Multilingual Music Glossary

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We are currently providing explanations for 2484 terms from 12 languages, including English, Italian, French, German, Spanish, Dutch, Swedish, Finnish, Latin…

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Some random terms

  • open-hole A flute finger key with a perforated center, allowing the use of techniques such as pitch bending or glissando.
  • morbidezza [Italian] Softness, tenderness.
  • middle C First C below the 440 Hz A. It is the note on the ledger line halfway between the bass and treble clef on the grand staff. It is the lowest C that a concert flute can make.
  • espressione [Italian] “Expression”.
  • plus [French] “More”.
  • chorale Baroque congregational hymn of the German Lutheran church, usually written for four voice harmony.
  • Ausdrucksvoll [German] Expressive.
  • suives [French] Literally, “follow”. A directive to an accompanist to follow the musical interpretation of the soloist.
  • virtuoso [Italian] Performer of extraordinary technical ability.
  • bass The lowest part in a musical composition.
  • phrygian The mode based upon the third note of the major scale. In the key of C major, phrygian mode would start on the key of E, and include all the notes of the C major scale.
  • stretto [Italian] In a fugue, that situation in which the subject and answer overlap one another, or when two subjects enter in close succession.
  • heftig [German] Vehement, boisterous.
  • similar motion In part-writing, similar motion is the situation in which two voices of the composition move in the same direction, either ascending or descending, but they do not necessarily cover the same interval.
  • tonguing In the performance of wind instruments, the technique of using the tongue to produce certain sounds and effects, and especially the technique in which notes are attacked and articulated.