Multimedia Audio Collection Deluxe/Multimedia Audio Collection Deluxe.iso/pianist/diction0.txt

Text File | 1993-03-21 | 57KB | 938 lines

@001 A\Note of the scale. A440 (440 cycles per second) is commonly used for
tuning the orchestra. Also, an analytical term for the first section of a piece.
@002 abend (Ger.)\Evening.
@003 abendlied (Ger.)\Evening song.
@004 absolute music\Music composed simply as music, with no references to
emotions, stories, paintings or any other non-musical subject.
@005 absolute pitch\Perfect pitch. The ability to recognize or recall any note.
@006 abstract music\Same as absolute music.
@007 accelerando (It.)\Getting gradually quicker.
@008 accent\Emphasizing a musical sound or note by playing it slightly louder.
@009 acciaccatura (It.)\A crushed dissonant note of the shortest possible
duration played before or after the main note or chord and immediately
released.
@010 accidental\In music notation, a temporary alteration to a particular note,
raising it or lowering from its normal pitch only to the bar in which the
accidental occurs. It is indicated by a sharp, flat, double sharp, double flat or
natural sign preceding a particular note.
@011 accompaniment\Harmonic or melodic support to the principal melody in
music. It is often made up of decorative or textural music, or sometimes
simple chords. The accompaniment often comes to the forefront of the music,
but its role is essentially to be supportive.
@012 acoustics\The sound qualities of a listening space, such as a concert hall or
theatre. The factors affecting acoustics have been studied by scientists and
engineers who have tried to document the variables that contribute to
satisfying sound for both the performing musicians and the audience. This
developing science, working with things such as the dimensions and
construction materials of a structure, has been used with varying success in
the design of new concert halls.
@013 adagio (It.)\Slow speed. Often used as the title of a slow movement in
Sonatas and similar pieces of music.
@014 a deux cordes (Fr.), a due corde (It.)\On two strings.
@015 ad lib\Play a passage with freedom as to rhythm and tempo.
@016 affettuoso (It.)\With feeling.
@017 agitato (It.)\Restless and wild.
@018 agogic\Used of deviations from the strict tempo and rhythm necessary for
the subtle performance of a musical phrase.
@019 air\A simple tune for voice or instrument.
@020 alberti bass\A keyboard moving figuration for the left hand using simple
arpeggio treatment of a series of chords. This was much used by 18th and
early 19th century composers.
@021 aleatoric music\Music containing chance or random elements. A trend
since 1945 with composers like John Cage and Karlheinz Stockhausen.
@022 al fine (It.)\To the end.
@023 alla (It.)\To the, at the, in the manner of.
@024 alla breve (It.)\Take the half note as the main unit, not the quarter note (e.g.
2/2 instead of 4/4).
@025 allargando (It.)\Getting broader.
@026 alla turca (It.)\In the Turkish style (e.g. Mozart's Rondo alla turca).
@027 alla zingarese (It.)\In the style of gypsy music.
@028 allegretto (It.)\Slower than allegro.
@029 allegro (It.)\Fast and lively.
@030 Allegro non troppo\Fast but not too fast.
@031 allemande (Fr.)\(1) A moderately slow dance movement often opening the
Baroque suite in 4/4 time. (2) A brisk dance in triple time current in the late
18th and early 19th centuries. A prototype of the waltz.
@032 antiphon (Gk.) \The plainsong setting of sacred words sung as responses in
Roman Catholic or Greek orthodox services. The term antiphonal derives from
the practice of alternating performances between sets of singers stationed
apart.
@033 appassionato (It.)\Impassioned.
@034 appoggiatura (It.) \A musical ornament (chiefly 18th century) of an
auxiliary note falling or rising to a harmonised note. It can be written or
unwritten.
@035 arabesque (Fr. and Eng.), arabeske (Ger.)\A short piece with decorative
qualities (e.g. Debussy, Arabesques).
@036 aria (It.)\Air or song for one or more voices found in opera and oratorio. A
da capo aria is one in which the first section is finally repeated after a
contrasting section.
@037 arietta (It.)\A little or light aria.
@038 arioso (It.)\Similar to an aria.
@039 arpeggio (It.)\A chord performed with the notes separated.
@040 arrangement\A re-write of an existing piece of music into a different style
or combination of instruments\voices.
@041 atonal\Music which is composed without reference to a key (e.g. major,
minor or modal). All the expected devices for musical composition, such as
melody, chords, rhythm, can be used. However, other methods of tonal
organization (including mathematical patterns) are used.
@042 attacca (It.)\Go on to the next section without a repeat.
@043 augmentation\The lengthening (e.g. doubling) of note time values. The
melody may be made of the same pitches, for example, but with longer time
values, has a different musical and emotional effect.
