Reference
Glossary of Musical Terms
Definitions for over 300 musical terms — from articulation marks and historical eras to instruments, forms, and performance techniques.
A
absolute musicInstrumental music with no intended story (non-programmatic music).
a cappellaChoral music with no instrumental accompaniment.
accelerandoGradually speeding up the speed of the rhythmic beat.
accentMomentarily emphasizing a note with a dynamic attack.
accessibleMusic that is easy to listen to and understand.
adagioA slow tempo.
alla breve / cut timeA meter with two half-note beats per measure. It's often symbolized by the cut-time symbol.
allegroA fast tempo; music should be played cheerfully / upbeat brisk.
altoA low-ranged female voice; the second highest instrumental range. Instrument examples: alto flute, viola, French horn, natural horn, alto horn, alto saxophone, English horn.
andanteModerate tempo (a walking speed; "Andare" means to walk).
ariaA beautiful manner of solo singing, accompanied by orchestra, with a steady metrical beat.
articulation marksSymbols indicating how notes should be played. Normal: 100% | Staccato (·): 50% | Accent (>): 75% | Marcato (^): 50% with more weight on the front | Tenuto (—): 100%.
art-musicA general term used to describe the "formal concert music" traditions of the West, as opposed to "popular" and "commercial music" styles.
art songA musical setting of artistic poetry for solo voice accompanied by piano (or orchestra).
atonalMusic that is written and performed without regard to any specific key.
atonalityModern harmony that intentionally avoids a tonal center (has no apparent home key).
augmentationLengthening the rhythmic values of a fugal subject.
avant-garde("At the forefront") A French term that describes highly experimental modern musical styles.
B
balladA work in dance form imitative of a folk song, with a narrative structure.
balletA programmatic theatrical work for dancers and orchestra.
barA common term for a musical measure.
barcarolleA boating song, generally describing the songs sung by gondoliers in Venice. Chopin, Mendelssohn, Fauré and Offenbach all wrote works imitating the form.
baritoneA moderately low male voice; in range between a tenor and a bass. Instrument examples: cello, baritone horn, bass clarinet, bassoon, baritone saxophone.
Baroque Erac1600–1750; a musical period of extremely ornate and elaborate approaches to the arts. This era saw the rise of instrumental music, the invention of the modern violin family and the creation of the first orchestras (Vivaldi, Handel, JS Bach).
bassThe lowest male voice. Instrument examples: double bass, contrabassoon, tuba, sousaphone, bass saxophone.
bass drumThe lowest-sounding non-pitched percussion instrument.
basso continuoThe back-up ensemble of the Baroque Era, usually comprised of a keyboard instrument (harpsichord or organ) and a melodic stringed bass instrument (viol da gamba or cello).
bassoonThe lowest-sounding regular instrument of the woodwind family (a double-reed instrument).
beatA musical pulse.
bebopA complex, highly-improvisatory style of jazz promoted by Charlie Parker in the 1940s–50s.
bellsSee glockenspiel.
berceuseA lullaby; generally slow and undulating.
Big Band jazzSee Swing.
binary formA form comprised of two distinctly opposing sections ("A" vs. "B").
bitonalityModern music sounding in two different keys simultaneously.
BluesA melancholy style of Afro-American secular music, based on a simple musical/poetic form. "Delta" blues began in the early 1900s; "Classic" blues in the late 1920s; "Rhythm and Blues" in the 1940s.
boleroA Spanish dance.
brass instrumentA powerful metallic instrument with a mouthpiece and tubing that must be blown into by the player, such as trumpet, trombone, French horn, tuba, baritone, bugle.
C
cadenceA melodic or harmonic punctuation mark at the end of a phrase, major section or entire work.
cadenzaAn unaccompanied section of virtuosic display played by a soloist in a concerto.
call and responseA traditional African process in which a leader's phrase ("call") is repeatedly answered by a chorus. This process became an important aspect of many Afro-American styles.
canonA type of strict imitation created by strict echoing between a melodic "leader" and subsequent "follower(s)".
cantabileA style of singing which is characterized by the easy and flowing tone of the composition.
cantataA composition in several movements, written for chorus, soloist(s) and orchestra; traditionally, these are religious works.
capriccioA quick, improvisational, spirited piece of music.
carolA song or hymn celebrating Christmas.
cavatinaA short and simple melody performed by a soloist that is part of a larger piece.
celloThe tenor-ranged instrument of the modern string family (an abbreviation for violoncello).
chamber musicMusic performed by a small group of players (2 to 10, one player per part). Each part bears the same importance.
chance musicA modern manner of composition in which some or all of the work is left to chance.
chansonA French song, from the middle ages to the 20th century.
chantA monophonic melody sung in a free rhythm (such as "Gregorian" chant of the Roman Catholic Church).
character pieceA 1-movement programmatic work for a solo pianist.
chimesA percussion instrument comprised of several tube-shaped bells struck by a leather hammer.
choirA group of singers in a chorus.
chorale1) A Lutheran liturgical melody; 2) a 4-part hymn-like chorale harmonization; 3) a hymn sung by the choir and congregation often in unison.
chordA harmonic combination that has three or more pitches sounding simultaneously; see also partial chord.
chord progressionA string of chords played in succession.
chorus1) A fairly large choral group; 2) in Jazz, a single statement of the main harmonic/melody pattern.
chromaticNotes which do not belong to the diatonic scale. In the scale of C major (the white notes on the piano), the black keys (sharps and flats) are the chromatic notes.
chromatic scaleIncludes all twelve notes of an octave.
chromaticism1) Harmonic or melodic movement by half-step intervals; 2) harmony that uses pitches beyond the central key of a work.
clarinetThe tenor-ranged instrument of the woodwind family (a single-reed instrument).
