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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Some random terms

  • ska A music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s, combining elements of Caribbean music with American jazz and rhythm and blues. It is characterized by a walking bass line accented with rhythms on the offbeat.
  • innocentemente Innocently.
  • Kantor [German] Music director of a Lutheran church, and usually the director of music at a school or institution attached to the church as well.
  • carol A festive song, generally religious but not necessarily connected with church worship, and often with a dance-like or popular character.
  • glee club Originally, a club designed for the singing of glees, originating in 1787 and dissolved in 1857. In modern usage, a glee club is a club usually, but not necessarily, exclusive to males, organized for the singing of vocal compositions.
  • Schottische [German] A German round dance in duple time.
  • parallel motion In part writing, parallel motion occurs when two voices move keeping exactly the same interval between them.
  • through-composed Song form that is composed from beginning to end without repetitions of any major sections, each verse having its own, unique melody.
  • jarabe [Spanish] Traditional Mexican dance form with multiple sections in contrasting meters and tempos.
  • coda [Italian] Literally, “tail”. The last part of a piece, usually added to a standard form to bring it to a close.
  • sextuple meter Compound metrical pattern that consists of six beats to every measure.
  • verismo [Italian] A term meaning “realism”, applied to Romantic works (especially operas) of the late 19th century that have to do with unpleasant realities of life.
  • alborada [Spanish] Literally, “dawn”. Lively instrumental composition to be played at daybreak, usually in 6/8 time.
  • dirge A generic term used for a composition designed specifically for a funeral or in commemoration of the dead.
  • arioso [Italian] A short, melodious composition in the style of an aria.