|
|
| In German, a musical term applying to any song. By the middle 1800s the lied developed into what has later been termed the artsong- a composition in which composers combined poetry and voice with piano accompanying to create a musical expression. See also chanson and madrigal. |
|
|
|
| singing without instrumental accompaniment. |
|
|
|
| return to the original tempo. |
|
|
|
| The ability to name a pitch or sound a pitch designated by name without assistance from any source. |
|
|
|
| becoming faster: a gradual increase in tempo. |
|
|
|
| stress or emphasize a note ( or chord) over others around it. Accents occur by singing the note louder or stressing the beginning consonant or vowel. |
|
|
|
| symbols that move the pitch up or down a half step. Sharp – raises the pitch one half step. Flat – lowers that pitch one half step. Natural – cancels a previous sharp or flat When it cancels a flat, that pitch is raised one half step: when it cancels a sharp the pitch is lowered one half step). |
|
|
|
| Not electric, especially in refernece to a guitar or double bass. |
|
|
|
| The science of production, propagation, and perception of sound. |
|
|
|
| at will. The performer may improvise freely, omit a part, or vary the tempo. |
|
|
|
| tempo marking indicating slow. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| to ending. An indicator following D.C. or D.S.. From the Latin word finis, ” to finish”. |
|
|
|
| a duple time signature , usually 2/2. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Broadening, becoming slower, sometimes with an accompanying crescendo. |
|
|
|
| slightly slower than allegro. |
|
|
|
| tempo marking indicating fast. |
|
|
|
| a treble voice that is lower than a soprano, usually written in the treble clef. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| One or more notes preceding the first metrically strong beat of a phrase; upbeat or pickup |
|
|
|
| tempo marking indicating medium or ” walking” tempo. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| animated, energetic, or spirited. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Singing in which 2 choirs alternate. |
|
|
|
| The use of 2 or more spatially separated performers or ensembles that alternate of oppose one another in a musical work or performance. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| A self contained composition for solo voice, usually with instrumental accompaniment and occurring within the context of a larger form such as a cantata. |
|
|
|
| the person who takes an already existing composition and reorganizes it to fit a new instrumentation or voicing. |
|
|
|
| a serious vocal composition , generally for solo voice and piano. |
|
|
|
| the clear pronunciation of text using the lips , teeth , and tongue. The singer must attack consonants crisply and use proper vowel formation. |
|
|
|
| Abbreviation for American Society of Composers, authors, and Publishers. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| a meter in which the strong beat create combinations of groups of twos and threes. Some examples of asymmetrical meter are: 5/4, 7/8, and 10/4. Asymmetrical meters are most frequently found in music of the 20th century. Composers sometimes used asymmetrical meters to match the inflection of speech suggested in a text or simply for variety’s sake. |
|
|
|
| Breathing pause, usually indicated in musical notation with an apostrophe and often a guide to phrasing as much as an indication of where wind players or singers should take a breath. |
|
|
|
| Literally the absence of tonality, the absence of key. |
|
|
|
| Attack immediately, an instruction to begin the next movement immediately without the customary pause. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Abbreviation for Blessed Virgin Mary (Beatae Mariae Virginis ) |
|
|
|
| To lower, e.g., the tuning of a string. |
|
|
|
| a narrative song dealing with dramatic episodes; a simpler, sentimental song; an air. Many ballads have been passed down orally fro generations. |
|
|
|
| a 16th century vocal composition with dance-rhythms, often including phrases of nonsense syllables like ” fa-la-la”. Giovanni Gastoldi wrote the earliest known collection of balletti. |
|
|
|
| A square, entirely button-operated accordion invented in the 1840’s. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| a vertical line that divides the staff into smaller sections called measures. A double barline indicates the end of a section or piece of music. |
|
|
|
| 1600-1750 The period in western music history that extended from 1600 to about 1750; also the musical styles of that period. The style features of most Baroque music include frequent use of polyphony; fast, motor-like rhythms; and use of the chorale. Some famous Baroque Composers were Johann Sebastian Bach, George Frideric Handel, and Antonio Vivaldi. |
|
|
|
| a male voice written in the bass clef that is lower than a tenor voice. |
|
|
|
| the symbol at the beginning of the staff used for lower voices and instruments, and the piano left hand. It generally refers to pitches lower than middle C . The two dots are on either side of F, so it is often referred to as the F clef. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| The percussion section of the orchestra. |
|
|
|
| the unit of recurring pulse in music. |
|
|
|
| A portable glockenspiel on the shape of a lyre, used principally in marching bands. |
|
|
|
| A blessing, especially on pronounced on the congregation at the conclusion of a service of worship. |
|
|
|
| Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord; the second part of the Mass. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| A ballet in one act by Aaron Copland, first produced in Chicago in 1938. |