@044 ayre\A song for one or several voices in 17th century England.
@045 B\Note of the scale
@046 badinage or badinerie (Fr., 'playfulness')\This term was used as a title
movement in quick 2/4 time in the 18th century suite (e.g. Bach's Suite in B
minor for flute and strings.
@047 bagatelle (Fr., 'trifle')\Usually a short and light piano piece. Beethoven
wrote 26 (e.g. Fur Elise).
@048 ballad\A traditional solo song telling a story with music repeated for each
verse. In the l9th century the term came to mean a rather sentimental drawing-
room song. However, it may also be applied to a self-contained narrative song
(e.g. Schubert's Erlkonig or to operatic arias (e.g. Senta's Song from The
Flying Dutchman by Wagner. It describes a sentimental song in jazz.
@049 ballade\Chopin's term for a long, dramatic piano piece suggesting a story.
His Four Ballades are inspired by the poems of Mickiewicz. Brahms, Grieg,
Liszt and others later used the title.
@050 bar\The metrical division of music into groups of beats, and marked by
vertical barlines drawn across the musical staff. Also known as 'measure'. Its
main purposes are to indicate the placement of rhythmic emphasis and to be a
visual aid to musicians. A double bar (two vertical lines close together)
indicates the end of a piece, or section.
@051 barcarolle (Fr. from It.) \A song or piece of instrumental music in a
swaying 6/8 or 12/8 time associated with the Venetian gondoliers.
@052 baritone\Male voice between bass and tenor with a range of two octaves
from G (on bottom line bass clef) to G (above middle C). The term is also a
prefix for instruments indicating the range below the tenor type (e.g. baritone
saxophone.
@053 baroque\The musical period approximately between 1600 and 1750
encompassing composers such as Monteverdi, Frescobaldi and Gabrieli (early
baroque) and Bach and Handel (late baroque). It is characterized by elaborate
treatment of melody in polyphonic style.
@054 bass\Bass can refer to the lowest sounding male voice, or the largest bowed
string instrument. Generally, it refers to music written in the low range of
notes and notated in the Bass Clef. In piano music, this means the lower part
of the keyboard played by the left hand.
@055 basso (It., 'bass')\Basso cantanle describes a lyrical singing voice; basso
conlinuo is the same as continuo and basso ostinato is the same as ground
bass.
@056 berceuse (Fr., 'bercer' to rock) \An instrumental cradle song or lullaby in
compound duple time (e.g. Chopin's Berceuse).
@057 bergamasque (Fr.), bergamasca (It.), bergomask (Eng.) A peasant's dance
from Bergamo, north Italy, with 2 beats to the bar. Composers have used the
term in titles, (e.g. Debussy's Suite Bergamasque).
@058 binary form\A simple composition in two balanced sections. After
beginning in one key, the first section shifts to some other related key. The
second section, in the new key, then works its way back to the original key. If
the original key is a minor one, then the flrst section ends with the relative
major. Such compositions are usually short.
@059 bitonality\A 20th century concept of using two keys simultaneously,
evident in Stravinsky's music.
@060 bolero (Sp.)\A Spanish dance performed to the dancers' singing with
castanets in simple triple time.
@061 bourree (Fr.)\A popular fast dance of the 18th and l9th centuries. It began
with an upbeat, had two beats to the bar and was often found in dance suites.
@062 brace\The line with bracket joining two staves in piano music.
@063 bravura (It.)\A display of a musical passage requiring great virtuosity by the
performer.
@064 brillant (Fr.), brillante (It.)\Brilliant. Usually a direction for solo
performers.
@065 broken chord\A chord in which notes are sounded one after the other,
rather than all together.
@066 broken octaves\Alternate notes played an octave apart, frequently used in
piano music.
@067 C\Note of the scale
@068 cadence\A progression of chords in music designed to produce a closing
effect, such as at the end of phrases, sections or the composition. Over the
years, some chord progressions have come to be known as a standard
cadences.
@069 cadenza (It.)\A solo passage before the final cadence, generally occurring
in the first or last movement in the classical concerto. It suggests
improvisation of the main themes and a display of the soloist's virtuosity.
However, Mozart and other composers since have taken no chances with the
performer's improvisational skills and have written out their cadenzas in a
style that matched the concerto.
@070 canon\A contrapuntal work in which a melody, stated by one voice (or
part) is repeated by one or more voices in turn, each entering before the
previous part has finished. This results in overlapping, similar to a type of
music called the Round (e.g. Frere Jacques), but more formal and complex in
construction. Although canons can be performed by a group of singers or
instrumentalists, solo piano music can imitate many voices.
@071 cantabile (It.) \In a singing style.
