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Music Terminology
Music terms and definitions
169
Music
Undergraduate 3
12/15/2008
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Term
A cappella
 Definition
Designation for Choral music without instrumental accompaniment
Term
Abandon, Abbandono
 Definition
Free, passionate
Term
Accelerando (accel.)
 Definition
Increase tempo
Term
Acoustic
 Definition
A non-amplified, or non-electric instrument
Term
Adagio
 Definition
A slow tempo, between andante and largo
Term
A due (a2)
 Definition
Both performers, following a section with only one performer on the part
Term
Ad libitum (ad lib.)
 Definition
an indication given the performer to vary from strict tempo, or to add or omit a part
Term
Afflitto
 Definition
Sad, melancholy
Term
Agitato
 Definition
Excited, agitated
Term
Al fine
 Definition
To the end
Term
Alla breve
 Definition
Quick duple time
Term
Allargando (allarg.)
 Definition
Becoming broader, slowing
Term
Alle
 Definition
all
Term
Allegretto
 Definition
Moderately fast
Term
Allegro
 Definition
Quick, rapid tempo, rather fast.
Term
Anacrusis
 Definition
Upbeat or pickup
Term
Andante
 Definition
at a walking pace, at a moderate speed
Term
Animato
 Definition
Animated, lively
Term
Appassionato
 Definition
Passionately
Term
Appogiando
 Definition
Emphasized
Term
Arco
 Definition
with the bow
Term
Arpeggio (arpeg)
 Definition
Roll the chord in harp style
Term
ASCAP
 Definition
american society of Composers Authors and Publishers
Term
A tempo
 Definition
resume original tempo
Term
Attacca
 Definition
Begin the next section without pausing
Term
Axe
 Definition
slang for musical instrument
Term
Ballo
 Definition
Dance
Term
Beat
 Definition
Unit of measurement or rhythmic time
Term
Bellicose
 Definition
Warlike, martial
Term
Bewegt
 Definition
agitated
Term
Blues notes
 Definition
Lowered third, seventh, and sometimes fifth, degrees of a major scale that create the characteristic sound of the blues
Term
Bouche
 Definition
Muted French Horn using the hand, indicated by +
Term
Bravura
 Definition
Boldness
Term
Breit
 Definition
Broadly, grandly
Term
Brio
 Definition
Vigor, spirit
Term
Caccia
 Definition
Chase or hunt
Term
Caesura
 Definition
A symbol // indicating a sudden pause in the music
Term
Cadenza
 Definition
Solo vocal or instrumental passage
Term
Cantabile
 Definition
Songlike, singing
Term
Capo
 Definition
From the beginning
Term
Chiuso
 Definition
Muted french horn, with the hand
Term
Clam
 Definition
Slang for wrong note
Term
Colla parte
 Definition
with another part
Term
Col legno
 Definition
with the stick of the bow
Term
Con
 Definition
with
Term
Coro
 Definition
Chorus
Term
Crescendo
 Definition
Increasing in loudness
Term
Da capo
 Definition
repeat from the beginning
Term
Dal Segno
 Definition
go back and play from the sign
Term
Dampfer
 Definition
mute
Term
Decrescendo
 Definition
Decrease in loudness
Term
Diminuendo (dim)
 Definition
Gradually becoming softer
Term
Divisi
 Definition
Indicates that when two or more notes are written on one staff, they are to be played by separate performers.
Term
Dolce
 Definition
Sweetly
Term
Estinto
 Definition
Barely audible, as soft as possible
Term
Etwas
 Definition
Somewhat
Term
Facile
 Definition
easy
Term
Fiero
 Definition
Fiercely
Term
Fine
 Definition
end
Term
Flattenzunge
 Definition
Flutter tongue. Make a rapid articulation, similar in sound to a rolled r.
Term
Forte
 Definition
loud
Term
Fortissimo
 Definition
Very loud
Term
Forza
 Definition
with force
Term
Furioso
 Definition
Furiously, wildly
Term
Gedampft
 Definition
Muted
Term
Gemendo
 Definition
lementing
Term
Gestopft
 Definition
Muted French horn, with the hand
Term
Gig
 Definition
slang for musical job
Term
Giocoso
 Definition
Humorous
Term
Giusto
 Definition
Keeping a strict beat
Term
Giusto
 Definition
Keeping a strict beat
Term
Glissando (glissez, glisser)
 Definition
Sliding up and down the scale
Term
Grave
 Definition
Slowly, sloemnly
Term
H
 Definition
german name for B natural
Term
Hemiola
 Definition
The rhythmic relationship of three notes in the time of two, or two notes in the time of three. It is usually the alteration of 6/8 and 3/4 time.
Term
Holz
 Definition
Woodwinds
Term
Immer
 Definition
Always; for example-immer in tempo, always in tempo
Term
jete
 Definition
The bouncing of the bow on the string during a down bow so as to play a series of repeated notes
Term
Jubiloso
 Definition
Jubilant
Term
Kraftig
 Definition
Vigorous
Term
Labhaft
 Definition
lively
Term
Langsam
 Definition
slowly
Term
Largamente
 Definition
broadly
Term
Largando
 Definition
Gradually slowing down
Term
Larghetto
 Definition
A little largo, not as slow as largo
Term
Largo
 Definition
very slowly
Term
Leggero, Leggiero
 Definition
lightly, delicately
Term
Lento (lent)
 Definition
Slow
Term
Lesto
 Definition
Lively, quickly.
