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

  • calcando [Italian] Stressing, emphasizing.
  • misurato [Italian] A directive to perform in a measured or strict tempo.
  • canzona [Italian] A 16th-century multipart vocal setting of a literary canzone, or a 16th- and 17th-century instrumental composition.
  • lamentoso [Italian] Like a lament, plaintive.
  • loco [Latin] A directive to play in the normal playing position; it cancels any previous direction to play in an unusual position, like all'ottava.
  • Ryom Verzeichnis [German] A numbering system identifying compositions by Antonio Vivaldi.
  • articulation The manner in which adjacent notes of a melody are connected or separated. Woodwind and brass instruments generally articulate by tonguing, the use of the tongue to break the airflow into the instrument.
  • fortississimo [Italian] Extremely loud, louder than fortissimo.
  • dal segno [Italian] A directive to go back to a specific place of a composition, marked by a sign.
  • through-composed Song form that is composed from beginning to end without repetitions of any major sections, each verse having its own, unique melody.
  • metrical modulation The shifting from one meter to another in the middle of a composition.
  • andantino [Italian] A moderate tempo marking, which can be faster or slower than andante.
  • ballade [French] A one-movement musical piece with lyrical and dramatic narrative qualities, usually having a text dealing with courtly love.
  • lieblich [German] Charming, lovely.
  • soul A style of composition developed in America in the 1960s conveying strong emotion. This style of music is characterized by dramatic delivery of the vocal line, commonly including wails, sighs, cries, falsetto, whispers, etc.