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

  • leap Any movement from one note to another through means of an interval that is greater than a second.
  • portamento [Italian] Literally, “carrying”. In singing or playing continuous-pitch instruments, the technique of gliding from one note to another without actually defining the intermediate notes: a smooth sliding between two pitches.
  • non troppo [Italian] Not too much.
  • all'ottava [Italian] Literally, “at the octave”. Directive to perform an indicated passage of a composition one octave higher than notated. Typically, this is indicated by an “8va” or “8” over the passage followed by a dotted line over the top of all the notes to be transposed.
  • fife A small flute with a narrower bore, thus producing a higher, more piercing sound than a flute. Generally used in military bands.
  • woodwind quintet Standard chamber ensemble consisting of one each of the following: flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon and French horn (not a woodwind instrument).
  • accompaniment Additional but subordinate music used to support a melodic line. Also, the art of playing along with a soloist or ensemble in a supporting manner.
  • zu [German] “Too” (excessively).
  • passamezzo [Italian] A 16th and 17th century Italian dance similar to or identical to the pavane.
  • audition The term used for the try-outs that a musician must go through before his or her acceptance into an ensemble.
  • planctus [Latin] Medieval style of song and poetry of a lamenting character.
  • replica [Italian] Repetition.
  • geistvoll [German] Spirited, brilliant; with great sound.
  • saltando [Italian] Proceeding in leaps or skips.
  • mais [French] “But”.