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
- comma
Difference in pitch between a note derived from pure tuning and the same note derived from some other tuning method. - pochissimo
“Very little”. - Klavier
A keyboard instrument; usually, a piano. - ragtime Late nineteenth century piano style created by African-Americans, characterized by highly syncopated melodies.
- 15mb
A directive to perform two octaves lower than written. - quadrille
An early 19th century ballroom dance for four or more couples. - terzetto
A three-voice compositional form of the 18th century, usually short, which may or may not be accompanied. - moto perpetuo
Literally, “perpetual motion”. A term used to describe rapidly executed and persistently maintained figuration. - lent
Slow. - toccata
Virtuoso composition, generally for organ or harpsichord, in a free and rhapsodic style; in the Baroque, it often served as the introduction to a fugue. - phrase A natural division of the melodic line, comparable to a sentence of speech.
- leggiero
Light, delicate. - orchestra An instrumental ensemble, usually fairly large, with string, brass, woodwind sections, and possibly a percussion section as well.
- festivo
Merry, festive. - forte
“Loud”.