Multilingual Music Glossary
S
- sacred music Religious or spiritual music, for church or devotional use.
- salsa
A contemporary Latin American dance music principally of Afro-Cuban tradition.
- saltando
Proceeding in leaps or skips.
- samba
Afro-Brazilian dance, characterized by duple meter, responsorial singing and polyrhythmic accompaniments.
- samklang
See harmony.
- sanft
Soft, mild, smooth.
- sanoitus
See lyrics.
- sans
“Without”.
- sarabanda
See sarabande.
- sarabande
Stately Spanish baroque dance type in triple meter, a standard movement of the Baroque suite.
- SATB An abbreviation used to denote the number of voice parts in a vocal composition. It implies that the composition has one soprano part, one alto part, one tenor part, and one bass part. Common variants of this are: SSATTB (Soprano in two-parts, Alto, Tenor in two-parts , and Bass), SSATB, SSA, TTBB, etc.
- sats
See movement.
- Satz
See movement.
- savamment
Skilfully, expertly; with knowledge and experience.
- savart
A unit of measurement for musical intervals, corresponding to about 3.986 cents.
- sävelaihe
See motive.
- sävelasteikko
See scale.
- sävelkorkeus
See pitch.
- sävellajiosoitus
See key signature.
- scala
See scale.
- scale A series of notes in ascending or descending order that presents the pitches of a key or mode, beginning and ending on the tonic of that key or mode.
- scat singing A vocal jazz style that consists of improvised nonsense syllables sung to an an improvised melody, usually over an instrumental accompaniment.
- scena
A term used to describe the stage, scene or act of an opera. Also, a term for a set of vocal movements in a theatrical production, usually including a recitative, arioso, and aria.
- scherzando
Literally, “joking”. A directive to perform in a lively, playful, animated manner.
- scherzo
Literally, “jest“. A composition in ABA form, usually in triple meter. Originally, in the early 17th century, the scherzo was a piece of lively, playful character, with animated rhythm.
- Schleppend
Dragging.
- Schluss
See cadence.
- Schlüssel
See clef.
- Schnabelflöte
See recorder.
- schnell
Fast.
- schneller
Faster.
- schneller werden
See accelerando.
- Schottische
A German round dance in duple time.
- schrittweise
See conjunct.
- Schwebung
See beat.
- schwungvoll
Rousing, spirited, energetic.
- sciolto
A directive to perform at ease, in a light, free manner.
- score The complete musical notation of a composition, especially for an ensemble, where the individual parts are lined up vertically.
- scoring See orchestration.
- Scotch snap See Lombard rhythm.
- secco
See recitativo secco.
- secco
Literally, “dry”. A directive to perform in an unornamented, cold manner. It usually implies that the notes should be of short duration.
- Sechzehntel
See sixteenth note.
- Sechzehntelnote
See sixteenth note.
- second The interval between two neighbouring tones of a scale. Since a diatonic scale consists of alternating semitones and whole tones, the size of a second depends on the scale degrees in question.
- seconda volta
“Second time”; may refer to the second ending of a repetition.
- section A group of identical or similar instruments in an ensemble.
- secular Nonreligious.
- sedicesimo
See sixteenth note.
- segno
A sign in a composition that indicates where a repetition starts.
- segonda
See second.
- sehr
“Very”, “much”.
- sehr schnell
See presto.
- seisillo
See sextuplet.
- sekstendedelsnode
See sixteenth note.
- Sekund
See second.
- semibiscroma
See sixty-fourth note.
- semibreve
See whole note.
- semicorchea
See sixteenth note.
- semicroma
See sixteenth note.
- semifusa
See sixty-fourth note.
- semihemidemisemiquaver See one hundred and twenty-eighth note.
- semiminima
See quarter note.
- semiquaver See sixteenth note.
- semitone A minor second; the smallest interval in the system of Western music.
- semitone The interval of a minor second.
- semitono
See semitone.
- sempre
Always.
- sensibile
See leading note.
- sensible
See leading note.
- sentence Term applied to a complete, independent musical idea, usually consisting of two or four phrases, ending with a cadence.
