A cappella
unaccompanied singing
accelerando
music gradually getting faster
accented
notes which sound louder than others
acciaccatura
an ornament which sounds like a crushed note quickly on or just before the beat
accompanied
other instruments or voices support the main melody
added 6th
root, 3rd and 5th with added 6th note
air
song or simple melody
Alberti bass
broken chords played with the left hand outlining harmonies while the right hand plays the melody
aleatoric
players have some freedom as to the choice of rhythm and pitch
alto
the lowest female voice
anacrusis
an up beat at the start of a piece of music
answer
a reply to a musical question
anthem
short sacred choral piece sung in English
antiphonal
dialogue between voices and instruments
appoggiatura
an ornament which sounds like a leaning note
arco
an instruction given to string players to use the bow
aria
a song in opera, oratorio or cantata
arpeggio
notes of a chord played one after the other
ascending
notes which rise in pitch
atonal
no feeling of key, major or minor
augmentation
an increase in the length of notes, music will sound slower
augmented chord
5th note of chord is raised a tone