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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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

  • madrigal choir Small vocal ensemble that specializes in a cappella secular works.
  • libretto [Italian] A “little book” that contains the complete text of an opera, oratorio, and so forth.
  • ravvivando [Italian] Animating, brightening up; quickening.
  • aubade [French] A song or instrumental composition concerning, accompanying, or evoking daybreak.
  • brace A symbol that looks like an archer's bow, used to connect two or more different staves that are to be played at the same time by the same instrument (e.g. a piano, a organ or a harp). This should not be confused with the bracket, that provides a visual connection between independent parts of a system.
  • sonata-allegro form The opening movement of the sonata cycle, consisting of themes that are stated in the first section (exposition), developed in the second section (development), and restated in the third section (recapitulation).
  • polonaise [French] Stately Polish processional dance in triple meter.
  • Meistergesang [German] A tradition of songwriting and performance in Germany during the Middle Ages and early Renaissance.
  • sospirando [Italian] Sighing.
  • tempo [Italian] Literally, “time”. The speed of a piece of music, usually reckoned by the rate of its beats.
  • rinforzare [Italian] To reinforce.
  • tardo [Italian] Slow.
  • Opp. [Latin] Plural of Op.
  • inline G On a flute, the standard position of the left-hand G (third-finger) key: in line with the first and second keys.
  • moto [Italian] Motion, movement.