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

  • barcarolle [French] A folk song sung by Venetian gondoliers (oarsmen of the traditional Venetian rowing boat called gondola), or a piece of music composed in that style. It is characterized by a rhythm reminiscent of the gondolier's stroke, almost invariably a moderate tempo 6/8 meter.
  • 8va [Italian] A directive to perform an octave higher than written.
  • ossia [Italian] An alternative version of a music, usually only a few measures long and marked as an added staff.
  • boogie-woogie A style of piano-based blues that became very popular in the late 1930s and early 1940s, but originated much earlier, and was extended from piano, to three pianos at once, guitar, big band, and country and western music, and even gospel. Whilst the blues traditionally depicts a variety of emotions, boogie-woogie is mainly associated with dancing.
  • goliard song Medieval Latin-texted secular song, often with corrupt or lewd lyrics; associated with wandering scholars.
  • head joint The top section of a flute, with the tone hole where the player initiates the sound by blowing air across the opening.
  • one hundred and twenty-eighth note A note having the time duration of one hundred twenty-eighth of the time duration of a whole note.
  • religioso [Italian] Religious, devout.
  • moresca [Italian] An exotic Renaissance dance simulating a battle between the Moors and the Christians.
  • melisma (Plural: melismata.) A group of notes sung melodically to a single syllable.
  • mormorando [Italian] Murmuring.
  • comp Jazz term used to describe the accompaniment backing up a soloist.
  • misterioso [Italian] Mysterious.
  • raddolcendo [Italian] Growing sweeter and calmer.
  • largo [Italian] A slow and solemn tempo marking, usually around 40–60 BPM.