Multilingual Music Glossary

# A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Hint: Don't worry about accents over letters, just skip them.

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

  • pasticcio [Italian] A composition assembled from passages taken from numerous other sources by various composers.
  • larghetto [Italian] A tempo not quite as slow as largo, usually around 60–66 BPM.
  • vago [Italian] Vague, indefinite.
  • syncopation Deliberate upsetting of the meter or pulse of a composition by means of a temporary shifting of the accent to a weak beat.
  • sight-singing The practice of singing a composition at sight, without previous preparation.
  • ictus [Latin] The instant when a beat occurs.
  • fortississimo [Italian] Extremely loud, louder than fortissimo.
  • attacca [Italian] A musical directive for the performer to begin the next section of a composition immediately and without pause.
  • theme group Several themes in the same key that function as a unit within a section of a form, particularly in sonata-allegro form.
  • frequency Rate of vibration of a string or column of air, which determines pitch. Usually measured in Hertz (Hz).
  • additive meter A pattern of beats that subdivide into smaller, irregular groups. It is common in Eastern European musics, and contemporary compositions attempting to emulate such a sound. For example, a time signature like 9/8, which is normally subdivided as 3+3+3, may be subdivided by the composer as 2+3+2+2 for musical effect.
  • serioso [Italian] Serious, grave.
  • intermedio [Italian] In the Renaissance, a musical entertainment between the acts of a play.
  • ragtime Late nineteenth century piano style created by African-Americans, characterized by highly syncopated melodies.
  • mezzo piano [Italian] Moderately soft. Not quite so soft as piano.