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

  • mezzo [Italian] Half, medium.
  • 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.
  • rigaudon [French] A lively French dance, originally a folk dance but also a court dance and an instrumental form, in duple meter.
  • roulade [French] A highly ornamented vocal composition, usually for one voice and accompaniment.
  • septet A piece for seven singers or instrumentalists. Also, a group of such musicians.
  • giocoso [Italian] Jolly, merry, playful.
  • assai [Italian] Much, very much.
  • multiphonics The technique of performing two or more tones simultaneously on an instrument that is designed to produce only one tone at a time, like the flute.
  • windway The pathway or duct in the mouthpiece of a edge-blown aerophone that directs the air stream over the fipple and onto the labium where the air is split and vibrates to produce a sound.
  • reel Moderately quick dance in duple meter danced throughout the British Isles; the most popular Irish traditional dance type.
  • savart [French] A unit of measurement for musical intervals, corresponding to about 3.986 cents.
  • common chord A chord that appears in more than one key. Frequently used in modulation.
  • hairpin The symbol, made up of two joined lines, used to indicate a crescendo or a decrescendo.
  • con [Italian] “With”.
  • piangendo [Italian] Literally, “crying”. In a tearful, mournful or plaintive manner.