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

  • parlando [Italian] “Speaking”.
  • staccatissimo [Italian] A style of playing notes in a detached, separated, distinct manner that shortens the notated duration of the note in a more exaggerated way than normal staccato.
  • ninth An interval of five diatonic degrees, counting the first and last degree.
  • a due [Italian] For two voices or instruments; a duet. Also used to indicate that two instruments playing from the same part or score are to play in unison, after divisi or a solo passage for one of the instruments.
  • ganz [German] Whole, entire, all.
  • un peu [French] A little.
  • di molto [Italian] “By much”.
  • grosso [Italian] Large, great, grand.
  • medley A piece of music that is composed of melodies of other compositons strung together.
  • quartal harmony Harmony based on the interval of the fourth as opposed to a third; used in twentieth century music.
  • impetuoso [Italian] Impetuous, vehement.
  • un pochettino [Italian] A little bit.
  • gai [French] Gay, merry.
  • interlude Any piece of music played or sung between the movements of a larger composition.
  • motet Polyphonic vocal genre, secular in the Middle Ages but sacred or devotional thereafter.