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

  • trio [Italian] A composition for three performers.
  • lentezza [Italian] “Slowness”.
  • whole tone scale A scale built entirely of whole tone intervals. Used commonly by the French impressionists.
  • sonatina [Italian] A form popular in the late classical era that consisted of a short or “light” sonata; often the sonatina contained an exposition and recapitulation without the development section. The form has been revived in the 20th century by various composers.
  • sin' al fine [Italian] Literally, “to the end”. Usually attached to another directive, implying that whatever the other directive stated should be carried out to the end of the composition.
  • prestissimo [Italian] Extremely fast tempo marking, usually around 200 BPM.
  • divisi [Italian] Literally, “divided”. A directive in ensemble music that instructs one section to divide into two or more separate sections, each playing a separate part. Often these separate parts are written on the same staff.
  • tardamente [Italian] Slowly.
  • sixty-fourth note A note having the time duration of one sixty-fourth of a whole note.
  • sordamente [Italian] Softly, gently, or in a muffled or damped style.
  • fingering The methodical use of fingers in the playing of instruments.
  • vago [Italian] Vague, indefinite.
  • Leitmotiv [German] A term adopted by Wagner's disciples to designate the “leading motives” in his operas.
  • transposition Shifting a melody up or down in pitch, while keeping the same relative pitches.
  • morbidezza [Italian] Softness, tenderness.