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

  • anthem A choral setting of an English religious text similar to a motet, usually used in church with or without organ accompaniment.
  • no chord A directive placed over a note (or a series of notes) signifying that the note(s) should be performed without accompaniment. Typically found in popular music notation.
  • calma [Italian] Calm.
  • recapitulation In sonata-allegro form, the final presentation of the original theme group, first presented in the exposition.
  • soprano [Italian] The highest female voice.
  • amaramente [Italian] Bitterly, mournfully, grievingly.
  • ripresa [Italian] A refrain or repeat.
  • étude [French] Study piece that focuses on a particular technical problem.
  • figure A short musical phrase.
  • aeolian A mode used in Gregorian chant based upon the sixth tone of the major scale. In the key of C, the aeolian mode would be based on A, and would include A, B, C, D, E, F, G, A.
  • agilità [Italian] A directive to perform with lightness or agility.
  • lyrics The words of a song.
  • chart Colloquial or jazz term for a score or arrangement.
  • crescendo [Italian] A directive to smoothly increase the volume.
  • con anima [Italian] “With soul”, with feeling.