Classical Erac1750–1820; a politically turbulent era focused on structural unity, clarity and balance (Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven). The music was spare and emotionally reserved, especially when compared to Romantic and Baroque music.
ClassicismThe period of music history which dates from the mid 1800s and lasted about sixty years. There was a strong regard for order and balance.
clefIn sheet music, a symbol at the beginning of the staff defining the pitch of the notes found in that particular staff. Examples: alto, treble, bass.
coda(Means "tail" in Italian) A concluding section appended to the end of a work.
collegium musicumA university ensemble dedicated to the performance of early music (pre-1750).
col legnoAn instruction for string players that indicates the wooden side of the bow should be used to hit the strings.
coloraturaA type of decoration, usually in singing, that is ornate and richly ornamented.
computer musicMusic in which the composition and/or performance is controlled by a computer.
concert bandA large (non-marching) ensemble of woodwind, brass and percussion instruments.
concert masterThe first violin in an orchestra.
concertoThe general term for a multi-movement work for soloist(s) and orchestra (see "solo concerto" and "concerto grosso").
concerto grossoA 3-movement work for a small group of soloists and orchestra.
conductorThe leader of a performing group of musicians. The conductor indicates the tempo, phrasing, dynamics, and style by gestures and facial expressions.
consonancePleasant-sounding harmony.
contraltoLowest female singing voice.
contrabassoonThe lowest-sounding double-reed instrument of the woodwind family.
cool jazzA relaxed style of modern jazz, promoted in the 1950s/60s by Brubeck etc.
cornetA mellow-sounding member of the trumpet family.
countermelodyA secondary melodic idea that accompanies and opposes a main thematic idea.
counterpointA complex polyphonic texture combining two or more independent melodies.
countertenorThe vocal range of a male alto. Close in range to a female soprano.
couranteA piece of music written in triple time. Also an old French dance.
crescendoGradually getting louder.
cut timeSee alla breve.
cymbalsPercussion instrument usually consisting of two circular brass plates struck together as a pair.
D
da capo(Italian "to the head") A written indication telling a performer to go back to the start of a piece and play either to the end (Da capo al fine) or to the sign (Da capo al segno).
deceptive cadenceA chord progression that seems to lead to resolving itself on the final chord, but does not.
decrescendoGradually getting quieter (see diminuendo).
development1) The central dramatic section of a sonata form that moves harmonically through many keys; 2) the process of expanding or manipulating a musical idea.
diatonicA melody or harmony based on one of the seven-tone major or minor Western scales.
Dies IraeA chant from the Requiem Mass dealing with God's wrath on the day of judgment.
diminuendoGradually getting quieter (see decrescendo).
diminutionTo shorten the note values of a theme (usually to render it twice as fast).
dissonanceHarsh, discordant, and lack of harmony. Also a chord that sounds incomplete until it resolves itself on a harmonious chord.
disjunctA melody that is not smooth in contour (has many leaps).
Doctrine of AffectionsThe Baroque methodology for evoking a specific emotion through music and text.
dotted noteA written note with a dot to the right of it (the dot adds half the rhythmic duration to the note's original value).
double bassThe lowest-sounding instrument of the modern string family.
downbeatThe first beat of a musical measure (usually accented more strongly than other beats).
droneDull, monotonous tone such as a humming or buzzing sound. Also a bass note held under a melody.
drum kit / drum setA collection of drums and percussion instruments set up on stands to be played by one person. Typically made up of a snare drum, a bass drum, one or more toms, a hi-hat, and one or more cymbals.
duetA piece of music written for two vocalists or instrumentalists.
duple meterA basic metrical pattern having two beats per measure.
dynamicsThe musical element of relative musical loudness or quietness. Also the symbols in sheet music indicating volume.
E
electric instrumentAn instrument whose sound is produced or modified by an electro-magnetic pick-up.
electronic instrumentAn instrument whose sound is produced or modified by electronic means.
elegyAn instrumental lament with praise for the dead.
encoreA piece of music played at the end of a recital responding to the audience's enthusiastic reaction to the performance, shown by continuous applause.
energicoA symbol in sheet music; a direction to play energetically.
English hornA tenor oboe; a richly nasal-sounding double-reed woodwind instrument.
enharmonic intervalTwo notes that differ in name only. The notes occupy the same position. For example: C sharp and D flat.
ensembleA group of musical performers.
episodeAn intermediary (contrasting) section of a Baroque fugue or Classic rondo form.
equal temperamentThe standard modern tuning system in which the octave is divided into twelve equal "half-steps".
espressivoA direction to play expressively.
