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

  • natural key A key whose signature contains no sharps or flats; basically, C major and A minor.
  • dolcissimo [Italian] Very sweet, very soft.
  • comic opera A sung dramatic work of a light or comic nature, usually with a happy ending.
  • verismo [Italian] A term meaning “realism”, applied to Romantic works (especially operas) of the late 19th century that have to do with unpleasant realities of life.
  • moto [Italian] Motion, movement.
  • Empfindung [German] Feeling, sentiment.
  • sequence Restatement of an idea or motive at a different pitch level.
  • cent A logarithmic unit used in measuring the difference between two pitches in an equal-tempered scale. One cent is one one-hundredth of an equal-tempered semitone.
  • cue-notes In a separate part, notes belonging to another part with the purpose of hinting when to start playing. Usually printed in a smaller type.
  • answer Second entry of the subject in a fugue, usually pitched a fourth below or a fifth above the original subject. If the theme is altered slightly in the answer, then it is said to be a tonal answer, if it is entirely unaltered, it is said to be a real answer.
  • polychord The simultaneous use of two or more simple chords (such as triads), a technique used in 20th century compositions.
  • placido [Italian] Calm, placid.
  • ricercare [Italian] Literally, “search”. Term used in the Renaissance originally meaning a keyboard or lute composition of an introductory nature, similar to a prelude, but later meaning a free composition more resembling a fantasia or a fugue. Both forms of the ricercare were characterized by complexity and an esoteric nature.
  • microtone Musical interval smaller than a semitone, prevalent in some non-Western musics and in some twentieth century art music.
  • cantabile [Italian] Songful, in a singing style.