Multilingual Music Glossary
Found a word you don't know? No problem. Look it up in the Music Glossary!
We are currently providing explanations for 2484 terms from 12 languages, including English, Italian, French, German, Spanish, Dutch, Swedish, Finnish, Latin…
You may browse the glossary alphabetically, or directly search for a term by using the search box above.
If you are looking for a symbol, check out our Guide to Musical Symbols.
Please note: a music glossary is just like a dictionary. It contains explanations to musical terms. If you are looking for a piece, please go here instead: search tunes.
Some random terms
- metronome Device used to indicate the tempo by sounding regular beats at adjustable speeds.
- savart
A unit of measurement for musical intervals, corresponding to about 3.986 cents. - burlesque
A humorous composition, usually involving parody or grotesque exaggeration. - pavane
Stately Renaissance court dance in duple meter. - con fuoco
Literally, “with fire”. A directive to play with vehement energy or fervid emotion. - cantando
Singing. - music drama Wagner's term for his operas.
- Werke ohne Opuszahl
“Works without opus number”. A catalogue prepared in 1955 by Harry Halm and Georg Kinsky, listing all of the compositions of Ludwig van Beethoven that were not originally published with an opus number, or survived only as fragments. The abbreviation is also used sometime to refer to works without opus by other composers. - con furia
“With fury”. - zart
Tender, delicate. - forte
“Loud”. - spinto
A term describing a lyric voice, usually that of a soprano or tenor, that can also achieve powerful, dramatic effects. Also, a part written for a voice of such character. - saltando
Proceeding in leaps or skips. - guerriero
Martial, warlike. - stabile
Firm.