|
|
|
| An instruction to repeat a passage. |
|
|
|
| The interval of two octaves. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Chords played in such a way that all pitches are attacked simultaneously, especially on the keyboard, as in the simplest hymn settings. |
|
|
|
| Notes found in the blue scale which give it a unique sound. They are flatted third and flatted seventh scales degrees of the major scale. Authentic blue notes are not exactly a flatted third or seventh, but fall somewhere between the regular third (or seventh) and the flatted third ( or seventh). See also blues. |
|
|
|
| A style of counting and western music brought to prominence in the mid- 1940’s. The style is formed principally from the Anglo-American traditions of white musicians of rural Appalachia and was seen from the beginning as consciously preserving those traditions. |
|
|
|
| One of America’s unique contributions to Western music. The blues is a style of music that has origins in early twentieth century African- American cultures. It combines elements of syncopation, blues notes, and many elements found in spirituals of the early American slaves. See also blues notes. |
|
|
|
| Opera in 4 acts by Puccini. |
|
|
|
| Traditional dance music of Puerto Rico’s coastal lowlands. |
|
|
|
| A Javenense gong set employed in a gemelan ensemble. Ten to 14 kettle- shaped, knobbed gongs are set open-side down in two rows on taut cords in a wooden frame. |
|
|
|
| A movement in Brazilian popular music, and in particular, a new style of samba in the late 1950’s. |
|
|
|
| A lively, fluent Baroque dance movement in duple meter and binary form. |
|
|
|
| A system of musical notation for the blind, based on the braille system. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| In jazz, a brief, fast-moving, improvised solo, usually played without any accompaniment, that serves as an introduction to a more extended solo or that occurs between passages for the ensemble. |
|
|
|
| In U.S. folk music of the rural south beginning about 1850, an animated instrumental (especially fiddle) tune in duple meter, often to accompany dancing. |
|
|
|
| (,) an indicator within a phrase or melody where the musician should breathe. See also no breath and phrase marking. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| A transitional passage whose primary function is to connect two passages of greater weight of importance in a work as a whole. |
|
|
|
| Broken, as in the arpeggiation of chords. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| A type of french song of the 17th and 18th centuries for one to three voices, with or without accompaniment. |
|
|
|
| In 18th century Italian opera,m a colloquial term for a comic work. |
|
|
|
| In England beginning in the late 17th century, a satirical parody of a stage work, often of an opera. |
|
|
|
| A musical moment of rest or resolution. A cadence marks the end of a phrase or the completion of a composition. |
|
|
|
| A break or pause between two musical phrases. Also see break. |
|
|
|
| A dance originating among plantation slaves in the 1840’s as a strutting promenade mocking the owner’s manners. |
|
|
|
| Decreasing in loudnesss and often in templ. |
|
|
|
| Alternation between two performers or groups of performers. Often used in spirituals, this technique begins with a leader ( or group) singing a phrase followed by a response of the same phrase ( or continuation of that phrase) by a second group. |
|
|
|
| An instrument consisting of tuned steam whistles played from a keyboard. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| With warmth, passionaltely |
|
|
|
| A rhythm and song style, originally from Trinidad, that often contains satirical lyrics. |
|
|
|
| to change, as when a player is instructed to change instruments or tuning. |
|
|
|
| A French dance of the 19th century in a fast duple meter, most characteristically danced by a line of female dancers in full skirts and ruffled petticoats, with much kicking and leg exposure. |
|
|
|
| The strictest form of imitation, in which two or more parts have the same melody but start at different points. Sometimes referred to as rounds. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| A large work ( originally sacred) involving solos, chorus, organ, and occasionally orchestra. The cantata tells a story through text and music. |
|
|
|
| Johann Sebastian Bach wrote a cantata fro each Sunday of the church year. A song or lyrical passage from a book of the Bible other than the book of |
|
|
|
| French word for hymn or any religious song with a french text. |
|
|
|
| Italian for song, melody. |
|
|
|
| in Jewish and Latin-Christian liturgical music, a solo singer. In Gregorian and related repertories, certain melodies or parts of them are sung by one or more soloists, distinct from the chorus. |
|
|
|
| A light vocal piece( from the Italian ” little song”) popular in Italy during the mid-1500’s. Similar vocal styles appeared in England and Germany in the 1500’s and 1600’s. Canzonetti originally contained many stanzas and were homophonic in structure. |
|
|
|
| A song of English origin dating back to the middle ages with subject matter pertaining to the Virgin Mary or Christmas. Christmas carols often were usually strophic in nature often with a recurring refrain between verses. Similar songs existed in other cultures- noel in France and Weinachtslied in Germany- although today all of these Christmas songs are referred to as carols. |
|
|
|