étude(French) A "study" piece, designed to help a performer master a particular technique; often performed for artistic interest. Some of the hardest instrumental works are large scale etudes by composers such as Chopin and Liszt.
euphoniumA brass instrument similar to a baritone horn.
exposition1) The opening section of a fugue; 2) the opening section of a Classic sonata form (in which the two opposing key centers are exposed to the listener for the first time).
expressionismAn ultra-shocking, highly-dissonant modern style of music.
F
falsettoA vocal technique that allows a male to sing in a much higher, lighter register (by vibrating only half of the vocal cord).
fermataTo hold a tone or rest held beyond the written value at the discretion of the performer.
fifthThe interval between two notes. Three whole tones and one semitone make up the distance between the two notes.
film musicMusic that serves either as background or foreground material for a movie.
finaleMovement or passage that concludes the musical composition.
flatIndicated by a stylised ♭ sign, shows that the note before which it is placed should be lowered by a semitone. Flat can also mean that a note is out of tune, sounding lower than it should.
flat signA musical symbol that lowers the pitch one half-step.
fluteA metal tubular instrument that is the soprano instrument of the standard woodwind family.
formThe elemental category describing the shape/design of a musical work or movement.
forteA dynamic instruction meaning the music should be played loudly. Appears as: 'f' loud; 'ff' fortissimo, very loud; or 'fff' extremely loud.
fortepianoAn early prototype of the modern piano (designed to play both "loud" and "quiet").
fortissimoA very loud dynamic marking.
fourthThe interval between two notes. Two whole tones and one semitone make up the distance between the two notes.
French hornA valved brass instrument of medium/medium-low range (alto to bass).
fugueA complex contrapuntal manipulation of a musical subject. A composition written for three to six voices. Beginning with the exposition, each voice enters at different times, creating counterpoint with one another.
fusionA blending of jazz and rock styles.
G
galliardMusic written for a lively French dance for two performers written in triple time.
gamelanAn Indonesian musical ensemble comprised primarily of percussion instruments.
gavotteA 17th century dance written in quadruple time, always beginning on the third beat of the measure.
genreA category of musical composition (the specific classification of a musical work).
gigueA lively dance form from the Baroque period, from the English jig.
giocosoMeaning the piece should be played in a cheerful or playful way.
gleeVocal composition written for three or more solo parts, usually without instrumental accompaniment.
glissandoA rapid slide between two distant pitches.
glockenspielA pitched-percussion instrument comprised of metal bars in a frame struck by a mallet. Also known as bells.
gong(Also called "tam-tam") A non-pitched percussion instrument made of a large metal plate struck with a mallet.
grandiosoWord to indicate that the movement or entire composition is to be played grandly.
graveA slow, solemn tempo.
graziosoWord to indicate the movement or entire composition is to be played gracefully.
Gregorian chantMonophonic, non-metered melodies set to Latin sacred texts. Singing or chanting in unison without strict rhythm. Collected during the Reign of Pope Gregory VIII for psalms and other parts of the church service.
guitarA six-stringed fretted instrument.
H
habañeraAn exotic Cuban dance in duple meter.
half stepThe smallest interval in the Western system of equal temperament.
harmonyThe elemental category describing vertical combinations of pitches; pleasing combination of two or three tones played together.
harpA plucked instrument having strings stretched on a triangular frame.
harpsichordAn ancient keyboard instrument whose sound is produced by a system of levered picks that pluck its metal strings (common in the Renaissance and Baroque eras).
home keySee tonic key.
homophonic texture1) A main melody supported by chords; 2) a texture in which voices on different pitches sing the same words simultaneously.
hornSee French horn.
hot jazzA "Dixieland" style of jazz with a fast tempo promoted by Louis Armstrong.
humoresqueA piece of music with a humorous feel.
hymnA song of praise and glorification. Most often to honor God.
I
idée fixeA transformable melody that recurs in every movement of a multi-movement work.
imitationA polyphonic texture in which material is presented then echoed from voice to voice.
ImpressionismA modern French musical style based on blurred effects, beautiful tone colors and fluid rhythms (promoted by Debussy around the turn of the 1900s).
impromptuA short piano piece, often improvisational and intimate in character.
improvisation"On-the-spot" creation of music (while it is being performed).
incidental musicMusic performed during a theatrical play.
instrumentationThe combination of instruments that a composition is written for.
interludePiece of instrumental music played between scenes in a play or opera.
intermezzoShort movement or interlude connecting the main parts of the composition.
interpretationThe expression the performer brings when playing his instrument.
intervalThe measured distance between two musical pitches.
intonationThe manner in which tones are produced with regard to pitch.
introductionThe opening section of a piece of music or movement.
inversionA variation technique in which the intervals of a melody are turned upside down.
J
jazzA style of American modern popular music combining African and Western musical traits.
jazz bandAn instrumental ensemble comprised of woodwinds (saxophones and clarinets), brasses (trumpets and trombones) and rhythm section (piano/guitar, bass and drum set).
jigA lively English dance, usually placed at the end of a Baroque suite.
