Multilingual Music Glossary
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…
You may browse the glossary alphabetically, or directly search for a term by using the search box above.
If you are looking for a symbol, check out our Guide to Musical Symbols.
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
- chord A set of three or more (according to certain definitions, even two) different notes that sound simultaneously.
- choro
Literally, “cry”, or “lament”. Brazilian popular music instrumental style, born in 19th-century Rio de Janeiro. In spite of the name, the style has often a fast and happy rhythm, characterized by the improvisations of the musician. - con fuoco
Literally, “with fire”. A directive to play with vehement energy or fervid emotion. - baroque The music of the period circa 1600–1750, directly following the Renaissance and preceding the Classical era. Its style is characterized by rich ornamentation.
- ballata
A type of fourteenth-century italian secular song, similar to the French virelai. - mezzo forte
Moderately loud. Not quite so loud as forte. - libretto
A “little book” that contains the complete text of an opera, oratorio, and so forth. - immer
Ever, always. - di molto
“By much”. - phrasing The clear rendering in musical performance of the phrases of a melody.
- mutig
Courageous, spirited. - pivot
A chord that is placed in a transition between two keys, serving a different function in each key and providing smooth movement between them. - eilen
To hasten, to accelerate. - ancora
“Still”, as in “still more slowly”. - Ryom Verzeichnis
A numbering system identifying compositions by Antonio Vivaldi.