@072 cantata (It.)\Generally a vocal composition with instrumental
accompaniment telling a story by means of arias and recitatives. In the 17th
and 18th centuries two types existed: cantata da camera which was secular
and cantata da chiesa which was suitable for church. Writers of this period
included Schutz and J.S. Bach who made the cantata more theatrical with the
use of choruses, chorales and strings. In the 19th century the term described
short narrative choral works accompanied by full-scale orchestra with arias,
recitatives and soloists. Modern writers include Bartok, Stravinsky and
Britten.
@073 cantilena (It. )\A smooth Iyrical melody line.
@074 canzona (It., 'song')\A short, fairly polyphonic instrumental piece popular
in the 16th and 17th centuries. In the 18th century, Canzoni referred to short
arias and similar short Iyrical instrumental pieces.
@075 capriccio (It.), caprice (Fr.)\A short, light and lively pieces. In the 17th
century, the term referred to keyboard works in bright, fugal style. In the l9th
century, it described piano pieces in rhapsodic style (e.g. by Brahms).
@076 cedez (Fr.) \Slow down.
@077 chaconne (Fr.)\A vocal or instrumental composition in slow, stately three-
beat time with a ground bass, and popular in 17th century keyboard music and
opera.
@078 chaleur (Fr.) \Warmth .
@079 chamber music\Instrumental ensemble music with a limited number of
performers and with only one player per part, suitable for a small performing
space (such as in a private home). Chamber music is often performed in small
concert halls.
@080 chamber sonata or sonata da camera (It.)\A type of suite prevalent in the
17th and 18th centuries mainly in the form of dance movements for two or
more stringed instruments with keyboard accompaniment.
@081 chanson (Fr.)\A song or an instrumental composition with a song-like
character.
@082 chorale\A Lutheran metrical hymn tune often used by J.S. Bach.
@083 chorale prelude \An instrumental piece based on a chorale, usually
composed for organ.
@084 chord\The sounding together of two or more notes, usually with harmonic
implication. Chord progressions are a series of chords that logically flow from
one to the other.
@085 chromatic\Music which makes heavy use of notes not belong to the scales
within the composition's key. A chromatic chord, for example, has notes
foreign to the key. J.S. Bach's music is often very chromatic. Chromaticism
commonplace in 19th century music, evolving to the point where the key is
not always obvious.
@086 classical music\A style of music in the late 18th century written by
composers such as Haydn and Mozart, characterized by clarity of texture,
harmony and melody, as well as the refinement of abstract musical forms such
as the sonata, symphony and concerto.
@087 clef\The symbol to determine the relative position of notes on the musical
staff, placed normally at the beginning of each line, or whenever a different
clef temporarily replaces the starting clef (to make notes fit more easily on the
staff). There are many possible clefs (e.g. treble, bass, alto and tenor) chosen
to accomodate the range of various instruments or voices. In piano music, the
double staff (a staff for each hand) uses treble or bass clefs.
@088 close harmony\Harmony in which notes of chords are written closely
together (e.g. in barbershop quartets).
@089 cluster\A 20th century concept of playing a group of adjacent notes
simultaneously on the piano (e.g. with the forearm or a piece of wood. The
usual term is tone cluster or note cluster. Pioneered by Cowell in 1912 and
used by Ives.
@090 coda (It.,'tail')\The concluding section at the end of a movement, not
usually of structural necessity. However, Beethoven's codas have great
significance in his musical design.
@091 codetta (It., 'little tail')\Similar to coda but on a smaller scale, eg. rounding
off a section of a movement as opposed to a whole movement.
@092 coloratura (It.)\Agile and florid style of vocal performance.
@093 common time\Four quarter notes to the bar, written 4/4 or C.
@094 compound time\A type of metre where the beat units are divisible into three
(e.g. 6/8, 9/8, 12/8. Opposite of simple time.
@095 con forza (It.)\With force, vigorously.
@096 con fuoco (It.)\With fire.
@097 con grandezza\with grandeur.
@098 concertante\(1) A work for orchestra or for two or more instruments with
prominent solo parts. (2) The sinfonia-concertante is a work with a form
nearer to a symphony than concerto but employing solo instruments and
orchestra.
@099 concertino\(1) A small and light textured concerto. (2) The soloist group in
the 17thand 18th century concerto grosso. (3) A less formally structured work
than a concerto for one or more solo instruments with orchestra.
@100 concerto\(1) A large-scale work, generally in three movements involving
solo instrument(s) contrasted with orchestra and standardised by Mozart. Also
called solo concerto. (2) An orchestral work in several contrasting movements
with or without solo instruments, often supported by figured bass in the 17th
and 18th centuries.
@101 concord\Pleasing to the ear and sounding harmonically resolved. However,
interpretations of this term vary considerably. The opposite is discord.
