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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Some random terms

  • réjouissance [French] A jubilant composition used to conclude some Baroque orchestral suites.
  • clavier [French] Any keyboard instrument.
  • double tonguing A technique used in playing the flute and brass instruments which allows notes to be played in rapid succession. It is achieved by rapidly forming the consonants “T” and “K” in quick succession.
  • lusingando [Italian] Caressing, flattering.
  • ictus [Latin] The instant when a beat occurs.
  • Minnesang [German] A tradition of Medieval courtly and secular music in Germany, cultivated by the nobility. The main focus of the music of this tradition was the idea of Minnedienst, servitude to love, often illustrated as the devoted knight entirely loyal to an unattainable lady with no hope of her love in return.
  • 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.
  • tempo giusto [Italian] A directive to perform in exact, strict time.
  • libretto [Italian] A “little book” that contains the complete text of an opera, oratorio, and so forth.
  • villanella [Italian] A Renaissance polyphonic vocal form, usually with a simple tune in the top voice, and somewhat homophonic, regular rhythms in the lower voices.
  • prestissimo [Italian] Extremely fast tempo marking, usually around 200 BPM.
  • triad A chord made up of three notes.
  • sans [French] “Without”.
  • pienezza [Italian] “Fullness”.
  • calmando [Italian] Getting calm or quiet.