K
kettledrumsSee timpani.
keyThe central note, chord or scale of a musical composition or movement.
key signatureA series of sharps or flats written on a musical staff to indicate the key of a composition.
keyboard instrumentAny instrument whose sound is initiated by pressing a series of keys with the fingers; piano, harpsichord, organ, synthesizer are the most common types.
KlangfarbenmelodieThe technique of altering the tone color of a single note or musical line by changing from one instrument to another in the middle of a note or line.
kotoA Japanese plucked instrument with 13 strings and moveable bridges.
L
largoA very slow, broad tempo.
leading noteThe seventh note of the scale where there is a strong desire to resolve on the tonic.
legatoA smooth, connected manner of performing a sequence of notes.
leitmotifA short musical "signature tune" associated with a person or concept in an opera.
lentoTempo instruction meaning the music is slow.
librettoThe sung/spoken text of an opera.
LiedA German-texted art song (usually for one voice with piano accompaniment); plural = Lieder.
ligatureCurved line connecting notes to be sung or played as a phrase.
luteAn ancient pear-shaped plucked instrument widely used in the Renaissance and Baroque eras.
M
madrigalA composition on a short secular poem, sung by a small group of unaccompanied singers (one on a part). The madrigal flourished in Italy from 1520 to 1610, and was adopted in England during the Elizabethan Age (c. 1600); a contrapuntal song written for at least three voices, usually without accompaniment.
maestroRefers to any great composer, conductor, or teacher of music.
majorOne of the two modes of the tonal system. Music written in major keys have a positive affirming character.
major keyMusic based on a major scale (traditionally considered "happy" sounding).
major scaleA family of seven alphabetically-ordered pitches within the distance of an octave, following an intervalic pattern matching the white keys from "C" to "C" on a piano.
MalagueñaA Spanish gypsy dance from the region of Málaga.
marcatoPerformed with emphasis.
marchA form of music written for marching in two-step time. Originally the march was used for military processions.
marching bandA large ensemble of woodwinds, brass, percussion, and color guard used for entertainment at sporting events and parades (usually performing march-like music in a strong duple meter).
marimbaA pitched percussion instrument comprised of wooden bars struck by mallets that uses resonator tubes to enhance the sound; a more versatile version of the xylophone.
MassIn music, a composition based on the five daily prayers of the Roman Catholic Mass Ordinary: Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Agnus Dei.
Mass OrdinaryThe five daily prayers of the Catholic Mass: Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Agnus Dei.
Mass ProperThe approximately two dozen prayers of a Mass that change each day to reflect the particular feast day of the liturgical calendar.
mazurkaA type of Polish dance in triple meter, sometimes used by Chopin in his piano works.
measureA rhythmic grouping, set off in written music by a vertical barline.
MedievalA term used to describe things related to the Middle Ages (c450–1450).
medleyOften used in overtures, a composition that uses passages from other movements of the composition in its entirety.
melismaA succession of many pitches sung while sustaining one syllable of text.
mellophoneMarching band version of a French horn.
mellophoniumHybrid version of a French horn and euphonium, typically used for marching band.
melodyThe musical element that deals with the horizontal presentation of pitch.
meterBeats organized into recurring and recognizable accent patterns (2/4, 3/4, 4/4, etc.).
metronomeA mechanical (or electric) device that precisely measures tempo.
mezzo-An Italian prefix that means medium or half; vocally, the voice between soprano and alto.
mezzo-forteA medium loud dynamic marking.
mezzo-pianoA medium quiet dynamic marking.
mezzo-sopranoA dramatic woman's voice that combines the power of an alto with the primary high range of a soprano.
microtoneA non-Western musical interval that is smaller than a Western half-step.
Middle Agesc450–1450; an era dominated by Catholic sacred music, which began as simple chant but grew in complexity in the 13th to 15th centuries by experiments in harmony and rhythm.
MIDIAn acronym for Musical Instrument Digital Interface; a protocol established in the 1970s that allows digital synthesizers to communicate with computers.
minimalismA modern compositional approach promoted by Glass, Reich, etc., in which a short melodic/rhythmic/harmonic idea is repeated and gradually transformed as the basis of an extended work.
minorOne of the two modes of the tonal system. The minor mode can be identified by the dark, melancholic mood.
minor keyMusic based on a minor scale (traditionally considered "sad" sounding).
minor scaleA family of seven alphabetically-ordered pitches within the distance of an octave, following an intervalic pattern matching the white keys from "A" to "A" on a piano.
minuetA popular aristocratic French dance in 3/4 meter from the mid-17th century to the end of the 18th century.
minuet and trio formThe traditional third-movement form of the Classic 4-movement design, based on an aristocratic dance in 3/4 meter.
modeA scale or key used in a musical composition (major and minor are modes, as are ancient modal scales found in Western music before c.1680).
moderatoA moderate tempo.
