| Word |
Definition |
| Absolute |
Does not tell a story |
| Alberti Bass |
Bass line on piano, repeated in the left hand. |
| Allemande |
German: Part of a suite, in 4/4 time, with a moderate tempo |
| Antiphonal |
'Questions and Answers', a stereo effect |
| Aria |
Song |
| Atonal |
Total absence of key |
| Basso continuo |
Bass line that runs through a piece |
| Binary |
Musical Structure: AB |
| Bourrée |
Part of a Suite |
| Cadenza |
End of music which shows off the brilliance of the player |
| Camera |
Italian for chamber |
| Cantata |
To be sung |
| Chiesa |
Italian for church |
| Chord-streams |
Moving a chord shape in parallel motion |
| Chroma |
Greek for 'colour' |
| Concertino |
In a concerto: The small group of soloists |
| Concerto |
Means 'get together' |
| Conjunct |
Moving in small steps |
| Contrapuntal |
More than one melody line |
| Corrente |
Italian: Part of a Suite, in 3/2 time, with a moderately fast tempo |
| Counterpoint |
More than one melody line |
| Courante |
French: Part of a Suite, in 3/2 time, with a moderately fast tempo |
| Da capo |
Musical structure: ABA |
| Disjunct |
Moving in leaps |
| Dissonance |
Clashing notes that do not fit |
| Dominant |
Chord/Note V |
| Dynamics |
The louds and softs of a piece |
| Figured bass |
Numbers below the bass line, indicating which chords to play |
| French Overture |
An overture which has three sections, the first and the last being slow,
and the middle being quick |
| Gavotte |
Part of a Suite |
| Gigue |
Part of a Suite, usually in compound time |
| Harmony |
The way the music fits together |
| Homophonic |
Moving in chords |
| Idée fixe |
Recurring theme |
| Imitation |
Lines of melody are repeated |
| Impressionism |
'Blurred' music |
| Italian Overture |
An overture which has three sections, the first and the last being quick, and the middle being slow |
| Leading Note |
Chord/Note VII |
| Mediant |
Chord/Note III |
| Melody |
The tune |
| Metre |
Time signature |
| Minuet |
Part of a Suite, in 3 titne, and a slow and stately waltz |
| Monody |
Single voice line supported by an insumental bass line, upon which chords are constructed |
| Monophonic |
One melody line |
| Opera buffa |
Comic opera |
| Orchestration |
How the parts are arranged |
| Ornaments |
Musical enhancements (e.g. trill, mordent) |
| Passepied |
Part of a Suite |
| Polychoral |
More than one choir |
| Polyphonic |
More than one melody line |
| Polyphony |
More than one melody line |
| Polytonal |
More than one key at a time |
| Prelude |
An opening piece |
| Programmatic |
Tells a story |
| Recitative |
A style which is a cross between singing and reciting |
| Rhythm |
Refers to the beat either in a percussion line, or any other line |
| Ripieno |
In a concerto: The rest of the orchestra |
| Ritornello |
Italian for return, used to mean where a section returns |
| Rondo |
Musical Structure: ABACADA etc. |
| Sacred |
Religious |
| Sarrabande |
Spanish: Part of a Suite, in slow triple time |
| Secular |
Not religious |
| Singspiel |
An opera in which singing is mixed up with the dialogue |
| Sonata |
To be sounded (played) A work of several movements, for one or two instruments. |
| Sonata form |
See 'Classical Music' |
| Strophic |
Two or more verses set to the same music |
| Subdominant |
Chord/Note IV |
| Submediant |
Chord/Note VI |
| Supertonic |
Chord/Note II |
| Symphony |
Similar to a sonata, but for an orchestra. |
| Syncopation |
An off-beat rhythm |
| Tempo |
Speed |
| Ternary |
Musical Structure: ABA |
| Texture |
How 'thick' or 'thin' the music is |
| Through-Composed |
Different all of the way through |
| Timbre |
Type of sound given by an instrument |
| Tonic |
Chord/Note I |
| Tutti |
Means 'everyone' |