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

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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

  • cantio [Latin] A religious, monophonic, Latin song of the later Middle Ages.
  • serein [French] Serene, calm.
  • andante [Italian] Literally, “going”. A moderate tempo marking, usually around 76–108 BPM.
  • serialism A method of composition in which various musical elements such as pitch, rhythm, dynamics, and tone color may be put in order according to a fixed series.
  • musical Genre of twentieth century musical theater, especially popular in the United States and Great Britain; characterized by spoken dialogue, dramatic plot interspersed with songs, ensemble numbers and dancing.
  • natural key A key whose signature contains no sharps or flats; basically, C major and A minor.
  • impromptu [French] A single-movement piano composition of the Romantic era, usually short, with a spontaneous character.
  • ut [Latin] The syllable first associated with the tonic of the key, now replaced by the syllable "Do" but still used in France. In the fixed Do system, this is always C.
  • mazurka A lively Polish dance in 3/4 or 3/8 time with the accent usually on the second or third beat of the measure.
  • dramma giocoso [Italian] A kind of comic opera originating around 1750, with sentimental or pathetic plots bordering on tragedy rather than the traditional lighthearted comic plots.
  • romantic The era of music following the classical period, going from about 1815 to 1910.
  • lydian The church mode based on F, containing the notes of the C major scale, yet using F as the tonic.
  • compound harmony Regular harmony with an added octave in the bass.
  • Minnelied [German] A love song composed in the Minnesang tradition.
  • intermedio [Italian] In the Renaissance, a musical entertainment between the acts of a play.