually a slight undulation in a sustained ''pitch'', rather than a repetition of the pitch, or variation in volume (see ''vibrato'').
;
tresillo (
Sp.): A duple-pulse rhythmic cell in Cuban and other Latin American music
;
trill
TRILL (Transparent Interconnection of Lots of Links) is an Internet Standard implemented by devices called TRILL switches. TRILL combines techniques from bridging and routing, and is the application of link-state routing to the VLAN-aware cus ...
: A rapid, usually unmeasured alternation between two harmonically adjacent notes (e.g. an interval of a semitone or a whole tone). A similar alternation using a wider interval is called a ''tremolo''.
;
triplet (shown with a horizontal bracket and a '3') : Three notes in the place of two, used to subdivide a beat.
; triste : Sad, wistful
; tronco, tronca : Broken off, truncated
; troppo : Too much; usually seen as ''non troppo'', meaning moderately or, when combined with other terms, not too much, such as ''allegro
anon troppo'' (fast but not too fast)
;
turn : Multi-note ornament above and below the main note; it may also be inverted. Also called ''gruppetto''.
;
tutti
''Tutti'' is an Italian word literally meaning ''all'' or ''together'' and is used as a musical term, for the whole orchestra as opposed to the soloist. It is applied similarly to choral music, where the whole section or choir is called to sing. M ...
: All; all together, usually used in an orchestral or choral score when the orchestra or all of the voices come in at the same time, also seen in
Baroque-era music where two instruments share the same copy of music, after one instrument has broken off to play a more advanced form: they both play together again at the point marked ''tutti''. See also ''
ripieno The ripieno (, Italian for "stuffing" or "padding") is the bulk of instrumental parts of a musical ensemble who do not play as soloists, especially in Baroque music. These are the players who would play in sections marked ''tutti'', as opposed to so ...
''.
U
; un, una,
or uno : One or "a" (indefinite article), as exemplified in the following entries
; un poco
or un peu (
Fr.) : A little
; : One string (i.e., in
piano
The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keyboa ...
music, depressing the
soft pedal
The soft pedal (or pedal, ) is one of the standard pedals on a piano, generally placed leftmost among the pedals. On a grand piano this pedal shifts the whole action (including the keyboard) slightly to the right, so that the hammers which norm ...
, which alters and reduces the volume of the sound). For most notes in modern pianos, this results in the hammer striking two strings rather than three. Its counterpart, ''
tre corde'' (three strings), is the opposite: the soft pedal is to be released.
;
unison
In music, unison is two or more musical parts that sound either the same pitch or pitches separated by intervals of one or more octaves, usually at the same time. ''Rhythmic unison'' is another term for homorhythm.
Definition
Unison or per ...
o (unis) : In unison (i.e., several players in a group are to play exactly the same notes within their written part, as opposed to splitting simultaneous notes among themselves); often used to mark the return from
divisi In musical terminology, ''divisi'', or as typically printed ''“div.,”'' is an instruction to divide a single section of instruments into multiple subsections. This usually applies to the violins of the string section in an orchestra, although v ...
; uptempo : A fast, lively, or increased tempo, or played or done in such a tempo; it is also used as an umbrella term for a quick-paced
electronic music
Electronic music is a genre of music that employs electronic musical instruments, digital instruments, or circuitry-based music technology in its creation. It includes both music made using electronic and electromechanical means ( electroac ...
style
; ut (
Fr.) : First note of the series ut, re, mi, fa, sol, la, si, in
fixed-do solmization
Solmization is a system of attributing a distinct syllable to each note of a musical scale. Various forms of solmization are in use and have been used throughout the world, but solfège is the most common convention in countries of Western cultur ...
V
; vagans (
Lat.) : Lit. "wandering":
the fifth part in a motet, named so most probably because it had no specific range
; vamp : Improvised accompaniment, usually a repeating pattern played before next musical passage. See vamp till cue. See comp and
comping (jazz)
In jazz, comping (an abbreviation of accompaniment; or possibly from the verb, to "complement") is the chords, rhythms, and countermelodies that keyboard players (piano or organ), guitar players, or drummers use to support a musician's improvi ...
.
; vamp till cue : A jazz, fusion, and
musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance. The story and emotional content of a musical – humor, pathos, love, anger – are communicated through words, music, movemen ...
term which instructs rhythm section members to repeat and vary a short
ostinato
In music, an ostinato (; derived from Italian word for ''stubborn'', compare English ''obstinate'') is a motif or phrase that persistently repeats in the same musical voice, frequently in the same pitch. Well-known ostinato-based pieces include ...
passage,
riff
A riff is a repeated chord progression or refrain in music (also known as an ostinato figure in classical music); it is a pattern, or melody, often played by the rhythm section instruments or solo instrument, that forms the basis or accompani ...
, or
"groove" until the band leader or conductor instructs them to move onto the next section
; variazioni : Variations, ''con variazioni'': with variations/changes
; veloce : Fast
; velocità: Speed; ''con velocità'': with speed
; velocissimo : As fast as possible; usually applied to a
cadenza
In music, a cadenza (from it, cadenza, link=no , meaning cadence; plural, ''cadenze'' ) is, generically, an improvisation, improvised or written-out ornament (music), ornamental passage (music), passage played or sung by a solo (music), sol ...
