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 2463 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

  • einschlafen [German] Literally, “falling asleep”. A directive to slacken the time and diminish the tempo and the tone.
  • recitativo accompagnato [Italian] Recitative accompanied by the entire orchestra.
  • accablement [French] Despondency, oppression.
  • simple meter A meter in which the main beats are subdivided into twos, such as 2/4 or 3/4.
  • countertenor A male voice of unusually high range, generally achieved through falsetto. The countertenor has the range of either the female alto or soprano.
  • amabile [Italian] Lovable, charming, amiable.
  • improvisation Creation of a musical composition while it is being performed.
  • acoustical instrument Any musical instrument not relying on external power for operation.
  • thirty-second note A note having the time duration of one thirty-second of a whole note.
  • über [German] “Above”, “over”.
  • brio [Italian] Vivacity, spirit, liveliness.
  • Leben [German] Life, vivacity.
  • lyrics The words of a song.
  • interpretation The manner in which a performer carries out a composer's performance directions.
  • répertoire [French] A list of compositions that an individual or ensemble is prepared to perform or that are available for performance.