Modern Erac1890–present; a musical era impacted by daring experimentation, advances in musical technology, and popular/non-Western influences (Debussy, Schoenberg, Stravinsky, Copland, Cage).
modulationThe process of changing from one musical key to another.
monophonic textureA single-line texture with no harmony.
monotoneRepetition of a single tone.
motetA polyphonic vocal piece set to a sacred Latin text that is not from the Roman Catholic Mass.
motifPrimary theme or subject that is developed.
motiveA small musical fragment (“Lego” block) used to build a larger musical idea; can be reworked in the course of a composition (as in the 4-note motive in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 in C minor).
movementA complete, independent division of a larger work.
mp3A modern technology that allows digital CD-quality sound to be compressed into files that are approximately 8 times smaller than the original, with relatively little loss of quality.
musetteA Baroque dance with a drone-bass.
musicologyThe study of forms, history, science, and methods of music.
MusikdramaA type of ultra-dramatic German operatic theatre developed by Richard Wagner in the mid-/late-Romantic era.
musique concrèteMusic comprised of natural sounds that are recorded and/or manipulated electronically or via magnetic tape; a compositional approach promoted by Varèse in the 1950s.
muteA device used to muffle the tone and volume of an instrument.
N
nationalismMusical styles that include folk songs, dances, legends, language, or other national imagery relating to a composer's native country.
naturalA note which is neither sharp nor flat.
natural signA symbol in sheet music that returns a note to its original pitch after it has been augmented or diminished.
NeoclassicalAn early 20th-century compositional style in which Classic forms and the aesthetics of balance, clarity and structural unity are combined with modern approaches to harmony, rhythm and tone color; crisp and direct.
new ageA style of popular music in the 1980s/90s that rejected the hard-edged beat of rock music by focusing on nature sounds, sweet synthesized tone colors, acoustic instruments and short hypnotically-repetitive ideas.
nocturne(French for "night piece") A type of character piece for solo piano that evokes the moods and images of nighttime; romantic or dreamy character with nocturnal associations.
nonetA composition written for nine instruments.
non-metricalMusic without a regular beat or steady meter (you cannot tap your foot to the beat).
non-Western musicMusic from countries other than Europe and the Americas.
notationA system first developed in the 8th century for writing music down so that critical aspects of its performance can be recreated accurately.
noteIn music notation, a black or white oval-shaped symbol (with or without a stem/flag) that represents a specific rhythmic duration and/or pitch.
O
obbligato1) An instrumental part which is essential in a piece of music, popular in the baroque period; 2) an extended solo, often accompanying the vocal part of an aria.
oboeA nasal-sounding double-reed instrument that is the alto of the standard woodwind family.
octaveEight full tones above the key note where the scale begins and ends (e.g. from C to C or D to D); a musical interval between two pitches in which the upper pitch vibrates twice as fast as the lower.
octetA composition written for eight instruments.
Ondes MartenotAn electronic instrument which produces sound using a keyboard which controls oscillating frequencies.
operaA large-scale, fully-staged dramatic theatrical work involving solo singers, chorus and orchestra.
opera buffaComic Italian opera (usually in 2 acts).
opera seriaSerious Italian opera (usually in 3 acts).
operettaShort light musical drama.
opusConvenient method of numbering a composer's works where a number follows the word "opus". For example, Opus 28, No. 4.
oratorioA large scale work for orchestra and voices, usually sacred in nature. Oratorios are narrative in the same way as opera, but are performed without staging, costume, action or scenery.
orchestraA large instrumental ensemble comprised of strings, woodwinds, brasses and percussion.
orchestrationThe technique of conceiving or arranging a composition for orchestra.
organA wind/keyboard instrument, usually with many sets of pipes controlled from two or more manuals (keyboards), including a set of pedals played by the organist's feet.
organumA type of early French Medieval polyphony dating from c. 1000–1200, featuring a slow non-metered chant in the lowest voice with one or more faster metrical voices sung above.
ornamentsTones used to embellish the principal melodic tone.
ostinatoA short rhythmic/melodic idea that is repeated exactly over and over throughout a musical section or work.
overtureA one-movement orchestral introduction to an opera or other large musical work.
P
parodyComposition based on previous work. A common technique used in Medieval and Renaissance music.
partA line in a contrapuntal work performed by an individual voice or instrument.
partialA harmonic given off by a note when it is played.
partial chordA harmonic combination that has two pitches sounding simultaneously; see also chord.
partitaMusical suite, usually for solo instrument or small ensemble; often Baroque dances.
passacagliaA baroque dance form in which a short melodic phrase, usually in the bass, forms the basis of the work.
pastoralA composition whose style is simple and idyllic; suggestive of rural scenes.
pentatonic scaleA folk or non-Western scale having five different notes (consisting of the black notes on the keyboard) within the space of an octave.
percussion instrumentAn instrument on which sound is generated by striking its surface with an object.
phraseA small musical unit (sub-section of a melody) equivalent to a grammatical phrase in a sentence.
pianissimoA very quiet dynamic marking.
piano(Dynamic) A soft/quiet dynamic marking. (Instrument) A versatile modern keyboard instrument that makes sound via fingered keys that engage felt-tipped hammers that strike the strings.
