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

  • sight-reading The practice of playing or singing a composition at sight, without previous preparation.
  • major Term referring to a sequence of notes that define the tonality of the major scale. This series consists of seven notes: the tonic, followed by the next note a whole step up from the tonic, the third is a whole step from the second, the fourth is a half step from the third, the fifth is a whole step from the fourth, the sixth is a whole step from the fifth, the seventh is another whole step, followed by the tonic, a half step above the seventh.
  • syncopation Deliberate upsetting of the meter or pulse of a composition by means of a temporary shifting of the accent to a weak beat.
  • comodo [Italian] Comfortable.
  • diabolus in musica [Latin] Literally, “the devil in music”. A medieval name for the tritone.
  • Dixieland An early style of jazz originating in the early 20th century in New Orleans with a simple, cheerful character.
  • bel canto [Italian] Literally “beautiful singing”. Elegant Italian vocal style, characterized by florid melodic lines and delivered by voices of great agility, smoothness and purity of tone.
  • minor Term referring to a sequence of notes that define the tonality of the minor scale. The main difference from the major scale is the third, which is lowered by a semitone. The sixth and seventh degrees are usually lowered, too, generating the natural minor scale.
  • concert A public musical performance.
  • heterophony Texture in which two or more voices (or parts) elaborate the same melody simultaneously, often the result of improvisation.
  • concertante [Italian] A part that calls for some element of solo performance, as in a classical concerto.
  • spiritual A style of music invented by Afro-American slaves. Spirituals are generally religious songs with elements of African rhythms, Biblical texts, and American accents. Usually the text is concerned with earthly tribulations and heavenly justice and reward.
  • partita [Italian] In the 18th and 19th century, a multi-movement composition consisting of dances and non-dance movements or entirely of non-dance movements.
  • al fine [Italian] An indication to repeat a composition either from the beginning (da capo), or from the dal segno symbol, to the place marked fine (Italian for “end”).
  • rant A country dance of Scotland and Northern England in duple meter and binary form.