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

Hint: Don't worry about accents over letters, just skip them.

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

  • meter The basic scheme of note values and accents which remains unaltered throughout a composition or a section of it.
  • tuning The adjustment of the pitch of an instrument. Also, the set pitches to which an instrument is tuned.
  • 15ma [Italian] A directive to perform two octaves higher than written.
  • energico [Italian] With energy, vigorous.
  • saltando [Italian] Proceeding in leaps or skips.
  • relative pitch The ability to identify any pitch in reference to a given pitch.
  • zu [German] Shown as zu2, zu3, etc., it is a directive to indicate the number of musicians to perform the indicated passage of music.
  • anthem A choral setting of an English religious text similar to a motet, usually used in church with or without organ accompaniment.
  • polyphony Music written in a combination of several simultaneous voices (parts) of a more or less pronounced individuality.
  • open-hole A flute finger key with a perforated center, allowing the use of techniques such as pitch bending or glissando.
  • cantoris [Latin] Literally, “of the cantor”. In Anglican church music, referring to the half of the choir sitting on the cantor's side of the church.
  • polyrhythm The simultaneous use of several rhythmic patterns or meters, common in twentieth-century music and in certain African musics.
  • scena [Italian] A term used to describe the stage, scene or act of an opera. Also, a term for a set of vocal movements in a theatrical production, usually including a recitative, arioso, and aria.
  • répertoire [French] A list of compositions that an individual or ensemble is prepared to perform or that are available for performance.
  • dal niente [Italian] Literally, “from nothing”. Out of silence.