- sentimento
Feeling, emotion.
- senza
“Without”.
- septet A piece for seven singers or instrumentalists. Also, a group of such musicians.
- septième
See seventh.
- séptima
See seventh.
- Septime
See seventh.
- sequence Restatement of an idea or motive at a different pitch level.
- serein
Serene, calm.
- serenade
Night music; a classical instrumental genre that combines elements of chamber music and symphonic music.
- serenata
See serenade.
- sereno
Serene, calm.
- serialism A method of composition in which various musical elements such as pitch, rhythm, dynamics, and tone color may be put in order according to a fixed series.
- serio
See serioso.
- serioso
Serious, grave.
- sesta
See sixth.
- sestina
See sextuplet.
- settima
See seventh.
- seventh An interval of seven diatonic degrees, counting the first and last degree.
- severità
Strictness, severity.
- sexta
See sixth.
- Sexte
See sixth.
- sextet A piece for six singers or instrumentalists. Also, a group of such musicians.
- sextiofjärdedelsnot
See sixty-fourth note.
- sextolet
See sextuplet.
- sextondelsnot
See sixteenth note.
- sextuple meter Compound metrical pattern that consists of six beats to every measure.
- sextuplet A group of six notes played in the time usually taken to play four.
- sf
See sforzando.
- sforzando
Literally, “forcing”. Dynamic marking indicating a strong, sudden accent.
- sforzato
See sforzando.
- sfz
See sforzando.
- sgarbato
Rude, unkind, impolite.
- shanty A song sung by sailors while working on a ship. A shanty has a chorus, which is sung by all, and verses that are usually sung by one voice.
- 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.
- sharp An accidental symbol that raises the pitch of a note by a semitone.
- sheet music A generic term to mean any piece of paper with the notation of a composition printed on on it.
- short appoggiatura See acciaccatura.
- siciliana
A type of aria or instrumental movement in the late 17th and 18th centuries, normally written as a dance in a slow 6/8 or 12/8 time with short phrases.
- siciliano
See siciliana.
- sicilienne
See siciliana.
- sideman A slang term for a musician in an ensemble who is not the leader of the ensemble.
- sigh See springer.
- sight-reading The practice of playing or singing a composition at sight, without previous preparation.
- sight-singing The practice of singing a composition at sight, without previous preparation.
- signature Key signature or time signature.
- silence
See rest.
- silencio
See rest.
- sim.
See simile.
- similar motion In part-writing, similar motion is the situation in which two voices of the composition move in the same direction, either ascending or descending, but they do not necessarily cover the same interval.
- simile
“Similar”. Often used to designate the continuation of the use of an articulation without repeating the articulation symbol.
- simple interval An interval covering a single octave or less.
- simple meter A meter in which the main beats are subdivided into twos, such as 2/4 or 3/4.
- simple time See simple meter.
- sin' al fine
Literally, “to the end”. Usually attached to another directive, implying that whatever the other directive stated should be carried out to the end of the composition.
- sincope
See syncopation.
- sinfonia
A term brought into use in the late Renaissance with a variety of specific meanings, generally implying a composition similar to a canzona or a prelude. By the 18th century the term had a similar implication as the term sonata. During the 18th century it came to be used for a three movement composition, until it gradually took on the meaning of our modern term symphony.
- sinfonia concertante
See symphonie concertante.
- sinfonie
See symphony.
- sinfonietta
An orchestral work of smaller proportions than a full symphony.
- Sinfonische Dichtung
See symphonic poem.
- singhiozzando
Sobbing. May suggest the use of a strong portamento.
- singspiel
See comic opera.
- Sirkelpust
See circular breathing.
- sistema
See system.
- sitominen
See tie.
- sixte
See sixth.
- sixteenth note A note having the time duration of one sixteenth of a whole note.
- sixth An interval of six diatonic degrees, counting the first and last degree.
- sixty-fourth note A note having the time duration of one sixty-fourth of a whole note.
- ska A music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s, combining elements of Caribbean music with American jazz and rhythm and blues. It is characterized by a walking bass line accented with rhythms on the offbeat.
- skala
See scale.
- skip See leap.