@102 conduct\To direct a performance of either singers, players or both with a
baton or hands in order to give precise indications of dynamics, phrasing and
speed.
@103 consecutive intervals\Harmonic intervals of the same kind (e.g. thirds
succeeding one another in the same parts.
@104 conservatoire (Fr.) or conservatory\A school for musical training.
@105 consonance\Same as concord.
@106 continuo (It.) Abbreviation of basso continuo. Same as figured bass.
@107 contralto\The lower type of female voice having a range from F below
middle C to G above the treble clef.
@108 contrapuntal \Adjective from counterpoint.
@109 corda, corde\String(s)\In piano playing, una corda (one string) indicates the
use of the soft (left) pedal. The term tre corde (three strings) cancels this,
indicating the release of the soft pedal.
@110 counterpoint\The sounding together of two or more separate parts of
rhythmic and melodic independence, in harmony. Invertible counterpoint
occurs when any one melody strand can exchange its position for another (e.g.
the bass becomes treble). Between two parts, this is called double
counterpoint.
@111 courante (Fr.)\A lively dance in triple time popular in the baroque period
and found in the suite.
@112 crescendo (It.)\Getting gradually louder.
@113 csardas (Hung.)\Hungarian dance in contrasting sections (slow and fast).
@114 cycle\(1) A set of works, especially songs, intended to be performed as a
group with thematic connection (e.g. Schubert's song cycle Die Winterreise.
@115 cyclic form\A work in which a theme connects more than one movement.
Beethoven introduced it into symphonic music (e.g. in his Fifth symphony)
and romantic composers developed it further.
@116 cycle of fifths\a chain of perfect fifths which will lead back to the original
note (at a different octave) after working through the other eleven notes of the
chromatic scale. It is useful for learning key signatures.
@117 D\Note of the scale; Abbreviation for Deutsch in the cataloguing of works
by Schubert.
@118 Da capo or DC\Repeat from the beginning.
@119 Da capo al fine \Repeat up to the word Fine (the end).
@120 Da capo al segno\Repeat to the sign.
@121 Dal segno\Repeat from the sign.
@122 damping pedal\Piano soft (left) pedal.
@123 decrescendo (It.)\Becoming gradually softer.
@124 degree\Position of note in scale (e.g. D is the second degree of C major
scale).
@125 development\The section of a movement when initial statements of themes
are expanded, developed, modified and broken up.
@126 diatonic\Adjective describing major and minor scales and also modes. The
opposite of chromatic music which introduces notes not in the prevailing key.
Diatonic harmonies, intervals, passages, etc. are made up of notes of the
current key.
@127 diminished triad\A triad in which the perfect fifth is reduced chromatically
by a semitone (e.g. A C and E flat.
@128 diminuendo or dim.(It.)\Gradually becoming softer. See decrescendo.
@129 diminution\The treatment of a melody by shortening the time values of
notes, usually by half (e.g. in fugues and canons).
@130 discord\See concord.
@131 dissonance\Same as discord (see concord).
@132 divertimento (It.)\Usually an 18th century term for an entertaining suite of
movements for chamber ensemble or orchestra. Mozart wrote in this style.
@133 divertissement (Fr., 'amusement')\(I) Entertainment in ballet form,
sometimes with songs, found in operas or plays for contrast (e.g. the operas of
Lully. (2) Same as divertimento. (3) Instrumental piece or fantasia employing
popular tunes.
@134 dodecaphonic music\Same as serial music.
@135 dolce (It.)\Sweet and gentle.
@136 dolcissimo \Very sweetly.
@137 dolente (lt.)\Sorrowful.
@138 dominant\Fifth degree of the major or minor scale, or a triad built on it.
@139 dominant seventh\Dominant triad with the addition of the seventh note
from its root.
@140 Doppio movimento\At double the speed of the preceding sectlon .
@141 double bar\Two bar lines placed closely together to signify the end of a
composition or section.
@142 double counterpoint\Invertible counterpoint in two parts occurring
frequently in fugues.
@143 double flat\A prefix to a note indicating the pitch is to be lowered by two
semitones.
@144 double sharp\Prefix attached to note indicating pitch to be raised by two
semitones.
@145 douce(ment) (Fr.)\Sweet (sweetly), gentle (gently).
@146 downbeat\The downward movement of the conductor' s baton or hand
indicating the first beat of the bar. The term can also mean the first beat of the
bar.
@147 due corde (It.)\Two strings. In piano music this occasionally indicates the
release of the soft pedal (same as Tre Corde).
@148 duet\A composition for two performers sometimes with accompaniment. A
piano duet is for two pianists on one piano.
@149 duettino (It.)\A little duet.
@150 duo\Same as duet but mainly an instrumental composition for two
performers. A piano duo is for two pianists on separate pianos.