pianoforteThe original instrumental prototype of the piano (late Baroque/early Classic eras).
pitchThe relative highness or lowness of a musical sound (based on frequency of vibration).
piùA term that can preface an instruction to mean "more of". "Più vivo" means "more lively"; "Più lento" means "more slow".
pizzicatoUsually refers to a type of stringed instrument playing in which a string is plucked by the fingers.
poco a pocoA term that can preface an instruction meaning to follow it "little by little". For example, "poco a poco crescendo" means getting louder gradually, little by little.
polkaA lively Bohemian (Czech) dance (traditionally for the common classes).
polonaiseA Polish nationalistic military dance used in some of Chopin's piano character pieces.
polyphonyMusic with two or more sounds happening simultaneously; combining a number of individual but harmonizing melodies. Also known as counterpoint.
polyphonic textureWhen two or more independent melodic lines are sounding at the same time.
polyrhythmWhen several independent rhythmic lines are sounding at the same time.
polytonalityWhen music is played in two or more contrasting keys at the same time.
portamentoA mild glissando between two notes for an expressive effect.
postludeA concluding section (usually at the end of a keyboard movement).
prelude1) A free-form introductory movement to a fugue or other more complex composition; 2) a term used instead of overture to show dramatic unity between the introductory orchestral music and the theatrical drama that follows it.
prepared pianoA modern technique invented by John Cage in which various natural objects (spoons, erasers, screws, etc.) are strategically inserted between the strings of a piano, in order to create unusual sounds.
prestoA very fast tempo.
program musicInstrumental music intended to tell a specific story, or set a specific mood or extra-musical image.
program symphonyA programmatic multi-movement work for orchestra.
progressionThe movement of chords in succession that functions similarly to a sentence or phrase in written language.
Q
quadrilleA 19th century square dance written for 4 couples.
quadruple meterA basic metrical pattern having four beats per measure.
quarter-toneA division of pitches, smaller than a semitone, which is half a tone. Found generally in some music from the 20th Century.
quartetA set of four musicians who perform a composition written for four parts.
quintetA set of five musicians who perform a composition written for five parts.
quotation music(Common since c. 1960) A composition extensively using quotations from earlier works.
R
ragaA melodic pattern used in the music of India.
ragtimeA style of piano music developed around the turn of the 20th century, with a march-like tempo, a syncopated right-hand melody, and an "oom-pah" left-hand accompaniment.
rallentandoOften abbreviated as "rall...", is an instruction to gradually play slower.
rangeThe distance between the lowest and highest possible notes of an instrument or melody.
rap(Hip-hop) A style of popular music developed by Americans in the 1970s, in which the lyrics are spoken over rhythm tracks.
recapitulationThe third aspect of Classic sonata form; in this section, both themes of the exposition are restated in the home key (the second theme gives up its opposing key center); reprise.
recitalA solo concert with or without accompaniment.
recitativeA speech-like style of singing with a free rhythm over a sparse accompaniment.
recorderAn ancient wooden flute.
reedA flexible strip of cane (or metal) that vibrates in the mouthpiece of a wind instrument.
refrainRepeating phrase that is played at the end of each verse in the song.
registerA specific coloristic portion of an instrumental or vocal range.
relative major and minorThe major and minor keys that share the same notes in that key. For example: A minor shares the same notes as C major.
relative pitchAbility to determine the pitch of a note as it relates to the notes that precede and follow it.
Renaissancec1450–1600; an era that witnessed the rebirth of learning and exploration. This was reflected musically in a more personal style than seen in the Middle Ages (Josquin Desprez, Palestrina, Weelkes).
repriseTo repeat a previous part of a composition generally after other music has been played.
Requiem MassA dirge, hymn, or musical service (most times Roman Catholic) for the repose of the dead.
resonanceWhen several strings are tuned to harmonically related pitches, all strings vibrate when only one of the strings is struck.
retrogradeA melody presented in backwards motion.
retrograde inversionA melody presented backwards and intervalically upside down.
rhythmThe element of music as it unfolds in time; played as a grouping of notes into accented and unaccented beats.
rhythm and bluesA style of American popular music that flourished in the 1940s–60s; a direct predecessor to rock and roll.
ricercarElaborate polyphonic composition of the Baroque and Renaissance periods.
rigaudonA quick 20th century dance written in double time.
ritardandoGradually slowing down the tempo, often abbreviated as "rit."
ritenutoAn instruction to slow down.
ritornello formA Baroque design that alternates big vs. small effects (tutti vs. solo); usually the tutti section is a recurring melodic refrain.
rock and rollAn American style of popular music that emerged in the 1950s out of the combination of rhythm and blues, country-western and pop-music elements.
rococoA musical style characterized as excessive, ornamental, and trivial.
