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

Hint: Don't worry about accents over letters, just skip them.

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…

You may browse the glossary alphabetically, or directly search for a term by using the search box above.

If you are looking for a symbol, check out our Guide to Musical Symbols.

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

  • Kirkpatrick numbers The numbering system identifying compositions by Domenico Scarlatti.
  • spianato [Italian] leveled, even, smooth.
  • crown The cap at the end of the head joint of a flute that unscrews to expose the cork, and which helps keep the head joint cork positioned at the proper depth of insertion.
  • blues African-American music genre, characterized by simple repetitive structures and by the use of the blues chord progressions and the blue notes.
  • clos [French] The second ending of a repeated section.
  • double exposition In a concerto, a twofold statement of the theme, once by the orchestra and once by the soloist.
  • woodwind A family of blown wooden musical instruments. Today some of these instruments are actually made from metal. The woodwind instruments commonly used in a symphony orchestra are flute, oboe, clarinet, saxophone, and bassoon.
  • lydian The church mode based on F, containing the notes of the C major scale, yet using F as the tonic.
  • sopra [Italian] “Above”.
  • neoromantic A compositional style of the 20th century embodying the techniques and characteristics of the romantic period.
  • légèrement [French] Lightly.
  • Renaissance The music of the period circa 1400–1600, directly following the Middle Ages and preceding the baroque era. Its style is characterized by charming melodies, imitative harmonies and lively ornamentation.
  • beat A throbbing that is heard when two tones are slightly out of tune.
  • unison Interval between two notes of the same pitch; the simultaneous playing of the same note.
  • languendo [Italian] Languishing.