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

  • quarter tone Half a semitone.
  • moresca [Italian] An exotic Renaissance dance simulating a battle between the Moors and the Christians.
  • septet A piece for seven singers or instrumentalists. Also, a group of such musicians.
  • R. Either Raabe or Rinaldi.
  • upbeat The last beat of any measure, usually a weak beat.
  • calma [Italian] Calm.
  • technique The mechanical aspect of performing a composition.
  • gaudioso [Italian] Joyous, joyful.
  • un poco [Italian] A little.
  • sforzando [Italian] Literally, “forcing”. Dynamic marking indicating a strong, sudden accent.
  • crossover Recording or artist that appeals primarily to one audience but becomes popular with another as well.
  • impetuoso [Italian] Impetuous, vehement.
  • difference tone A lower tone that is heard when two higher notes are played in such a way that the frequency of the difference tone is the difference of the frequencies of the other two notes.
  • ripieno [Italian] The notes added when realizing the figured bass of a basso continuo.
  • rap An American style of rhythmic chanting consisting of improvised rhymes performed to rhythmic accompaniment.