Term
LH
 Definition
left hand
Term
L'istesso tempo
 Definition
The same tempo
Term
Marcato
 Definition
Marked, with emphasis.
Term
Maestoso
 Definition
Majestic
Term
Meno
 Definition
less
Term
Mesto
 Definition
sad
Term
Mezzo
 Definition
Half
Term
Mezzo forte
 Definition
midway between loud and soft
Term
MM
 Definition
Maelzel metronome; tempo indication; the number of beats per minute, expressed in a specific note value=72.
Term
Moderato
 Definition
at moderate pace
Term
Modo
 Definition
in manner of
Term
Modo Ordinario
 Definition
In the usual manner
Term
Molto
 Definition
much, very
Term
Morendo
 Definition
dying away
Term
Mosso
 Definition
Moving, agitated, animated
Term
Muta, mutando
 Definition
change, mutate-indicates change in tuning of instrument or instruments, change of key of a brass instrument, or change from one instrument to another
Term
Niente
 Definition
Nothing, silence
Term
Ober
 Definition
higher
Term
Oder
 Definition
Or
Term
Ohne
 Definition
without
Term
Ossia
 Definition
otherwise
Term
Parlando, Parlante
 Definition
Sung in a speaking style
Term
Partials
 Definition
notes of the harmonic series
Term
Pesante
 Definition
heavy
Term
petit
 Definition
little
Term
Peu a Peu
 Definition
little by little
Term
Pianissimo
 Definition
very soft
Term
Pianississimo
 Definition
Very very soft
Term
Piu
 Definition
more
Term
Pio mosso
 Definition
more motion
Term
poco
 Definition
little
Term
Poco a poco
 Definition
little by little
Term
pointillism
 Definition
A 20th century compositional style where emphasis is placed on single notes
Term
Portando, portamento
 Definition
to carry the sound
Term
Presto
 Definition
very quick tempo
Term
Prestissimo
 Definition
the fastest tempo, extremely fast
Term
Pulse
 Definition
a beat
Term
Rallentando (rall)
 Definition
Slowing down
Term
Retenu
 Definition
held back
Term
RH
 Definition
Right hand
Term
Riff
 Definition
A short repeated melodic pattern
Term
Ripeno
 Definition
Similar to tutti, distinguishes accompanying instruments from the soloists
Term
Ritardando (ritard, rit)
 Definition
Gradually slowing down
Term
Ritenuto
 Definition
Held back; becoming slower immediately
Term
Ruhig
 Definition
Quietly, tranquil
Term
Sans timbres
 Definition
Without snares
Term
Scherzo, scherzando
 Definition
playfully, like a joke, with humor
Term
Schnell
 Definition
quickly, fast
Term
secco, sec
 Definition
dry, simple; in percussion: dampen, do not let ring
Term
Segue
 Definition
Proceed to next section without a break or a pause
Term
Sehr
 Definition
very
Term
Sempre
 Definition
always
Term
Senza
 Definition
without
Term
Sforzando, sforzato
 Definition
forced attack, with emphasis
Term
Simile
 Definition
in similar or same manner
Term
Smorzando
 Definition
fading away
Term
sordino
 Definition
mute
Term
Sostenuto
 Definition
sustained, in a smooth manner
Term
sotto voce
 Definition
under the voice
Term
staccato
 Definition
separated
Term
Steso
 Definition
slow
Term
Stesso
 Definition
same
Term
Stimme
 Definition
voice or instrumental part
Term
Stringendo (string)
 Definition
quickening of tempo
Term
subito (sub)
 Definition
imidiately, suddenly
Term
tacet, tacit
 Definition
indication that a particular performer or instrument has no part for a considerable time.
Term
Tempo primo
 Definition
return to the original tempo
Term
Tenuto (ten)
 Definition
direction that a note is to be fully sustained, held up to its full written time value
Term
Tranquillo
 Definition
calmly quietly tranquil
Term
Tremelo
 Definition
Quick repetition of the same note, or quick repetition between two different notes.
Term
Trill (tr)
 Definition
Even and rapid alternation of two tones a major or minor second apart. the lower tone is the principal tone
Term
Troppo
 Definition
Too much, non troppo-not too much
Term
Tutti
 Definition
all, the entire ensemble
Term
Vamp
 Definition
to improvise an instrumental accompaniment
Term
vibrato
 Definition
rapid fluctuation of pitch slightly higher or lower than the main pitch.
Term
Vivace, vivo
 Definition
Lively, animated, brisk
Term
Volit subito (V.S.)
 Definition
turn page very quickly
Term
Vorspiel
 Definition
German word for prelude or overture
Term
Zart
 Definition
soft, tender
Term
Rubato
 Definition
Expressive flexibility of tempo; tastefully slowing down and speeding up at the discretion of the performer/conductor
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