@151 duple time\Time in which the number of beats in the bar is divisible by two
or four (e.g. 2/4, 4/4, 2/2).
@152 duplet\A pair of notes occupying time usually taken by three (e.g. 6/8 or
3/8).
@153 dynamics\The degrees of softness or loudness in music indicated by signs
or words on the score.
@154 clatant (Fr.)\(1) Brilliant, bright; (2) Blaring.
 cossaise (Fr.)\Short for danse ecossaise. Although meaning Scottish dance,
the term is apparently not of Scottish origin. A quick dance in 2/4 time, it was
popular in Britain and on the Continent in the late 18th and early 19th
centuries. Cultivated by Beethoven.
@155 eilen (Ger.)\To hurry. Nicht cilen, do not hurry.
@156 einfach (Ger.)\Simply.
@157 eisteddfod (Welsh, 'assembly')\Music or competitive festival.
@158 elegy\Song or instrumental composition for the dead.
@159 embellishments\Same as ornaments.
@160 embouchure (Fr.)\The correct position of lips to the mouthpiece of an
instrument to produce accurate intonation and good tone.
@161 encha nez (Fr.)\Link together (e.g. go straight on to the next section or
movement without a break).
@162 encore (Fr.)\Again. Refers to an extra selection performed by musicians
after a program in response to audience applause. French term is bis.
@163 enharmonic\Refers to alternate naming or spelling of the same musical note
(e.g. A flat is the same as G sharp)
@164 ensemble (Fr., 'together')\(l) A small group of performers (e.g. a vocal or
instrumental ensemble; (2) In opera, an ensemble is an selection for several
soloists with or without chorus.
@165 entr'acte (Fr.)\(I) Interval during a play or opera. (2) Music to be played
between the acts of a play or opera.
@166 entree (Fr.)\Chiefly a 17th century French music term for (I) an
introductory piece for the entry of characters in ballet or opera; (2) an
independent instrumental piece of similar nature; (3) the equivalent of a scene
or act in ballet or opera.
@167 entry\(I) The entrance of a theme in a fugue occurring not only at the
beginning but also at later stages in the composition. (2) A 17th century term
for a prelude.
@168 episode\(I) In a rondo, this is a contrasting section between episodical form
recurrences of the main theme. (2) In a fugue, it is a section linking (by means
of contrast, modulation or possibly using subject material) one entry and
another. In both contexts, an episode has a subordinate role.
@169 episodical form\Same as rondo form.
@170 equale (Old It., 'equal')\Piece or pieces (equali) for instruments of the same
kind.
@171 espressivo (It.)\With expression.
@172 estampie (Fr.)\A popular dance form in the 13th and 14th centuries
consisting of several sections (puncta) each of which has a first ending
(ouvert) and a second ending (clos).
@173 estinto (It., 'extinct')\Music to be played so that it is barely audible.
@174 etouffez (Fr., 'damp')\Indication to harp or cymbal players, etc. that sound
must be immediately cut short.
@175 etude (Fr., 'study')\An instrumental piece to improve or demonstrate certain
technical points. However, many etudes (such as those by Chopin) have great
artistic merit.
@176 exercise\(I) An instrumental or vocal piece intended to improve aspects of
technique and of no artistic value. (2) The term for a keyboard suite in the
18th century.
@177 exposition\The initial statement of a musical theme or idea upon which a
rnovement or piece is based. In a fugue, the exposition is the initial statement
of the subject by each voice in turn. The exposition is completed when each
voice has been heard for the first time. In sonata form, it is a repeated section
in which the main themes are first stated before moving on to the development
section.
@178 expressionism\A 20th century term borrowed from painting and applied to
other art forms implying a reaction against impressionism (e.g. the works of
composers such as Debussy). Musically it is especially applied to the works
of Schonberg, Berg and some compositions of Hindemith.
@179 expression marks\Indications on the score provided by the composer to aid
accurate performance of a work and consisting of dynamics (e.g. degrees of
loudness and softness), tempo and mood.
@180 extemporisation\Same as improvisation.
@181 F\(1) Note of the scale; (2) Abbreviation of forte.
@182 f clef\Another name for bass clef.
@183 facile (Fr. and It.)\Fasy, fluent.
@184 Facilmente\Easily or fluently.
@185 falsetto (It.)\Singing or speech by an adult male voice in a higher register
than normal. It is sometimes used for a comic effect and is used by tenors for
notes above their normal range.
@186 fandango (Sp.)\A lively Spanish dance in 3/4 or 6/8 time accompanied by
guitar, castanets and performers' singing. The fandango includes sudden stops
and speed increases
@187 fanfare\(I) A flourish for trumpets (or other imitating instruments) usually
for an introduction or proclamation; (2) French for brass band.
