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

  • bore The diameter of the tube of a woodwind or brass instrument. The shape of the bore in part dictates the timbre or tone color of the instrument.
  • comma [Italian] Difference in pitch between a note derived from pure tuning and the same note derived from some other tuning method.
  • comodo [Italian] Comfortable.
  • branle [French] Quick French group dance of the Renaissance.
  • uguale [Italian] Equal, the same.
  • polonaise [French] Stately Polish processional dance in triple meter.
  • aubade [French] A song or instrumental composition concerning, accompanying, or evoking daybreak.
  • petite reprise [French] Repetition of the last few measures of a piece after a larger repetition. The starting point of the section to be repeated is usually indicated with a small “segno”.
  • irato [Italian] Irate, angry.
  • Manualiter [German] Organ compositions that are to be performed on the manual alone, i.e. without the pedals.
  • attacca [Italian] A musical directive for the performer to begin the next section of a composition immediately and without pause.
  • lentissimo [Italian] Very slow.
  • riff In pop and jazz compositions, a short ostinato, two to four bars long. A prominent feature of jazz music.
  • anonymous A person whose name is unknown.
  • pianoforte [Italian] A dynamic marking (fp) directing the performer to attack the written note at the dynamic level of piano (soft) followed by an immediate increase in volume to forte (loud).