| A French term in use since the middle ages describing a wide range of poetry and song. The troubadour (traveling minstrel) cultivated and developed the chanson. It later took a polyphonic form which naturally influenced and was itself influenced by the Italian madrigal. See also lied and madrigal. |
|
|
|
| A song sung by sailors in rhythm with their work. |
|
|
|
| A congregational song or hymn originally created in the German Protestant church. It was a very popular source for compositions, especially during the Baroque Period with composers such as Johann Sebastian Bach. |
|
|
|
| three or more pitches sounding at the time or in succession as in a broken chord. See also interval. |
|
|
|
| 1. A group of singers of secular music. 2. The refrain of a song. |
|
|
|
| Moving up or down by half steps, often outside of the key. Also the name of the scale composed entirely of half steps( all 12 pitches within an octave). The chromatic scale is distinct from the diatonic scale. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 1750-1835. The period in western music history beginning in Italy in 1750 and continuing until about 1825. Music of the classical period emphasized balance of phrase and structure. Ludwig Von Beethoven , Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and Joseph Haydn were famous composers from the classical period. |
|
|
|
| The symbol at the beginning of the staff that identifies a set of pitches. See also bass clef and treble clef. |
|
|
|
| Ending. A concluding portion of a composition. |
|
|
|
| In jazz and popular music, a small ensemble. |
|
| Common Chord Modulation – |
|
| A type of modulation in which the change of key is accomplished through a chord which is common to both the old and new keys. Common chord modulations are used between closely related keys. See also modulation and common tone modulation. |
|
|
|
| Another name fro the meter 4/4. See also cut time. |
|
|
|
| A type of modulation in which the change of key is accompanied through a tone which is common to both the old and new keys. Common tone modulations are used between keys that area not closely related. See also modulation and common chord modulation. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| The writer or creator of a song or musical composition. See also arranger. |
|
|
|
| An interval that exceeds an octave. |
|
|
|
| Meters which have a multiple of 3 such as 6 or 9 ( but not 3 itself) . Compound Meter reflects the note that receives the division unlike simple meter. An exception to the compound meter rule is when the music occurs at a slow tempo, then the music is felt in beats rather than divisions. See also meter and time signature. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| A forerunner of the concerto. It contrasted a small group of singers with the full chorus. Concertati of the early 17th century often combined and contrasted vocal and instrumental forces. |
|
|
|
| A person who, principally by means of gestures of the hands and arms, leads the performance of a musical ensemble. |
|
|
|
| A consonant interval is any interval contained in a major (or minor) triad and its inversions (octave, perfect fifth, perfect fourth, third, sixth). |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| The combination of two or more melodic lines. Counterpoint is the core element of polyphony. |
|
|
|
| Gradually growing louder. The opposite of decrescendo. |
|
|
|
| In British terminology, the quarter note. |
|
|
|
| Smaller notes indicating either optional harmony or notes from another voice part. |
|
|
|
| 2/2 time, the half note gets the beat. |
|
|
|
| Repeat from the beginning to fine or end. See also da capo and al fine. |
|
|
|
| Repeat from the sign to fine or ending. |
|
|
|
| Repeat from the beginning. See also dal segno and al fine. |
|
|
|
| Go back to the sign and repeat. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| A unit of measurement of the difference in intensity of two sounds. |
|
|
|
| Gradually growing softer. The opposite of crescendo. See also diminuendo. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| A high ornamental voice part often lying above the melody. |
|
|
|
| Very; allegrodimolto,veryfast |
|
|
|
| Step by step movement within a regular scale( any key). A combination of the seven whole and half steps (of different pitch names) within a key. Distinct from chromatic. |
|
|
|
| A 3-note chord constructed with a minor third followed by another minor third. |
|
|
|
| Gradually growing softer. See also decrescendo. |
|
|
|
| A combination of two vowel sounds consisting of a primary vowel sound and a secondary vowel sound. The secondary vowel sound is ( usually) at the very end of the diphthong. ( ex. The word “l” is really a diphthong using n “ee” and an “ah”. The “ee” is a very brief sound at the end of the word.) |
|
|
|
| A mournful song or hymn, usually slow and often with a repetitive quality, to accompany burial or memorial rites. |
|
|
|
| A dissonant interval is any interval that is not contained in a major ( or minor) triad like a second , seventh, diminished fifth, etc. A dissonant chord is one that contains at least one dissonant interval. |
|
|
|
| Divide; the parts divided. |
|
|
|
| A guitar with a large, circular, metal resonator under the bridge. It has been manufactured in the U.S. since the 1920’s and is used in Hawaiian and in country and western music. |
|
|
|
| Sweetly; usually soft as well. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| The name of the triad built on the fifth degree of the major scale. Dominant is also a category of harmony that evokes a feeling of momentum. |
|
|
|
| A form of rhythm and blues that flourished commercially in the late 1940’s and 1950’s. The ensemble most often featured a solo singer backed by a vocal trio or quartet and an instrumental unit. |