@188 fantasia (It.), fantaisie (Fr.), fantasie (Ger.), fantasy (Eng.)\This style is
generally associated with the abandoning of set rules for free flights of the
composer's imagination. Specific definitions include: (I) a romantic mood
piece of the 19th century(e.g. by Schumann); (2) a contrapuntal piece, in
several sections for one or many players, current in the 16th and 17th
centuries, of improvisatory nature, with 'fancy' as an alternative name. The title
phantasy was used for the 20th century revival of the form.
@189 fantasiestuck (Ger.)\A short piece similar to capriccio or intermezzo.
@190 farandole (Fr.)\A dance of Provence in 6/8 time accompanied by pipe and
tabor.
@191 fausset (Fr.)\Falsetto.
@192 fermata (It.)\Pause.
@193 ff\Abbreviation of fortissimo meaning very loud
@194 figure\A short musical phrase (not as long as a theme) which is
recognisable through repetition in a composition.
@195 figured bass or basso continuo (It.)\The bass part (played on keyboard or
other chordal instrument) with figures written below the notes indicating the
harmonies to be played above them. This system was used greatly in the
baroque period as an accompaniment for soloists or to enrich the general
texture of a larger composition.
@196 final\The note on which the melody ends in church modes. In authentic
modes, the final is on the tonic. In plagal modes, it falls on the fourth degree
of the scale.
@197 finale (It.)\Final. In English there are two main meanings: (1) the last
movement of a work in several movements; (2) the lengthy concluding section
of an opera, often subdivided into smaller sections with contrasting tempos or
keys. Involves several singers and often a chorus.
@198 fine (It )\End. This term sometimes occurs in the middle of music, often
where there is an instruction to repeat an opening section. The directionfine
indicates the end of a piece.
@199 fino al segno (It.)\As far as the sign.
@200 fioritura (It., 'a flowering')\Decoration of a melody with ornaments which
may be notated or improvised. Evident in 17th and 18th century Italian opera.
@201 first movement form\An alternative name for sonata form.
@202 flamenco or cante flamenco (Sp.)\An Andalusian song performed with
guitar accompaniment and dancing of a mostly sad nature. Various types of
namenco exist and are named after districts (e.g. malaguena and sevillana).
Flamenco-style guitar employs quite different and forceful techniques
compared to classical guitar playing.
@203 flat\A lowering in pitch which may be a semitone, or a description of
someone singing or playing below normal pitch unintentionally. A double flat
indicates a lowering of the pitch by two semitones.
@204 flebile (It.)\Mournful .
@205 fliessend (Ger.)\Flowing.
@206 flourish\(I) Fanfare; (2) Decorative musical figuration notated or
improvlsed .
@207 flutter-tongue\Extremely fast articulation of sound on a wind instrument by
the tongue, like trilling.
@208 forte (It.)\Loud. Abbreviated f.
@209 fortissimo (It.)\Very loud. Abbreviated ff.
@210 forza (It.)\Force.
@211 forzando (It.)\Strongly accented. Abbreviated fz.
@212 foxtrot\Originally an American dance in duple time of which there are two
main types─fast and slow. It first became popular in 1912.
@213 frottola (It.)\A popular and light Italian strophic song for several voices,
with the melody on top, flourishing around 1500. Particularly heard in
aristocratic circles.
@214 fuga\(1) (Lat.) A canon in the 15th and 16th centuries. (2) (It.) A fugue.
@215 fugato\Describes a section of a composition in fugal style which is not
actually a fugue.
@216 fuge (Ger.)\Fugue.
@217 fughetta (It.)\Short fugue.
@218 fugue\A contrapuntal composition for two or more voices or parts built
around a theme, which is successively imitated by entries of each voice at the
beginning and developed throughout the piece. The initial entry in the tonic
key is called the subject. The second entry in the dominant is called the
answer. If this answer is exact (e.g. it reproduces the subject note for note in
the dominant) then it is a real answer. If the answer is slightly modified to
preserve tonality, it is called a tonal answer. After having announced the
subject or answer, each voice passes on to another thematic element known as
the countersubject. After each voice has made its initial entry the cxposition
or first section of the fugue is complete. Thereafter, further entries of the
subject appear, separated by contrapuntal episodes and the subject may be
treated by augmentation, diminution, inversion, etc. J.S. Bach was one of the
great masters of the fugue.
@219 full close\Alternative name for perfect cadence.
@220 fundamental\First or lowest note of the harmonic series.
@221 funebre (It.)\Funeral. March funebre, funeral march.
@222 fuoco (It.)\Fire.
@223 G\Note of the scale.
@224 gaio, gaia (It.)\Gay.