-like passage or run
; via : Away, out, off; as in ''via sordina'' or ''sordina via'': 'mute off'
;
vibrato
Vibrato (Italian language, Italian, from past participle of "wikt:vibrare, vibrare", to vibrate) is a musical effect consisting of a regular, pulsating change of pitch (music), pitch. It is used to add expression to vocal and instrumental music. ...
: Vibrating (i.e. a more or less rapidly repeated slight variation in the ''pitch'' of a note, used as a means of expression). Often confused with
tremolo
In music, ''tremolo'' (), or ''tremolando'' (), is a trembling effect. There are two types of tremolo.
The first is a rapid reiteration:
* Of a single Musical note, note, particularly used on String instrument#Bowing, bowed string instrument ...
, which refers either to a similar variation in the ''volume'' of a note, or to rapid repetition of a single note.
; vif (
Fr.) : Lively
;
violoncello
The cello ( ; plural ''celli'' or ''cellos'') or violoncello ( ; ) is a bowed (sometimes plucked and occasionally hit) string instrument of the violin family. Its four strings are usually tuned in perfect fifths: from low to high, C2, G2, D ...
:
cello
The cello ( ; plural ''celli'' or ''cellos'') or violoncello ( ; ) is a Bow (music), bowed (sometimes pizzicato, plucked and occasionally col legno, hit) string instrument of the violin family. Its four strings are usually intonation (music), t ...
;
virtuoso
A virtuoso (from Italian ''virtuoso'' or , "virtuous", Late Latin ''virtuosus'', Latin ''virtus'', "virtue", "excellence" or "skill") is an individual who possesses outstanding talent and technical ability in a particular art or field such as ...
: (noun or adjective) performing with exceptional ability, technique, or artistry
; vite (
Fr.) : Fast
; vittorioso : Victorious
; vivace : Lively, up-tempo
; vivacissimo : Very lively
; vivamente : With liveliness
; vivezza : Liveliness, vivacity
; vivo : Lively, intense
;
vocal score
The human voice consists of sound made by a human being using the vocal tract, including talking, singing, laughing, crying, screaming, shouting, humming or yelling. The human voice frequency is specifically a part of human sound production i ...
or piano-vocal score : A
music score of an
opera
Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a librett ...
,
musical
Musical is the adjective of music.
Musical may also refer to:
* Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance
* Musical film and television, a genre of film and television that incorporates into the narr ...
, or a vocal or
choral
A choir ( ; also known as a chorale or chorus) is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform. Choirs may perform music from the classical music repertoire, which ...
composition with orchestra (like
oratorio
An oratorio () is a large musical composition for orchestra, choir, and soloists. Like most operas, an oratorio includes the use of a choir, soloists, an instrumental ensemble, various distinguishable characters, and arias. However, opera is mus ...
or
cantata
A cantata (; ; literally "sung", past participle feminine singular of the Italian verb ''cantare'', "to sing") is a vocal composition with an instrumental accompaniment, typically in several movements, often involving a choir.
The meaning of ...
) where the vocal parts are written out in full but the
accompaniment
Accompaniment is the musical part which provides the rhythmic and/or harmonic support for the melody or main themes of a song or instrumental piece. There are many different styles and types of accompaniment in different genres and styles ...
is reduced to two
staves and adapted for playing on
piano
The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keyboa ...
; voce : Voice
; volante : Flying
; volti subito (V.S.) : Turn immediately (i.e. turn the page quickly). While this indication is sometimes added by printers, it is more commonly indicated by orchestral members in pencil as a reminder to quickly turn to the next page.
W
; weich (
Ger.) : Gentle, gently
; wenig (
Ger.) : A little, not much
; weniger (
Ger.) : Less
; wolno (
Pol.) : Loose, slowly
Z
; Zählzeit (
Ger.) : Beat
; zart (
Ger.) : Tender
; Zartheit (
Ger.) : Tenderness
; zärtlich (
Ger.) : Tenderly
; Zeichen (
Ger.) : Sign, mark
; Zeitmaß or Zeitmass (
Ger.) : Time-measure (i.e. tempo)
; zelo, zeloso, zelosamente : Zeal, zealous, zealously
; ziehen (
Ger.) : To draw out
; ziemlich (
Ger.) : Fairly, quite, rather
; zitternd (
Ger.) : Trembling (i.e. tremolando)
; zögernd (
Ger.) : Hesitantly, delaying (i.e. rallentando)
; zurückhalten (
Ger.) : Hold back
See also
*
Glossary of jazz and popular music
This is a list of jazz and popular music terms that are likely to be encountered in printed popular music songbooks, fake books and vocal scores, big band scores, jazz, and rock and roll, rock concert reviews, and album liner notes. This glossar ...
*
Glossary of Schenkerian analysis
This is a glossary of Schenkerian analysis, a method of musical analysis of tonal music based on the theories of Heinrich Schenker (1868–1935). The method is discussed in the concerned article and no attempt is made here to summarize it. Simila ...
*
List of musical symbols
Musical symbols are marks and symbols in musical notation that indicate various aspects of how a piece of music is to be performed. There are symbols to communicate information about many musical elements, including pitch, duration, dynamics, ...
References
External links
Classical musical termsMusical Terms Dictionary Definitions Dolmetsch Online
*
Musical Terms– Glossary of music terms from Naxos
{{Music topics
Music terminology
A variety of musical terms are likely to be encountered in printed scores, music reviews, and program notes. Most of the terms are Italian, in accordance with the Italian origins of many European musical conventions. Sometimes, the special mus ...