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

  • parlando [Italian] “Speaking”.
  • closed-hole A flute finger key which is fully covered.
  • metronome Device used to indicate the tempo by sounding regular beats at adjustable speeds.
  • subject The melody upon which a fugue is based; a melody, motive, or theme. The theme or melody upon which any composition is based.
  • register A division of the range of an instrument or singing voice. Usually registers are defined by a change in the quality of the sound between a lower range and a higher range.
  • forte [Italian] “Loud”.
  • anthem A choral setting of an English religious text similar to a motet, usually used in church with or without organ accompaniment.
  • lauda [Latin] Laud, hymn of praise.
  • stretto [Italian] A directive to quicken the tempo.
  • afflitto [Italian] Sad, melancholy.
  • spinto [Italian] A term describing a lyric voice, usually that of a soprano or tenor, that can also achieve powerful, dramatic effects. Also, a part written for a voice of such character.
  • jazz A musical style created mainly by African-Americans in the early twentieth century that blended elements drawn from African musics with the popular and art traditions of the West.
  • maestoso [Italian] Majestic.
  • ninth An interval of five diatonic degrees, counting the first and last degree.
  • gig A term commonly applied to a musical engagement of one night's duration only.