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

  • autograph A manuscript in the composer's own hand.
  • ancora [Italian] “Again”.
  • glee An English part song for three or more voices originating in the 17th century.
  • double sharp An accidental sign (‛x’) that raises a note by two semitones.
  • figure A short musical phrase.
  • appoggiatura [Italian] Ornamental note, usually taking half of the duration of the main note it precedes.
  • metronome Device used to indicate the tempo by sounding regular beats at adjustable speeds.
  • sciolto [Italian] A directive to perform at ease, in a light, free manner.
  • resolution In partwriting, the resolving of a dissonant sound to a consonant sound in the following chord. Also, the conclusive ending to a musical statement.
  • estampie [French] A type of early instrumental music of the 13th and 14th centuries, consisting of independent sections strung together.
  • canon Strict imitation, in which one voice imitates another at a staggered time interval.
  • bizzarro [Italian] Odd, whimsical, irregular.
  • ganz [German] Whole, entire, all.
  • compound interval An interval greater than an octave.
  • thirty-second note A note having the time duration of one thirty-second of a whole note.