Multilingual Music Glossary

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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

  • responsorial singing Singing, especially in Gregorian chant, in which a soloist or a group of soloists alternates with the choir.
  • giubiloso [Italian] Jubilant.
  • tema [Italian] Theme, subject.
  • response Short choral answer to a solo verse; an element of liturgical dialogue.
  • solo [Italian] A passage that is to be performed by a single performer.
  • tiento [Spanish] A Spanish Renaissance composition resembling the ricercare or the fantasia.
  • intontito [Italian] Dull, numbed, dazed, stunned.
  • bis [Latin] Literally, “twice”. A directive to repeat a passage.
  • remote keys Those keys that have few notes in common. The key of C and the key of F sharp would be considered remote.
  • sottovoce [Italian] Almost whispering.
  • semitone The interval of a minor second.
  • prelude An instrumental composition intended to introduce a larger composition or a set of compositions.
  • triplet Three notes of equal length that are to be performed in the duration of two notes of equal length.
  • mordent An ornament indicating that a note is to be played in a single rapid alternation with the note above or below.
  • non-harmonic note In part writing, a note that is dissonant with other notes in the same chord.