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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Some random terms

  • overture An introductory movement, as in an opera or oratorio, often presenting melodies from arias to come. Also an orchestral work for concert performance.
  • melody Succession of single tones or pitches perceived by the mind as a unity.
  • burden A phrase or theme that recurs at the end of each verse in a folk song or ballad.
  • well-tempered A term applied to an instrument that is voiced and tuned satisfactorily, with the pitches, tone, and timbre having the desired quality of sound.
  • mezzo piano [Italian] Moderately soft. Not quite so soft as piano.
  • comp Jazz term used to describe the accompaniment backing up a soloist.
  • ohne [German] “Without”.
  • multiphonics The technique of performing two or more tones simultaneously on an instrument that is designed to produce only one tone at a time, like the flute.
  • accablé [French] Overwhelmed.
  • opera seria [Italian] Italian opera of the 18th and 19th centuries that was either heroic or tragic.
  • divertissment [French] A light, entertaining dance and music combination related to the divertimento.
  • word painting Musical depiction of words in text. Using the device of word painting, the music tries to imitate the emotion, action, or natural sounds as described in the text.
  • negligente [Italian] “Negligent”, unrestrained.
  • bluegrass A form of American country music, inspired by the music of immigrants from the United Kingdom and Ireland as well as jazz and blues. In bluegrass, as in jazz, each instrument takes its turn playing the melody and improvising around it, while the others perform accompaniment.
  • fois [French] “Time”, as in “first time” (première fois) or “second time” (deuxieme fois).