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

  • sight-reading The practice of playing or singing a composition at sight, without previous preparation.
  • fifth An interval of five diatonic degrees, counting the first and last degree.
  • moresca [Italian] An exotic Renaissance dance simulating a battle between the Moors and the Christians.
  • cakewalk Traditional, syncopated African-American form of music and dance which originated among slaves in the Southern United States.
  • accent The stress of one tone over others.
  • phrasing The clear rendering in musical performance of the phrases of a melody.
  • pitch Highness or lowness of a tone, depending on the frequency (rate of vibration).
  • non-imitative counterpoint A musical texture in which independent voices of different character compete for attention.
  • fortississimo [Italian] Extremely loud, louder than fortissimo.
  • lenteur [French] “Slowness”.
  • vocalization The singing of vocalises.
  • Meistergesang [German] A tradition of songwriting and performance in Germany during the Middle Ages and early Renaissance.
  • estampie [French] A type of early instrumental music of the 13th and 14th centuries, consisting of independent sections strung together.
  • quintet A piece for five singers or instrumentalists. Also, a group of such musicians.
  • decani [Latin] In Anglican church music, referring to the half of the choir sitting on the dean's side of the church.