|
|
|
| A “helper” barline to the songs with unusual time signatures such as 5/8 and 7/8. The dotted barline helps divide the measure into two or more divisions of triple or duple beat groups. |
|
|
|
| The accented first beat of the measure. |
|
|
|
| Any instrument that plays only a constant pitch or pitches. For example, a bagpipe sounds a single pitch in addition to the melody played on the finger holes. |
|
|
|
| 1. any instrument that plays only a constant pitch or pitches. 2. A long, sustained tone in a piece of music , often intended to imitate the sound of a drone. |
|
|
|
| A goblet shaped drum of the Middle East. |
|
|
|
| Any time signature or group of beats that is a multiple of 2. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| the loudness or softness of a line of music. Dynamic changes may occur frequently within a composition. |
|
|
|
| Training intended to improve musical perception, including the ability to recognize by ear alone and reproduce in musical notation melodies, intervals, harmonies, rhythms, and meters and the ability to sing at sight. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| A sorrowful or melancholy musical work whether a setting of such a poem or an instrumental work. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| When said by members of the audience; a request that the performers repeat a compostition of perform and additional song not on the program. |
|
|
|
| ( First and second endings). Alternate endings to a repeated section. |
|
|
|
| Identical tones which are named and written differently. For instance, F# and Gb are the same note, they are enharmonic with each other. |
|
|
|
| A group of musicians( instrumentalists, singers, or some combination) who perform together. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Exuberant, high-spirited, or lively. |
|
|
|
| A composition designed to improve the technique of an instrumental performer by isolating specific difficulties. |
|
|
|
| Symbols and words or phrases and their abbreviations employed along with musical notations to guide the performance of a work in matters other than pitches and rhythms. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| A collection of popular and jazz melodies with chord symbols and sometimes words, used especially by musicians in restaurants, nightclubs as a basis from which to improvise or “fake” their own arrangements. Such books are often reproduced in violation of copyright laws. |
|
|
|
| A dance and dance-song of Spain in a moderately fast triple meter, appearing first in the early 18th century. |
|
|
|
| Hold the indicated note ( or rest) fro longer than its value; the length is left up to the interpreter of the director or the performer. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Solo singing by blacks in the fields of the southern U.S. Observers in the 19th century describe the use of free rhythmic patterns and falsetto cries Likely the forerunners of country blues. |
|
|
|
| proud, high spirited, fierce. |
|
|
|
| Ending. From the Latin word “finis” meaning to finish. |
|
|
|
| an accidental that lowers the pitch of a note one half step. Flat also refers to faulty intonation when the notes are sung or played slightly under the correct pitch. |
|
|
|
| A combination of folk music with the amplified instrumentation of rock, usually including drums and electric stringed instruments. |
|
|
|
| Songs passed down through oral tradition. Traditional music that reflects a locale or a national feeling. |
|
|
|
| The design and structure of a composition or section of a composition. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| A style marking permitting liberties with tempo, dynamics, and style. Rubato may also be incorporated. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| The pitch sounded by the organist to give the congregation the pitch for the singing of a hymn. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| An English composition for 3 or more voices, usually unaccompanied and male. |
|
|
|
| 1. Anglo-American protestant evangelical hymns usually with simple, strophic melodies set homophonically to strong tonal progressions. 2. Black American Protestants sacred singing where the vocalists improvise simple melodies by singing in full and /or falsetto voice, by adding melismas and syncopation, by adding blue notes, by freely extending or repeating any fragment of the text. |
|
|
|
| A note printed in small type to indicate that its time value is not counted in rhythm of the measure. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| A large, wing-shaped piano, in which the plane of the strings is horizontal. |
|
|
|
| A grouping of two staves. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Plainsongs or chants of the Roman Catholic Church. Origins traditionally are ascribed to the period of Pope Gregory I (590-604 A.D.). |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| A pattern of notes, most often a single melodic phrase set in the bass, that is repeated over and over again during the course of a vocal or instrumental composition. |
|
|
|
| In jazz, a harsh tone on a wind instrument imitating the sound of an animal’s growl. |
|
|
|
| A diagram of the human hand with the notes and solfege syllables assigned to joints or fingertips. Began in the 12th century. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| The smallest distance ( or interval ) between two notes on the keyboard. Shown symbolically (V). The chromatic scale is composed entirely of half steps. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Intervals played simultaneously. |
