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

  • tailgate A slang term for a trombone Glissando in Dixieland jazz.
  • music drama Wagner's term for his operas.
  • whole tone scale A scale built entirely of whole tone intervals. Used commonly by the French impressionists.
  • sonata da chiesa [Italian] A baroque instrumental work intended for performance in a church, generally in four movements, arranged slow, fast, slow, fast.
  • ballata [Italian] A type of fourteenth-century italian secular song, similar to the French virelai.
  • register A division of the range of an instrument or singing voice. Usually registers are defined by a change in the quality of the sound between a lower range and a higher range.
  • round Perpetual canon at the unison in which each voice enters in succession with the same melody.
  • ad libitum [Latin] Literally, “at will”. At the discretion of the performer. At pleasure, changing the tempo of a particular passage. Sometimes, a part that may be omitted if desired.
  • exposition The first statement of a theme.
  • pointed arms On a flute, arms connecting the keys to the rods which are pointed and extend to the keys' centers; found on more expensive flutes.
  • volte [French] A Renaissance dance for couples in triple meter.
  • equal temperament Tuning system dividing the octave into 12 equal semitones.
  • chord A set of three or more (according to certain definitions, even two) different notes that sound simultaneously.
  • con brio [Italian] With vivacity or spirit.
  • quodlibet [Latin] A humorous composition that contains snatches of popular melodies and texts presented concurrently or consecutively.