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

  • mit [German] “With”.
  • tremolo [Italian] A rapid alternation between two notes.
  • restez [French] A directive to remain on a note.
  • pietoso [Italian] Pitiful, merciful, compassionate.
  • calmo [Italian] Calm.
  • overture An introductory movement, as in an opera or oratorio, often presenting melodies from arias to come. Also an orchestral work for concert performance.
  • morbidezza [Italian] Softness, tenderness.
  • system The collection of staves, two or more, as used for writing down of keyboard, chamber, choral, or orchestral music.
  • polonaise [French] Stately Polish processional dance in triple meter.
  • flamenco [Spanish] A genre of dance and music characterized by its use of modes, its unusual rhythm patterns and its use of guitar accompaniment.
  • rustico [Italian] Rustic, rural.
  • closed-hole A flute finger key which is fully covered.
  • chaconne [French] Baroque form in 3/4 time similar to the passacaglia, in which the variations are based on a repeated chord progression.
  • tailgate A slang term for a trombone Glissando in Dixieland jazz.
  • ripieno [Italian] The notes added when realizing the figured bass of a basso continuo.