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

  • mais [French] “But”.
  • Zungenstoss [German] Tongue thrust.
  • 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.
  • affannato [Italian] Anguished.
  • a cappella [Italian] Choral or vocal music performed without instrumental accompaniment.
  • sinfonietta [Italian] An orchestral work of smaller proportions than a full symphony.
  • countermelody A sequence of notes, perceived as a melody, written to be played simultaneously with a more prominent melody.
  • choro [Portuguese] 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.
  • burlesque [French] A humorous composition, usually involving parody or grotesque exaggeration.
  • castrato Male singer who was castrated during boyhood to preserve the soprano or alto vocal register, prominent in seventeenth and early eighteenth century opera.
  • open fifth A chord comprised of the tonic and the fifth, with no third present.
  • flat An accidental symbol that lowers the pitch of a note by a semitone.
  • demi [French] “Half”.
  • hairpin The symbol, made up of two joined lines, used to indicate a crescendo or a decrescendo.
  • spiritual A style of music invented by Afro-American slaves. Spirituals are generally religious songs with elements of African rhythms, Biblical texts, and American accents. Usually the text is concerned with earthly tribulations and heavenly justice and reward.