@225 galant (Fr. and Ger.)\Style galant. Courtly. This term, adopted by German
writers, refers to a mid-18th century style characterised by a homophonic,
formal elegance as opposed to the German contrapuntal traditional style. This
was practised by C.P.E. Bach and influenced Mozart.
@226 galantieren (Ger.)\Optional dances (e.g. polonaise or minuet) in the 18th
century suite, normally placed between the sarabande and gigue.
@226 galliard\A lively dance usually in triple time often contrasted (although
often thematically linked) with the slower pavan which it followed.
@227 galop\A quick 19th century ballroom dance in 2/4 time.
@228 gamba (It. )\Abbreviation for viola da gamba.
@229 garbato (It.)\Graceful .
@230 gavotte\A fairly quick dance in 4/4 time.
@231 gebrauchmusik (Ger.)\Same as utility music.
@232 gedampft (Ger.)\Muted.
@233 gehalten (Ger.)\Sustained. Cutgehalten, well sustained.
@234 gehend (Ger.)\At a moderate speed.
@235 geistlich (Ger.)\Sacred.
@236 gemessen (Ger.)\Held back, tempo sustained.
@237 gemutlich (Ger.)\Easy going, cosy, comfortable.
@238 general pause\Complete silence. A rest of at least one bar for the whole
orchestra. Abbreviation is GP.
@239 German sixth\A type of 'augmented sixth' chord (e.g. A flat, C, E flat and F
sharp whlch also may be treated as a dominant seventh chord.
@240 gesangvoll (Ger.)\Songful.
@241 geschleift (Ger.)\Smooth. Same as legato.
@242 geschwind (Ger.)\Quick.
@243 gestossen (Ger.)\Detached. Same as staccato.
@244 getragen (Ger.)\Slow and sustained. Same as sostenuto.
@245 gigue or giga (It.), jig\A lively dance in binary form, usually in 6/8 or 12/8
time. Often occurs as the last movement in the 18th century suite.
@246 giocoso (It.)\Merry, playful.
@247 giusto (It.)\(1) In strict time. (2) At a reasonable speed.
@248 glee\A simple and short part-song in several sections for male voices,
flourishing in Britain between 1650 and 1830.
@249 glissando\The sliding up or down a scale, often abbreviated by gliss. or a
wavy or straight stroke between the highest and lowest note.
@250 GP\Abbreviation of general pause.
@251 grace note\Same as ornament, used to embellish a melody line and
normally printed in smaller type.
@252 gradevole (It.)\Pleasing .
@253 grandezza (It.)\Grandeur.
@254 grandioso (It.)\In an imposing manner.
@255 grand opera\A vague term describing: (1) the serious, entirely sung operas
as opposed to the lighter op ra-comique which had dialogue, (2) operas on a
grand and lavish scale.
@256 grave (It.)\Slow and solemn.
@257 gregorian chant\A type of plainsong associated with Pope Gregory I (590-
604) existing as a large collection of ancient monophonic melodies which
were until quite recently used in the Roman Catholic Church.
@258 ground bass or basso ostinato (It.)\A bass line or pattern repeated over and
over while upper parts proceed. The ground bass is a foundation for varied
melodic, contrapuntal or harmonic treatment. Forms which use this device
include the chaconne and passacaglia.
@259 gut (Ger.)\Markedly .
@260 gymel (Lat. gemellus, 'twin')\A type of two-part late medieval English vocal
music, with great use of thirds and sixths.
@261 habanera (Sp.)\A syncopated Cuban dance introduced into Spain in the
l9th century with singing, usually in 2/4 time.
@262 halb(e) (Ger.)\Half. Halbsopran, mezzo-soprano. Halbtenor, baritone.
@263 half close\An imperfect cadence.
@264 half note\The equivalent of two quarter notes or half of a whole note (two
beats in 4/4 time).
@265 harmonic series\A set of notes produced by a vibrating string or air column,
determining the difference of tone colours of instruments.
@266 harmony\The sounding together of notes in a musically significant manner.
The main unit of harmony is the chord. The chords are built around the
degrees of the scale. The primary chords in most popular compositions are
based on the first, fourth and fifth degree of a scale. Many different theories
have evolved over the past few centuries about the construction and
interpolation of chords to create various senses of musical movement or
intellectual or emotional responses.
@267 head voice\Upper register of voice.
@268 heiter (Ger.)\Cheerful.
@269 heptachord\The scale of seven notes (e.g. the modern major or minor
scale).
@270 hidden fifths\Consecutive fifths implied, but not actually present in
harmony and nevertheless frowned upon by academics.
@271 hocket\In medieval church music, the insertion of rests into vocal parts for
expressive purposes.
