Multilingual Music Glossary

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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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Some random terms

  • stinger A chord at the end of a march that is used to punctuate the ending of the composition. The stinger is typically played by the entire ensemble on the last beat of the last measure of the composition and contains an accent.
  • réjouissance [French] A jubilant composition used to conclude some Baroque orchestral suites.
  • fourth An interval of four diatonic scale tones, counting the first and last tone.
  • pas [French] “Not”.
  • beat The basic time unit of a piece of music. For example, each tick sounded by a metronome would correspond to a beat.
  • duet A composition for two performers.
  • hairpin The symbol, made up of two joined lines, used to indicate a crescendo or a decrescendo.
  • root position The position of a chord when the base pitch of the chord is in the lowest voice.
  • conjunct Smooth, connected, moving in stepwise motion.
  • opéra comique [French] French comic opera that is not necessarily sung throughout.
  • interpretation The manner in which a performer carries out a composer's performance directions.
  • triplet Three notes of equal length that are to be performed in the duration of two notes of equal length.
  • dispersed harmony Harmony in which the notes which form the various chords are widely dispersed.
  • alto flute A flute pitched in the key of G, sounding a 4th lower than the concert flute.
  • Minnelied [German] A love song composed in the Minnesang tradition.