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

  • disco Commercial dance music popular in the 1970s, characterized by strong percussion in a quadruple meter.
  • sextuple meter Compound metrical pattern that consists of six beats to every measure.
  • fresco [Italian] “Fresh”, vigorous, lively.
  • accompagnato [Italian] Accompanied.
  • première [French] Literally, “first”. The first public performance of a musical or dramatic work.
  • K Either Köchel or Kirkpatrick.
  • sight-singing The practice of singing a composition at sight, without previous preparation.
  • intonation A term referring to the proper production of a tone so that it is exactly in tune.
  • overblowing A technique employed by woodwind players (flute players in particular) in which the player directs the flow of air to obtain a harmonic tone other than the fundamental.
  • 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.
  • classical The music of the period circa 1750–1825. The Classical period falls between the Baroque and the Romantic periods.
  • basso continuo [Italian] Literally, “continuous bass”. A bass part that runs continuously throughout a work, characteristic of Baroque music.
  • divisi [Italian] Literally, “divided”. A directive in ensemble music that instructs one section to divide into two or more separate sections, each playing a separate part. Often these separate parts are written on the same staff.
  • presque [French] “Almost”.
  • 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.