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
- dampen A directive to muffle, deaden or restrain the tone of an instrument.
- motive The briefest intelligible and self-contained fragment of a musical theme or subject.
- vivacissimo
A fast tempo, faster than vivace. - connecting note A note held in common by two chords.
- innocentemente Innocently.
- empfindungsvoll
Feelingly. - sequence Restatement of an idea or motive at a different pitch level.
- 8va
A directive to perform an octave higher than written. - impromptu
A single-movement piano composition of the Romantic era, usually short, with a spontaneous character. - galante
Gallant, courtly, elegant. - quadruplet A group of four notes played in the time usually taken to play six.
- divertimento
Instrumental composition intended for entertainment, usually in a number of movements. The term is used particularly in the second half of the 18th century. - time signature A symbol placed at the left side of the staff indicating the meter of the composition.
- appassionato
Passionate, with intense emotion or feeling. - doucement
Softly.