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

  • tasto solo [Italian] Literally, “key only”. A directive indicating that a note is to be performed without harmony, especially used in compositions that use continuo.
  • schwungvoll [German] Rousing, spirited, energetic.
  • hairpin The symbol, made up of two joined lines, used to indicate a crescendo or a decrescendo.
  • 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.
  • villancico [Spanish] A 15th and 16th century form of Spanish poetry that was often set to music.
  • allegrissimo [Italian] A fast tempo marking, faster than allegro.
  • Klavier [German] A keyboard instrument; usually, a piano.
  • col [Italian] “With the”
  • rigore [Italian] Rigour.
  • heavy metal Rock style that gained popularity in the 1970s, characterized by simple, repetitive ideas and loud, distorted instrumental solos.
  • calcando [Italian] Stressing, emphasizing.
  • consonance An accord of sounds sweet and pleasing to the ear.
  • scale A series of notes in ascending or descending order that presents the pitches of a key or mode, beginning and ending on the tonic of that key or mode.
  • woodwind quintet Standard chamber ensemble consisting of one each of the following: flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon and French horn (not a woodwind instrument).
  • microtone Musical interval smaller than a semitone, prevalent in some non-Western musics and in some twentieth century art music.