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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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

  • tarantella [Italian] A fast Italian dance in 6/8 time, characterized by alternations between major and minor tonalities and a quickening of tempo throughout the composition.
  • con fuoco [Italian] Literally, “with fire”. A directive to play with vehement energy or fervid emotion.
  • 8vb [Italian] A directive to perform an octave lower than written.
  • calcando [Italian] Stressing, emphasizing.
  • walking bass In baroque music, a bass line that moves steadily in a rhythm contrasting to that of the upper parts.
  • disco Commercial dance music popular in the 1970s, characterized by strong percussion in a quadruple meter.
  • quintus [Latin] Term used in the 16th century for the fifth voice in a composition having five or more vocal parts. Sometimes it was a countermelody added on top of the usual four voices.
  • quieto [Italian] Calm, serene.
  • bravura [Italian] Literally, “skill”. Great dexterity and skill in execution.
  • villereccio [Italian] Rustic, rural.
  • madrigal Renaissance secular work originating in Italy for voices, with or without instruments, set to a short, lyric love poem.
  • Trommelbass [German] Literally, “drum-bass”. A bass line that contains steady, constant, repeated notes.
  • ritenuto [Italian] Literally, “kept back”. Immediate reduction of speed.
  • placido [Italian] Calm, placid.
  • schnell [German] Fast.