|
|
|
| The minor scale in which the seventh degree of the scale is raised a half step to create a strong harmonic push toward the tonic. The awkward interval of 3 half steps between the 6th and the 7th scale tones makes the scale patterns difficult to sing. |
|
|
|
| Two or more musical tones sounding simultaneously. |
|
|
|
| [Ger.] the principal or leading part, often the soprano. |
|
|
|
| The upper register of the voice. |
|
|
|
| Violent, inpetuous, passionate. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| A tenor voice of considerable brilliance, power, and endurance, suitable for singing roles in Wagner’s operas. |
|
|
|
| A unique rhythmical device in which the beat of a triple meter has the feeling of a duple meter(or the reverse) regardless of barlines and time signatures. This is accomplished through ties and/or accent placement. |
|
|
|
| A collection of seven pitches, especially the diatonic scale. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Music in which melodic interest is concentrated in one voice part and may have subordinate accompaniment ( distinct from polyphony in which all of the voice parts are equal). Homophony is also music which consists of two or more voice parts with similar or identical rhythems. From the Greek words meaning ” same sounds”, homophony could be described as being “hymn- style.” |
|
|
|
| A style marking indicating soft, whispered tone. |
|
|
|
| the successive statement of a melody, theme, or motive by two or more parts. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Music to be used in connection with a play. It may consist of instrumental music played before an act or between acts. |
|
|
|
| Heartfelt, sincere, fervent |
|
|
|
| Music played between sections of a composition or dramatic work. |
|
|
|
| The distance between two pitches. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| A piece that accompanies the entrance of a character on the stage or of an important person @ an event. |
|
|
|
| A small folk ensemble of the US that includes various homemade instruments (washboards, washtub, & jug) along with a few conventional pitched instruments, particularly guitar and harmonica. |
|
|
|
| A voice-operated mirliton of the U.S. and Europe. A membrane is attached over a hole in the side of a short wooden or metal tube and vibrates with a buzzing effect when the player sings or hums into the tube. |
|
|
|
| the organization of tonality around a single pitch( key-note). See also key- note and key signature. |
|
|
|
| The group of sharps or flats at the beginning of a staff which combine to indicate the locations of the key-note and configuration of the scale. If there are no sharps or flats, the key is automatically C major or A minor. |
|
|
|
| The pitch which is the tonal center of a key. The first tone (note) of a scale. It is also called the tonic. A key is named after the key-note; fro example in the key of Ab, Ab is the key-note. See also key and key signature. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| A song of mourning or great sadness and an emportant element in Italian Opera of the 17th century. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Slightly slower than largo. |
|
|
|
| A nonlitrugical religious song. |
|
|
|
| The tone and chord (triad built on the 7th degree) in the major scale which has the strongest (and shortest) progression toward the tonic. |
|
|
|
| The short lines used to extend the lines and spaces of our staff. |
|
|
|
| Smooth and connected. Opposite of staccato. |
|
|
|
| Light articulation; sometimes non- legato. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| The words of a song or other vocal work. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| An indication within a musical line for a brief stop in motion or momentum. Lifts are used between phrases or to set off important notes or words. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Place. Return to normal place ( usually after playing one or more octaves above or below the written pitch.) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| But.( Ex. Ma non trappo, but not too much.) |
|
|
|
| Text in which two languages are used( usually Latin and one other language.) |
|
|
|
| A kind of 16th century Italian composition based on secular poetry. Madrigals were popular into the 17th century. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| A choir school attached to a church; church choir |
|
|
|
| A specific arrangement of whole steps and half steps. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Marked or stressed; march-like. |
|
|
|
| A traditional ensemble of Mexico, usually containing one or more trumpets and violins, guitars, and the five-string vihuela. |
|
|
|
| The central religious service of the Roman Catholic Church . It consists of several sections divided into groups: Proper of the mass ( text changes for every day) and ordinary of the mass (text stays the same in every mass). Between the years of 1400 and 1600 the mass assumed its present form consisting of the Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Santus, and Agnus Dei. It may include chants, hymns, and psalms as well. The mass also developed into large musical works fro chorus, soloists, and even orchestra. |
|
|
|
| a group of beats divided by barlines. Measures are sometimes called bars. The first beat of each measure is usually accented. |
|
|
|
| the name of the triad built on the third degree of the major scale- midway between the tonic and the dominant chords. |
|
|
|
| long groups of notes sung on one syllable of text. |
|
|
|
| notes that comprise an intervsl played in succession. |
|
|
|
