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

  • sehr [German] “Very”, “much”.
  • Minnesinger [German] A poet or musician of the Minnesang tradition in Germany, active during the 12th through the 15th centuries.
  • beat The basic time unit of a piece of music. For example, each tick sounded by a metronome would correspond to a beat.
  • cassation Classical instrumental genre related to the serenade or divertimento, often performed outdoors.
  • parody A humorous or satirical composition which exaggerates the features of some other composition.
  • serenade [French] Night music; a classical instrumental genre that combines elements of chamber music and symphonic music.
  • fertig [German] Dexterous, nimble, quick.
  • inconsolato [Italian] Disconsolate, mournful.
  • ritenuto [Italian] Literally, “kept back”. Immediate reduction of speed.
  • nobile [Italian] “Noble“, grand, impressive.
  • misurato [Italian] A directive to perform in a measured or strict tempo.
  • concertino [Italian] The small group of solo instruments used in a concerto grosso in contrast to the whole body of the orchestra.
  • rallentando [Italian] Slowing down.
  • doloroso [Italian] Sorrowful, painful.
  • downbeat The first beat of a measure, the strongest in any meter.