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

  • triplet Three notes of equal length that are to be performed in the duration of two notes of equal length.
  • baroque The music of the period circa 1600–1750, directly following the Renaissance and preceding the Classical era. Its style is characterized by rich ornamentation.
  • imitation Compositional technique in which a melodic idea is presented in one voice (or part), then restated in another while the first voice continues with new material.
  • 15mb [Italian] A directive to perform two octaves lower than written.
  • lydian The church mode based on F, containing the notes of the C major scale, yet using F as the tonic.
  • morendo [Italian] Literally, “dying away”. Gradually diminishing in volume and tempo, fading away.
  • moresca [Italian] An exotic Renaissance dance simulating a battle between the Moors and the Christians.
  • degree Any tone of the diatonic scale.
  • lauda [Latin] Laud, hymn of praise.
  • bracket In a score, a vertical bracket that groups together the staves relative to the instruments of a section, like the woodwinds or the strings.
  • relative pitch The ability to identify any pitch in reference to a given pitch.
  • col [Italian] “With the”
  • prestissimo [Italian] Extremely fast tempo marking, usually around 200 BPM.
  • alla breve [Italian] A time marking indicating a quick duple meter, with the half note rather than the quarter note getting the beat (2/2 rather than 4/4).
  • middle C First C below the 440 Hz A. It is the note on the ledger line halfway between the bass and treble clef on the grand staff. It is the lowest C that a concert flute can make.