| the minor scale in which the 6th and 7th degrees of the scale are raised a half step when ascended adsn lowered to their original natural minor positions when decending. |
|
|
|
| A succession of musical tones; also the predominant line in a song. |
|
|
|
| The art of invention of melody. |
|
|
|
| From the Italian meno(less) and mosso(moved). Meno Mosso means less motion or slower. |
|
|
|
| In singing, a gradual crescendo and decrescendo on a sustained note. |
|
|
|
| A form of rhythmic organization (grouping of the beats). The kind of meter designated by the time signature. See also simple and compound meters. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| a marking which appears over the top of the staff of music which indicates the kind of note which will get the beat, and the number of beats per minute as measured by a metronome. It reveals the tempo. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| the c which is located closest to the middle of the piano keyboard. Middle C can be written in either the treble or bass clef. |
|
|
|
| a specific arrangement of whole steps and half steps . |
|
|
|
| A vibrating membrane that modifies a sound produced in some other way, adding a nasal or buzzing quality. |
|
|
|
| frequently changing meters or time signatures within a piece of music. |
|
|
|
| A medieval mode starting on the 5th degree of the diatonic scale. |
|
|
|
| Characterized by the use of modes, especially the church modes of the middle ages and the Renaissance. |
|
|
|
| An earlier system of pitch organization often referred to as church modes. These were different arrangements of whole and half steps within an octave and were used in early music, including the chant. The commonly used modes in early music are: Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeollian. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| changing the keys within a song. Adjust to the key signature , the key-note and proceed. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Music which consists of a single melody. This earliest form of composition is from the Greek words meaning “one sound” . Chant or plainsong is monophony. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| A major type of musical composition from the 1200’s into the 1700’s. The motet went through many different forms and developments beginning with the simpler medieval motet and progressing to the more intricate Renaissance motet which is generally considered a polyphonic setting of sacred Latin text. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| a system in which do (scale step #1) is the 1st step of the major scale regardless of it’s key. |
|
|
|
| The clinical use of music in the treatment especially, though no exclusively,of mental illness or disability. |
|
|
|
| Change (i.e. – timpani part, mut in G/d means the tuning of the timpani should be changed to G and d) |
|
|
|
| A style marking indicating a mysterious or haunting mood. |
|
|
|
| cancels a previous sharp or flat. When it cancels a flat the pitch is raised one half step and when it cancels a sharp the pitch is lowered one half step. |
|
|
|
| see minor key/scale/mode. |
|
|
|
| Italian word meaning nothing. In music niente usually follows an extreme diminuendo to indicate a fading to nothingness. |
|
|
|
| an indication by either the composer/arranger or the editor of where not to breathe in a line of music. See also phrase marking. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| all written notes and symbols which are used to represent music. |
|
|
|
| the interval between two notes of the same name. Octaves can be indicated within a score using 8va (octave above) and 8vb( octave below). |
|
|
|
| in Gregorian chant, the item of the Proper of the Mass sung during the presentation of the offering. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| the part splits into optional harmony. The smaller sized cued notes indicate the optional notes to be used. |
|
|
|
| The term is most often used with a number to designate a work in its chronological relationship to a composer’s other works. |
|
|
|
| A longer choral composition of religious or contemplative nature usually performed in a concert hall or church by solo voices, chorus, and orchestra. An oratorio is longer and has more narrative libretto than a sacred cantata. |
|
|
|
| Items of the Mass whose text remain the same throughout the liturgical year. |
|
|
|
| or; used to indicate an alternative (often easier) version of a passage. |
|
|
|
| Or; otherwise. A directive to perform a certain passage of a composition in an alternate way. |
|
|
|
| a repeated pattern used as a harmonic basis. |
|
|
|
| (Abbreviated 8va bassa) an octave lower than notated. |
|
|
|
| a song of joyful praise or exulatation. |
|
|
|
| The protrayal of emotions and actions of the narration of an event by means of gesture and body movements. The technique of pantomime may be incorporated into opera or ballet. |
|
|
|
| An unaccompanied secular choral work of relatively modest length. |
|
|
|
| Literally; music for walking in the streets. |
|
|
|
| subject matter pertaining to nature(outdoor) scenes. |
|
|
|
| Pathetic; with great emotion. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| very, very soft. The softest common dynamic marking. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| an incomplete measure at the beginning of a song or phrase. |
|
|
|
| the highness or lowness of musical sounds. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| an ancient liturgical chant- a single melody line with free rhythm sung acappella. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Music which consists of two or more independent melodies which combine to create simultaneous voice parts with different rhythms . Polyphony often involves contrasting dynamics and imitation from part to part. From the Greek words meaning many sounds, polyphony is sometimes called counterpoint. |
