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

  • volte [French] A Renaissance dance for couples in triple meter.
  • pomposo [Italian] Pompous, stately, or ceremonious.
  • character piece Term used for a broad range of 19th century piano music based on a single idea or program.
  • scherzando [Italian] Literally, “joking”. A directive to perform in a lively, playful, animated manner.
  • mais [French] “But”.
  • pietoso [Italian] Pitiful, merciful, compassionate.
  • siciliana [Italian] A type of aria or instrumental movement in the late 17th and 18th centuries, normally written as a dance in a slow 6/8 or 12/8 time with short phrases.
  • glee An English part song for three or more voices originating in the 17th century.
  • lauda [Latin] Laud, hymn of praise.
  • polyrhythm The simultaneous use of several rhythmic patterns or meters, common in twentieth-century music and in certain African musics.
  • non-harmonic note In part writing, a note that is dissonant with other notes in the same chord.
  • sixteenth note A note having the time duration of one sixteenth of a whole note.
  • pibroch Scottish traditional theme and variation form music to be performed on the bagpipe. This term refers to the more serious, courtly music rather than to dance music and military music.
  • retransition In sonata-allegro form, the last part of the development which leads to the tonic of the main key and usually emphasizes it.
  • marziale [Italian] Martial, with a military feeling.