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

  • tranquillo [Italian] Calm, quiet.
  • con semplicità [Italian] “With simplicity”.
  • a due [Italian] For two voices or instruments; a duet. Also used to indicate that two instruments playing from the same part or score are to play in unison, after divisi or a solo passage for one of the instruments.
  • stromentato [Italian] Accompanied.
  • sonata da chiesa [Italian] A baroque instrumental work intended for performance in a church, generally in four movements, arranged slow, fast, slow, fast.
  • sordamente [Italian] Softly, gently, or in a muffled or damped style.
  • locrian A mode based upon the seventh tone of the major scale.
  • gebrochen [German] “Broken”.
  • monophony Music that is written for only one voice or part.
  • expression The blend of feeling and intellect brought to a performance by the performer.
  • furioso [Italian] “Furious”.
  • eight note A note having the time duration of one eighth of a whole note.
  • legato [Italian] Literally, “tied together”. A directive to perform a certain passage in a smooth, connected style. It is usually indicated by a slur over the affected notes.
  • mariachi [Spanish] Traditional Mexican ensemble popular throughout the country, consisting of trumpets, violins, guitar and bass guitar.
  • un poco [Italian] A little.