Multilingual Music Glossary

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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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Some random terms

  • eilen [German] To hasten, to accelerate.
  • common chord A chord that appears in more than one key. Frequently used in modulation.
  • natural minor scale A scale similar to the major scale, but with the third, sixth and seventh degrees lowered by a semitone.
  • affabile [Italian] Affable, pleasant.
  • ruggiero [Italian] A musical scheme which is at times harmonic and at times melodic. It is seen in 16th and 17th century music, for both vocal and instrumental pieces and improvisations.
  • tosto [Italian] Swiftly, rapidly.
  • tie A curved line drawn over or under the heads of two notes of the same pitch indicating that they should be played as a single note.
  • minstrel A court musician or entertainer of the 12th through 17th centuries who performed professionally.
  • krakoviak A syncopated Polish dance in 2/4 time.
  • root position The position of a chord when the base pitch of the chord is in the lowest voice.
  • double flat An accidental sign consisting of two flat symbols, that lowers a note by two semitones.
  • Übung [German] Exercise.
  • fandango [Spanish] A lively folk and flamenco couple-dance, usually in triple meter, traditionally accompanied by guitars and castanets or hand-clapping.
  • rhapsody A one-movement work that is episodic yet integrated, free-flowing in structure, featuring a range of highly contrasted moods, colors and tonalities.
  • fortissimo-piano [Italian] A dynamic marking (ffp) indicating that the marked note should be attacked very loudly, instantly diminishing to a much softer volume.