- slancio
See con slancio.
- slargando
See allargando.
- slentando
See rallentando.
- sleutel
See clef.
- slur A curved line drawn over or under a series of notes, indicating that those notes should be played legato.
- smaniato
Furious, vehement.
- smear A slang term for a glissando performed on a trombone.
- smorzando
See diminuendo.
- soave
Soft, sweet, gentle.
- soggetto
See subject.
- sointu
See chord.
- soitinala
See ambitus.
- soli
“Alone” (plural form). A directive to perform with an entire section of an ensemble.
- solo
A passage that is to be performed by a single performer.
- solokonsert
See concerto.
- Solokonzert
See concerto.
- son
Sound.
- sonata
An instrumental genre in several movements for a soloist or an ensemble. The original usage for the term "sonata" implied a composition that was to be played rather than sung. Later, the term "sonata" came to be understood as a four movement piece: slow, fast, slow, fast, as was used in the church sonata (sonata da chiesa), or allemande, courante, sarabande, and gigue, as was used in the chamber sonata (sonata da camera). As the sonata developed, it became longer and adopted the sonata-allegro form for the first movement, which was generally fast. The following movement was generally somewhat slower, and the number of movements varied, but was generally about three.
- sonata da camera
A baroque style of sonata, consisting in a suite of stylized dances, performed either by a small ensemble or by a soloist.
- sonata da chiesa
A baroque instrumental work intended for performance in a church, generally in four movements, arranged slow, fast, slow, fast.
- sonata form See sonata-allegro form.
- sonata-allegro form The opening movement of the sonata cycle, consisting of themes that are stated in the first section (exposition), developed in the second section (development), and restated in the third section (recapitulation).
- sonata-rondò
A form of a composition that displays characteristics of both the rondò and the sonata forms.
- sonate
See sonata.
- Sonatenform
See sonata form.
- sonatina
A form popular in the late classical era that consisted of a short or “light” sonata; often the sonatina contained an exposition and recapitulation without the development section. The form has been revived in the 20th century by various composers.
- sonatine
See sonatina.
- sono
Sound.
- sonoro
Resounding.
- sopra
“Above”.
- soprano
The highest female voice.
- sordamente
Softly, gently, or in a muffled or damped style.
- sormitus
See fingering.
- sospirando
Sighing.
- sostenido
See sharp.
- sostenuto
Sustained.
- sottovoce
Almost whispering.
- soul A style of composition developed in America in the 1960s conveying strong emotion. This style of music is characterized by dramatic delivery of the vocal line, commonly including wails, sighs, cries, falsetto, whispers, etc.
- spagnoletta
An Italian dance of the late 16th century.
- species counterpoint A technique of strict counterpoint involving the addition of voices to a melody advancing from simple to more complex harmonies.
- spianato
leveled, even, smooth.
- spiccato
Very separated, detached.
- spigliato
Self-confident, bold, smooth.
- spinto
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.
- spiritoso
Spirited, lively.
- spiritual A style of music invented by Afro-American slaves. Spirituals are generally religious songs with elements of African rhythms, Biblical texts, and American accents. Usually the text is concerned with earthly tribulations and heavenly justice and reward.
- split E mechanism On a flute, a system whereby the second G key (positioned below the G♯ key) is closed when the right middle-finger key is depressed, enabling a clearer third octave E; standard on most flutes, but omitted from many intermediate- and professional-grade flutes, as it can reduce the tonal quality of 3rd octave F♯.
- sprezzatura
A term used in 17th century Italy describing a free style of performing compositions that ignored strict tempo and rhythm, embracing freedom of tempo and expressiveness.
- springende
See disjunct.
- springer An ornament consisting of the main tone followed by the tone above it followed by the tone above that, then returning to the original main tone.
- sprongsgewijze
See disjunct.
- sprunghafte
See disjunct.
- squillante
Ringing.
- stabile
Firm.
- staccatissimo
A style of playing notes in a detached, separated, distinct manner that shortens the notated duration of the note in a more exaggerated way than normal staccato.
- staccato
A style of playing notes in a detached, separated, distinct manner, as opposed to legato.
