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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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…

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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

  • affannoso [Italian] With anxious expression.
  • springer An ornament consisting of the main tone followed by the tone above it followed by the tone above that, then returning to the original main tone.
  • con tenerezza [Italian] “With tenderness”.
  • stinger A chord at the end of a march that is used to punctuate the ending of the composition. The stinger is typically played by the entire ensemble on the last beat of the last measure of the composition and contains an accent.
  • choir A group of singers who perform together, usually in parts, with several on each part.
  • inline G On a flute, the standard position of the left-hand G (third-finger) key: in line with the first and second keys.
  • opus [Latin] A number, often assigned by a publisher, used to classify a particular work of a composer.
  • anthem A choral setting of an English religious text similar to a motet, usually used in church with or without organ accompaniment.
  • cassation Classical instrumental genre related to the serenade or divertimento, often performed outdoors.
  • R. Either Raabe or Rinaldi.
  • riser A metal section on the head joint of a flute, shaped like a ‛top hat with the top cut off’, which raises the lip plate from the head joint tube.
  • treble The highest part of a polyphonic composition.
  • voice Either human voice or a melodic layer or part of a polyphonic composition.
  • mancando [Italian] A directive for the volume to grow quieter and die away.
  • accablé [French] Overwhelmed.