|
|
|
| Contrasting rhythms played simultaneously . |
|
|
|
| an effect used in singing of sliding continually between any two pitches wherein all pitches in between the starting and target pitch are briefly heard. |
|
|
|
| Faster than presto. As fast as possible. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| seemingly, or in a sense or manner. |
|
|
|
| Major and minor tonalities that share the same key signature. |
|
|
|
| 1450-1600. Period in the western world following the middle ages. Renaissance means “rebirth” and was a celebration of entrance into the modern age of thought and invention. Had advanced music in notation and compositional ideas. Polyphony developed and the madrigal became popular. Orlando di Lasso, Giovvanni da Palestrina, Thomas Luis de Victoria, and Josquin Des Prez were some of the more famous Renaissance composers. |
|
|
|
| Repeat the section. If the repeat sign is omitted , go back to the beginning. Also see endings. |
|
|
|
| A progression from a dissonant tone or harmony to a constant harmony. ( usually approached by step). Also see suspension. |
|
|
|
| A type of liturgical chant common to the Gregorian and other western chants. |
|
|
|
| The organization of non- pitched sounds in time. Rhythm encompasses note and rest duration as well as meters, tempos, and their relationships. |
|
|
|
| Gradually slower. See also rallentando. |
|
|
|
| Slowed down. Usually more abrupt than rallentando or ritardando. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 1825-1900. Period in the 19th century Western art, literature, and music that lasted into the early 20th century. In music , as well as in other areas, Romanticism focused on the emotion of art. Works from this period emphasized the emotional effect music has on the listener through dynamic contrasts and different ways of changing the “mood”. Opera flourished as well as chamber music. Some famous composers are Franz Schubert, Fredrick Chopin, Hector Berlioz, and Richard Wagner. |
|
|
|
| The lowest note of a triad in its original position; the note on which the chord is built and named |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| The tempo is free, left up to the director or performer. |
|
|
|
| An inventory or collection of pitches. The word “scale” ( from the Italian scala) means ladder. Thus, many musical scales are a succession of pitches higher and lower. |
|
|
|
| The arrangement of a group of vocal and instrumental staffs which all sound at the same time. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| The successive repetition of a short melodic idea at different pitch levels. |
|
|
|
| a strong accent on the note. |
|
|
|
| Abbr. for sforzando followed by piano, i.e., a sudden loud accent followed immediately by a soft continuation. |
|
|
|
| An accidental that raises the pitch of a note one half step. Also, faulty intonation in which the note is sung slightly above the correct pitch |
|
|
|
| A symbol that marks the place in music where the musician is to skip back to from the dal segno. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Meters which are based upon the note which receives the beat. |
|
|
|
| The melodic movement of one note to the other in intervals larger than a step. |
|
|
|
| To approach a note from the underneath the designated pitch and “slide” up to the correct pitch. Slides often appear in jazz, pop tunes, and spirituals. |
|
|
|
| A curved line placed above or below a group of notes to indicate that they are to be sung on the same text syllable. Slurs are also used in instrumental music to indicate that the group of notes should be performed legato. |
|
|
|
| A slide into a note from below. Used often in pop or jazz styles of music. See slide. |
|
|
|
| The study of sight-singing using pitch syllables. |
|
|
|
| A section that performs alone or as a predominant part. |
|
|
|
| Alone. To perform alone or as a predominant part. |
|
|
|
| A group of songs, usually fro solo voice and piano, constituting a literary and musical unit. Often the poems of a song cycle are by the same poet. |
|
|
|
| The highest treble voice, usually written in the treble clef. |
|
|
|
| Sustained. Often implying a slowing of tempo. |
|
|
|
| Sotto means under or below. Voce means voice or part . Together sotto voce means to sing to play in a subdued manner. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Religious folk song of African American origin associated with work, recreation, or religious gatherings. They developed prior to the Civil War and are still influential today. They have a strong rhythmic character and are often structured in call and response. |
|
|
|
| Reciting text with the speaking voice rather than singing the designated line. Often indicated with instead of notes. |
|
|
|
| Short, separated notes. Opposite of legato. |
|
|
|
| The five horizontal parallel lines and four spaces between them on which notes are placed to show pitch. The staff can be extended by using ledger lines. The lines and spaces are numbered from the bottom up. |
|
|
|
| In ensemble singing, planning the breaths so that no two singers take a breath at the same time, thus creating the overall effect of continuous singing. |
|
|
|
| Melodic movement from one note to the next higher or lower scale degree. |
|
|
|
| A strophe is a verse or stanza in a song. If a song has many verses it is said to be strophic. |
|
|
|