Romantic Erac1820–1890; an era of flamboyance, nationalism, the rise of "superstar" performers, and concerts aimed at middle-class "paying" audiences. (Schubert, Berlioz, Chopin, Wagner, Brahms, Tchaikovsky).
rondo formA Classic form in which a main melodic idea returns two or three times in alternation with other melodies (ABACA or ABACABA, etc.); often used for final movements of classical sonata form works.
rootThe principal note of a triad.
roundA canon where the melody is sung in two or more voices. After the first voice begins, the next voice starts singing after a couple of measures are played in the preceding voice. All parts repeat continuously.
rubatoA flexible approach to metered rhythm in which the tempo can be momentarily sped up or slowed down at will for greater personal expression; an important characteristic of the Romantic period.
S
sackbutAn ancient brass instrument; ancestor to the trombone.
saxophoneA family of woodwind instruments with a single reed and brass body; commonly used in jazz and marching band/concert band music.
scaleA family of pitches arranged in an ascending/descending order.
scat singingA style of improvised jazz singing sung on colorful nonsense syllables.
scherzoPertaining to the sonata form, a fast movement in triple time. Originating in the 17th Century, the form usually appears in a Symphony as a fast, light-hearted second or third movement.
scherzo and trio formA musical movement based on a country dance in triple meter; replaced the aristocratic minuet in the early 1800s as the usual third movement of the Classic 4-movement design.
scordaturaThe retuning of a stringed instrument in order to play notes below the ordinary range of the instrument or to produce an unusual tone color.
scoreWritten notation that vertically aligns all instrumental/vocal parts used in a composition.
septetA set of seven musicians who perform a composition written for seven parts.
sequenceThe immediate transposition and repetition of a melodic passage on a higher or lower pitch level.
serenadeA lighthearted Classic instrumental chamber work written in several movements similar to a small-scale symphony; usually performed for social entertainment of the upper classes.
serialismA method of modern composition in which the twelve chromatic pitches are put into a numerically-ordered series used to control various aspects of a work (melody, harmony, tone color, dynamics, instrumentation, etc.).
sextetA set of six musicians who perform a composition written for six parts.
sforzandoPlay with sudden and marked emphasis; sudden stress on a note or chord.
shakuhachiA Japanese flute.
shamisenA banjo-like Japanese stringed instrument.
sharp signA musical symbol that raises the pitch one half-step.
shawmAn ancient double-reed woodwind instrument.
SingspielA traditionally low-level type of comic light opera, featuring spoken German dialogue interspersed with simple German songs.
sitarA long-necked stringed instrument of India.
slideA glissando or portamento. Also refers to the moving part of a trombone.
slurA curve over notes to indicate that a phrase is to be played legato.
snare drumA non-pitched drum with two heads stretched over a metal shell; the lower head has metal wires strapped across it to produce a rattling sound.
solo concertoA 3-movement work for a single soloist vs. an orchestra.
sonataA Classic multi-movement work for a piano (or for one instrument with piano accompaniment); music of a particular form consisting of four movements.
sonata formThe common first-movement form of Classic multi-movement instrumental works; essentially a musical debate between two opposing key centers characterized by three structural divisions: Exposition, Development, and Recapitulation.
sonata-rondo formA formal design that combines aspects of sonata form and rondo form (an ABACABA design).
sonatinaA short or brief sonata.
songA small-scale musical work that is sung (a German song is a "Lied"; a French song is a "chanson"; an Italian song is a "canzona").
song cycleA set of poetically-unified songs for one singer accompanied by either piano or orchestra; a sequence of songs, perhaps on a single theme, or with texts by one poet, or having continuous narrative.
soprano1) The highest ranged woman's voice or a high pre-pubescent boy's voice; 2) the highest-sounding instrument of an instrumental family. Instrument examples: flute, clarinet, recorder, violin, trumpet, oboe, soprano saxophone.
sousaphoneAn ultra-bass brass instrument designed for use in marching bands.
SprechstimmeA half-spoken, half-sung style of singing on approximate pitches, developed by Schoenberg in the early 1900s.
staccatoShort, detached notes.
staffMade up of five horizontal parallel lines and the spaces between them on which musical notation is written.
strettoPertaining to the fugue, the overlapping of the same theme or motif by two or more voices a few beats apart.
string instrumentAn instrument that is played by placing one's hands directly on the strings, such as violin, viola, cello, double bass, harp, guitar, dulcimer, psaltery, and the ancient viols.
string quartet1) A chamber ensemble of two violins, viola, and cello, devised in the early Classic era; 2) a multi-movement work for two violins, viola and cello.
strophic formA song form featuring several successive verses of text sung to the same music.
subjectThe main melodic idea of a fugue.
suiteA loose collection of instrumental compositions.
swingA term to describe "Big Band" jazz music of the 1930s–50s.
symphonic poemA single-movement programmatic work for orchestra.
symphonyA large scale orchestral work, usually in four movements, in which at least one is in sonata-form.
syncopationAn "off-the-beat" accent.
synthesizerA modern electronic keyboard instrument capable of generating a multitude of sounds.
systemA combination of two or more staves on which all the notes are vertically aligned and performed simultaneously in differing registers and instruments.
