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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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

  • tierce de Picardie [French] A practice from the baroque era of ending a composition with a major chord, when the rest of the composition is in a minor key, thus giving the composition a sense of finality.
  • harmonic minor scale A minor scale where the seventh tone is raised by a semitone, both ascending and descending.
  • white noise Sounds containing every audible frequency at approximately the same intensity.
  • Lied [German] (Plural: Lieder.) Literally, “song”; most commonly associated with the solo art song of the nineteenth century, usually accompanied by piano.
  • encore [French] “Again”.
  • yodel A style of singing or calling that involves switching the registers of the voice rapidly from head voice to chest voice (or falsetto and natural voice). Although this type of singing is typically associated with the high warbling of the Swiss and Tyrolean mountaineers, forms of yodeling can be found in several cultures, including African, Persian, and cowboy singers in the United States.
  • meno [Italian] “Less”.
  • recitativo secco [Italian] Recitative accompanied only by continuo.
  • con semplicità [Italian] “With simplicity”.
  • gizmo key On a flute, an optional key on the B foot joint which can enhance the responsiveness of C7 (the highest C playable on a flute).
  • son [French] Sound.
  • diatonic Melody or harmony built from the seven tones of a major or minor scale.
  • operetta [Italian] A less serious form of opera made up of spoken dialog, songs and dances.
  • Generalpause [German] Rest or pause for all performers.
  • hemiola In modern musical parlance, a metrical pattern in which two bars in simple triple time are articulated as if they were three bars in simple duple time.