| A song in which all verses are sung to the same music. |
|
|
|
| An indicator at the beginning of a song or section of a song which tells the musician , in general , what style the music should be performed. |
|
|
|
| The name of the triad built on the fourth degree of the major scale. Subdominant is also a category of harmony that evokes a feeling of degression or diversion away from the tonic. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| The name of the triad built on the sixth degree of the major scale- below the tonic , midway between it and the dominant. |
|
|
|
| The name of the triad built on the second degree of the major scale- Immediately above the tonic chord. |
|
|
|
| The sustaining or “suspending” of the pitch from a consonant chord into a dissonant chord often using a tie. The resulting dissonant chord then resolves to a consonant chord. The musical effect is one of tension and release. See also resolution. |
|
|
|
| A change in interpretation of 8th note durations in some music(often jazz and the blues). Groups of two eighth notes are no longer sung evenly, instead they are performed like part of a triplet . The 8th notes still appear . A swing style is usually indicated at the beginning of a song or section. |
|
|
|
| Names given to pitch units or rhythm units to aid in sight-reading. |
|
|
|
| The use of accents and ties to create rhythmic interest. The result is a rhythmic pattern which stresses notes on the off beat. This technique is commonly found in spirituals and jazz. |
|
|
|
| The 15th and 16th century term for musical beat. Prior to the use of time signatures, music was organized by the overall feeling of beat (tactus). Originally marked by the rising and the falling motion of the hand or stomping of foot, the tactus maintained order within an ensemble of singers or players. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Return to the first tempo. Also called tempo primo. |
|
|
|
| The speed at which music is performed. For example, (the quaternote =80)indicates that the speed of the music is to be 80 beats per minute. |
|
|
|
| Return to the first ( primo) tempo. See Tempo I. |
|
|
|
| A male voice that is written in bass or treble clef. It is lower thwn the alto, but higher than the bass. |
|
|
|
| A slight stress on the indicated note. The mote is held for its full value. |
|
|
|
| A technique commonly found in Baroque Music in which dynamic changes are made suddenly . |
|
|
|
| The musical illustration of the meaning of words in vocal music, especially the literal meaning of individual words or phrases. For example, to create an image of a lonesome prairie , the composer may use a legato musical line , word inflection and long phrases to paint a picture for the listener. |
|
|
|
| The interrelationship or the voices and/or instruments within a piece of music. Monophonic, homophonic, and polyphonic are all types of textures. |
|
|
|
| A line connecting two or more notes of the same pitch so that their durations are their combined sum. Ties often occur over barlines. |
|
|
|
| indication that tells what note gets the beat. Indicate the meter. May also tell if the selection is cut time or common time. |
|
|
|
| go to the circle with a cross through it. |
|
|
|
| The organization of pitches in a song in which a certain pitch (tone) is designated as the key-note which is the tonal center of the key. |
|
|
|
| A musical sound of definite pitch and quality. |
|
|
|
| The key- note of the key or scale. |
|
|
|
| The name of the triad built on the 1st degree of the major scale. Tonic is also a category of harmony that evokes a feeling of home or rest. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| To rewrite or perform a song in a key other than the original. |
|
|
|
| Held back. See Also ritardando. |
|
|
|
| The symbol at the beginning of the staff used for higher voices and instruments , and the piano right hand. It generally refers to pitches higher than a middle C. The curve is wrapped around the G, as a result it is also called the G clef. |
|
|
|
| A special type of 3-note chord built in 3rd over a root tone. |
|
|
|
| Rapid alteration (within a key) between the marked note and the one above it. |
|
|
|
| any time signature or group of beats that is a multiple of 3. |
|
|
|
| A borrowed division of the beat where three notes of equal duration are to be sung in the same time normally occupied by two notes of equal duration. Usually indicated with a 3. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| From the Italian word” all”. Tutti is an indicator following a solo or small ensemble that the entire section should all sing. |
|
|
|
| All parts singing the same notes at the same time(or singing in octaves). |
|
|
|
| A composition of Spanish origin from the 15th century and the 16th century. Similar to the madrigal, this type of work is based on secular poetry and is structured around the verses and refrains of its text. |
|
|
|
| A form of choral music popular in Italy from 1530 to the end of the 16th century. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| the combination of two successive half steps. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Gradually becoming quieter |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| at, to, by, for, in the style of |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| in the style of a Polonaise |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| slightly slower than allegro |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| a little slower/faster than andante |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| with spirit, life, energy |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|