T
tablaA pair of drums used to accompany the music of India.
tablatureA system of notation for stringed instruments. The notes are indicated by the finger positions.
talaA rhythmic pattern used in the music of India.
temperamentRefers to the tuning of an instrument.
tempoThe speed of the musical beat at which a piece of music is played.
tenorA male singing voice between baritone and countertenor. The highest of the ordinary adult male range. Instrument examples: trombone, tenor saxophone.
tenutoA note or chord held for its full time value or slightly more.
ternary formABA design (statement, contrast, restatement).
tessituraThe range of an instrumental or a vocal part.
textureThe element focusing on the number of simultaneous musical lines being sounded.
themeA melodic or, sometimes a harmonic idea presented in a musical form.
theme and variations formA theme is stated then undergoes a series of sectional alterations.
through-composed formA song form with no large-scale musical repetition.
timbreTone color, quality of sound that distinguishes one instrument to another. It is determined by the harmonics of sound.
time signatureA numeric symbol in sheet music determining the number of beats to a measure.
timpaniVarious-sized kettle-shaped pitched drums; a tenor instrument of the percussion family.
toccataAn instrumental work designed to display the technical prowess and proficiency of a performer.
tonalPertains to tone or tones.
tonalityMusic centered around a "home" key (based on a major or minor scale).
toneThe intonation, pitch, and modulation of a composition expressing the meaning, feeling, or attitude of the music.
tone colorThe unique, characteristic sound of a musical instrument or voice.
tone clusterA modern technique of extreme harmonic dissonance created by a large block of pitches sounding simultaneously.
tone rowAn ordered series of twelve chromatic pitches used in serialism.
tonicThe first note of a scale or key; also known as a keynote.
tonic keyThe "home" key of a tonal composition.
transitionA bridge section between two musical ideas.
transpositionShifting a piece to a different pitch level.
trebleThe playing or singing the upper half of the vocal range. Also the highest voice in choral singing.
tremoloRapid repetition of a pitch (i.e.: bowing a string rapidly while maintaining a constant pitch).
triadA three-note chord consisting of a root, third, and fifth (built on alternating scale steps — 1-3-5, etc.).
trillRapid alternation of two close pitches to create a "shaking" ornament on a melodic note.
trioA composition written for three voices and instruments performed by three persons.
trio sonataA Baroque multi-movement chamber work for four performers (2 violins and basso continuo).
triple meterA common meter with three beats per measure.
tripletA rhythmic grouping of three equal-valued notes played in the space of two (indicated in written music by a "3" above the grouping).
tritoneA chord comprised of three whole tones resulting in an augmented fourth or diminished fifth.
tromboneA family of brass instruments that change pitch via a moveable slide (alto, tenor and bass versions are common).
trumpetA valved instrument that is the soprano of the modern brass family.
tubaA large valved brass instrument; the bass of the modern brass family.
tubular bellsSee chimes.
tuneA rhythmic succession of musical tones, a melody for instruments and voices.
tuningThe raising and lowering a pitch of an instrument to produce the correct tone of a note.
tutti(Italian for "all" or "everyone") An indication for all performers to play together.
twelve-tone musicMusic composed such that each note is used the same number of times.
U
'UdA lute-like, pear-shaped, fretless stringed instrument commonly used in music from the Middle East.
unisonThe rendering of a single melodic line by several performers simultaneously.
upbeatThe weak beat that comes before the strong downbeat of a musical measure.
V
variationThe compositional process of changing an aspect(s) of a musical work while retaining others.
verismoA style of true-to-life Italian opera that flourished at the turn of the 20th century.
vibraphonePercussion instrument made of tuned metal bars played by holding two or four soft mallets and striking the bars. Features resonator tubes with motor-driven valves producing a tremolo/vibrato effect while spinning. Also has a sustain pedal similar to that on a piano.
vibratoSmall fluctuations in pitch used to make a sound more expressive.
violAn ancient string instrument (ancestor to the modern violin).
viol' da gambaA Renaissance bowed string instrument held between the legs like a modern cello.
violaThe alto instrument of the modern string family.
violinThe soprano instrument of the modern string family.
violoncelloThe full name of the cello; the tenor instrument of the modern string family.
virtuosoA performer of extraordinary ability.
vivaceA lively tempo; to be played in a brisk, lively, and spirited manner.
voiceOne of two or more parts in polyphonic music. Voice refers to instrumental parts as well as the singing voice.
volumeThe relative quietness or loudness of an electrical impulse (see dynamics).
W
waltzAn aristocratic ballroom dance in triple meter where the accent falls on the first beat of each measure; flourished in the Romantic period.
whole noteA whole note is equal to 2 half notes, 4 quarter notes, 8 eighth notes, etc.
whole stepAn interval twice as large as a half-step (e.g. the distance between C and D on a piano).
whole-tone scaleA scale made of 6 whole steps that avoids any sense of tonality (e.g. C D E F# G# A#).
woodwind instrumentAn instrument that produces its sound from a column of air vibrating within a multi-holed tube.
word-paintingIn vocal music, musical gestures that reflect the specific meaning of words; a common aspect of the Renaissance madrigal.
world beatThe collective term for today's popular third-world musical styles (also called ethno-pop).
X
xylophoneA pitched percussion instrument consisting of flat wooden bars on a metal frame that are struck by hard mallets.