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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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

  • zu [German] Shown as zu2, zu3, etc., it is a directive to indicate the number of musicians to perform the indicated passage of music.
  • giusto [Italian] A directive to perform in an equal, steady, exact tempo.
  • cantio [Latin] A religious, monophonic, Latin song of the later Middle Ages.
  • ternary form A three-part musical structure (ABA) based on statement (A), contrast (B) and repetition (A).
  • mosso [Italian] Moved, agitated.
  • interlude Any piece of music played or sung between the movements of a larger composition.
  • sottovoce [Italian] Almost whispering.
  • Hertz [German] The basic unit of measurement of frequency, definable as one cycle per second. Usually abbreviated “Hz”.
  • wind ensemble An instrumental ensemble consisting of woodwind, brass and percussion instruments.
  • moresca [Italian] An exotic Renaissance dance simulating a battle between the Moors and the Christians.
  • Kammerton [German] Literally, “Chamber pitch”. The pitch system used for instruments in Germany during the baroque period. In this system, the A above middle C was probably about 410–425 Hz.
  • tailgate A slang term for a trombone Glissando in Dixieland jazz.
  • head voice The highest register of the voice, excluding falsetto.
  • motteggiando [Italian] Bantering.
  • con [Italian] “With”.