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

  • concerto grosso [Italian] A baroque style of music in which a small group of solo instruments (the concertino) plays in opposition to a larger ensemble (the ripieno).
  • cavatina [Italian] Originally, a short song of simple character, without a second strain or any repetition of the air. It is now frequently applied to a simple melodious air, as distinguished from a brilliant aria or recitative, and often forms part of a large movement or scena in oratorio or opera.
  • anonymous A person whose name is unknown.
  • rock A loosely defined genre of popular music that entered the mainstream in the mid 1950s, characterized by a hard, driving duple meter and amplified instrumental accompaniment.
  • triplet Three notes of equal length that are to be performed in the duration of two notes of equal length.
  • scale A series of notes in ascending or descending order that presents the pitches of a key or mode, beginning and ending on the tonic of that key or mode.
  • isorhythmic motet Medieval and early Renaissance motet based on a repeating rhythmic pattern throughout one or more voices.
  • mosso [Italian] Moved, agitated.
  • natural minor scale A scale similar to the major scale, but with the third, sixth and seventh degrees lowered by a semitone.
  • diabolus in musica [Latin] Literally, “the devil in music”. A medieval name for the tritone.
  • strophic form Song structure in which every stanza of the text is sung to the same musical tune.
  • interval Difference in pitch between two notes.
  • larigot [French] A shepherd's flute or pipe.
  • hautbois [French] Oboe.
  • al segno [Italian] A directive to return to the sign.