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

  • fragmentation The technique of developing a theme by dividing it into smaller units; most common in the music of the Viennese Classicists.
  • rounded binary Compositional form with two sections, in which the second ends with a return to material from the first; each section is usually repeated.
  • tonic The note upon which a scale or key is based.
  • allegramente [Italian] Cheerfully.
  • espressivo [Italian] “Expressive”.
  • languendo [Italian] Languishing.
  • rinforzare [Italian] To reinforce.
  • basso continuo [Italian] Literally, “continuous bass”. A bass part that runs continuously throughout a work, characteristic of Baroque music.
  • première [French] Literally, “first”. The first public performance of a musical or dramatic work.
  • doppio [Italian] “Double”.
  • melodrama A spoken dialogue that is accompanied by music.
  • intermedio [Italian] In the Renaissance, a musical entertainment between the acts of a play.
  • risoluto [Italian] Bold, resolute.
  • spiccato [Italian] Very separated, detached.
  • pietoso [Italian] Pitiful, merciful, compassionate.