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

  • compound interval An interval greater than an octave.
  • whole tone scale A scale built entirely of whole tone intervals. Used commonly by the French impressionists.
  • figure A short musical phrase.
  • severità [Italian] Strictness, severity.
  • rustico [Italian] Rustic, rural.
  • double flat An accidental sign consisting of two flat symbols, that lowers a note by two semitones.
  • instrument Any device used to create music.
  • seventh An interval of seven diatonic degrees, counting the first and last degree.
  • isorhythmic motet Medieval and early Renaissance motet based on a repeating rhythmic pattern throughout one or more voices.
  • raddolcendo [Italian] Growing sweeter and calmer.
  • jive A form of blues popular in the 1940s.
  • theme group Several themes in the same key that function as a unit within a section of a form, particularly in sonata-allegro form.
  • tutti [Italian] “All”. A directive to perform with all instruments together.
  • canzona [Italian] A 16th-century multipart vocal setting of a literary canzone, or a 16th- and 17th-century instrumental composition.
  • andante [Italian] Literally, “going”. A moderate tempo marking, usually around 76–108 BPM.