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

  • impetuoso [Italian] Impetuous, vehement.
  • shape note Music notation system originating in nineteenth century American church music in which the shape of the note heads determines the pitch; created to aid music reading.
  • facile [Italian] “Easy”.
  • diatonic scale A seven note musical scale, consisting of five whole steps and two half steps.
  • placido [Italian] Calm, placid.
  • incipit [Latin] The beginning of a musical composition.
  • etwas [German] “Somewhat”.
  • mesto [Italian] Sad.
  • dorian A mode used in Gregorian chant based upon the second tone of the major scale. In the key of C, the Dorian mode would be based on D, and would include D, E, F, G, A, B, C, D.
  • volta subito [Italian] A directive to turn the page quickly.
  • woodwind A family of blown wooden musical instruments. Today some of these instruments are actually made from metal. The woodwind instruments commonly used in a symphony orchestra are flute, oboe, clarinet, saxophone, and bassoon.
  • brioso [Italian] Vivacious, spirited, lively.
  • doloroso [Italian] Sorrowful, painful.
  • xylophone A percussion instrument consisting of a row of chromatically tuned wooden bars, arranged in the manner of a piano keyboard.
  • tief [German] Deep, low.