- staff Series of five horizontal lines upon and between which the musical notes are written, thus indicating, in connection with a clef, their pitch.
- staggered breathing A technique used in musical ensembles by wind instruments to create the effect of a continuous sound with no breaks for performers to breathe. The effect is created by making sure that in each section no performer is breathing at the same time, so that it seems like no one is breathing at all.
- stämma
See part.
- stämma
See voice.
- stanchezza
Weariness.
- Ständchen
See serenade.
- stanza
The division of a poem that consists of a series of lines arranged together. This is usually in the form of a recurring pattern of meter and rhyme.
- stapsgewijze
See conjunct.
- statement See exposition.
- stave See staff.
- stegvis
See conjunct.
- stem
See voice.
- stemma
See part.
- stemme
See voice.
- stent.
See stentando.
- stentando
Literally, “having difficulty”. A directive to perform in an ungraceful, heavy manner, holding back each note.
- stentato
Labored, heavy, in a dragging manner, sluggish. Alternatively, strong and forced.
- step See second.
- Stichnoten
See cue-notes.
- stiknoder
See cue-notes.
- Stimme
See part.
- Stimme
See voice.
- Stimmung
Mood. Also, tuning.
- Stimmung
See temperament.
- 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.
- strain A division of a composition between two double bars. It can also be referred to as a section. A strain will typically contain a primary or secondary melody of the larger composition that is often repeated.
- strascinando
Dragging.
- strathspey A lively Scottish dance in 4/4 time related to the reel. A characteristic of this dance is the peculiar rhythmic pattern of a dotted eighth note followed by a sixteenth, known as the Scotch snap.
- strepitoso
Boisterous, noisy.
- stretto
In a fugue, that situation in which the subject and answer overlap one another, or when two subjects enter in close succession.
- stretto
A directive to quicken the tempo.
- strict counterpoint The strict application of the rules of part writing.
- string quartet An ensemble consisting of two violins, viola, and cello, or a work composed for such an ensemble.
- string quintet Standard chamber ensemble made up of either two violins, two violas and cello, or two violins, viola and two cellos.
- string.
See stringendo.
- stringendo
See accelerando.
- strisciando
A directive to perform with a slur, a smooth slide, or a glide from one note to another.
- stromentato
Accompanied.
- strophic form Song structure in which every stanza of the text is sung to the same musical tune.
- Stück
A piece of music.
- Studien
See étude.
- study See étude.
- stufenweise
See conjunct.
- style Characteristic manner of presentation of musical elements: melody, rhythm, harmony, dynamics, form, etc.
- style galant
See gallant style.
- subito
At once, immediately.
- subject The melody upon which a fugue is based; a melody, motive, or theme. The theme or melody upon which any composition is based.
- suite
A work made up of a series of contrasting dance movements, generally all in the same key.
- suite de danses
See suite.
- suives
Literally, “follow”. A directive to an accompanist to follow the musical interpretation of the soloist.
- sum tone See difference tone.
- suono
Sound.
- suono
See tone.
- svävning
See beat.
- swing A style of jazz playing whose flexible, improvised rhythms resist notation.
- syllabic The style of chant which sets one note to each syllable of text.
- symphonic poem A piece of orchestral music in one principal self-contained section called a “movement” in which a program from a poem, a story or novel, a painting, or another source is illustrated or evoked.
- symphonie
See symphony.
- symphonie concertante
A musical genre of the late 18th and early 19th centuries that resembles a concerto for two to four solo instruments. It is a composition in two or three movements of a lighthearted character, usually in a major key. The genre features a few solo instruments and orchestra.
- symphony In the early 18th century, any instrumental prelude, interlude, or postlude. In modern usage, the term is applied to a large composition for orchestra, generally in three or four movements. The symphony may also be defined as a sonata for orchestra.
- syncopation Deliberate upsetting of the meter or pulse of a composition by means of a temporary shifting of the accent to a weak beat.
- syncope
See syncopation.
- Synkope
See syncopation.
- system The collection of staves, two or more, as used for writing down of keyboard, chamber, choral, or orchestral music.
- système
See system.