@272 homophony (Gk., 'same-sounding')\Music in which parts move together
presenting a top melody with accompanying chords. The opposite of
polyphony.
@273 hondo or cante hondo (Sp.)\A sad Andalusian song employing some
intervals smaller than a semitone.
@274 hornpipe\A lively English dance, in triple time in the early 16th century.
From the mid 18th century onwards it was in 4/4 time, acquiring an
association with sailors.
@275 humoresque (Fr.), humoreske (Ger.)\An instrumental composition of a
capricious nature. Schumann wrote in this style.
@276 hymn\A Christian song of praise sung by a congregation with words
specially written.
@277 idee fixe (Fr., 'fixed idea')\Berlioz' term for motto theme which means a
recurring theme in a composition used (e.g. in his Symphonie Fantastique).
@278 idyll\A literary term for a work of pastoral or peaceful nature and
transferred to music (e.g. Siegfried Idyll by Wagner).
@279 illustrative music\Descriptive music evoking a poem, novel, play, painting
emotion or other non-musical source. More common term is programme
music.
@280 imitation\A device in part-writing in which one voice repeats (or
approximately repeats) a musical figure previously stated by another voice.
Canon and fugue employ imitation with strict rules.
@281 imperfect cadence\See cadence.
@282 impresslonlsm\Term borrowed from painting, describing the works of
Monet, Degas, etc. and transferred to music referring to the atmospheric music
of Debussy and Ravel. A famous example is Prelude a l'apres-midi d'un faune
by Debussy evoking the imagery of Mallarme's symbolist poem.
@283 impromptu\A short composition of improvisatory nature usually for piano.
Schubert and Chopin wrote in this style.
@284 improvisation or extemporization\The art of spontaneous composition of
music in performance. This may take the form of ornamentaion, variation of a
song or theme, or completely new material. Improvisation is great]y used in
jazz.
@285 incidental music\Properly, music to be performed during the action of a
play. However, the term also includes overtures and interludes.
@286 inciso (It.)\Incisive.
@287 indeterminacy\A modernistic principal since 1945 of leaving elements of
performance to pure chance (see aleatoric music) or letting performers decide
when to play certain passages. Berio, Cage and Stockhausen used this concept
in their compositions.
@288 infinite canon\A neverending canon popularly known as a round (e.g.
Three Blind Mice).
@289 inglese (It.)\English.
@290 in modo di (It.)\In the style or manner of.
@291 innig (Ger.)\Intimate, heartfelt.
@292 instrumentation\Composing music for particular instruments. This term is
used with reference to the composer's skill and knowledge of selecting
instruments which sound well or are unusual, etc.
@293 interlude\(I) Music inserted between other pieces of music (e.g. organ
passages between hymn verses); (2) Music inserted between acts of plays or
other non-musical events.
@294 intermede (Fr.)\Same as intermezzo.
@295 intermezzo (It., 'something in the middle')\(I) An instrumental piece in
opera, i.e. performed while the stage is empty; (2) A short concert piece.
Brahms wrote in this style.
@296 interrupted cadence\See cadence.
@297 invention\A title used byJ.S. Bach for contrapuntal two-part compositions
for clavier. Bach called three-part compositions sinfonie but they are now also
referred to as inventions.
@298 inversion\The turning upside-down of a chord or single melody (by
applying intervals in opposite directions) or two melodies in counterpoint by
the upper melody becoming the lower and vice-versa. This last method is
called invertible counterpoint.
@299 ionian mode\The mode which, on the white keys of the piano, is
represented from C to C (same as C major scale).
@300 isorhythmic (Gk ., 'equal-rhythmed')\A device used in motets around 1300-
1450 in which the rhythmic pattern is repeated according to a strict scheme.
This usually occurs in the tenor line in which the rhythm is repeated several
times in diminishing note values.
@301 istesso tempo (It.)\At the same tempo.
@302 Italian overture\An orchestral work revealing a literary or pictorial element
in three movements, quick-slow-quick, from which the symphony evolved.
The French overture has slow-quick-slow movements.
@303 Italian sixth\A type of augmented sixth chord (e.g. A flat, C and F sharp)
distinguished by having a major triad and no other note between the notes
forming the sixth.
@304 jodel\A moderately fast Spanish dance in 3/4 time accompanied by
castanets .
@305 K\Abbreviation of Kochel in cataloguing Mozart's works.
@306 kammer (Ger.)\Chamber. Kammerrnusik, chamber music.
@307 KB\Abbreviation of German Kontrabass, double-bass.
@308 keen (Ir. caoine)\An Irish funeral song accompanied by wailing.
@309 Key\Musical term to indicate the tonality of a piece based on the major or
minor scales and their relationship between the notes of the scale and chords
built around them. There are two traditional types of keys (major or minor)
depending upon whether they are based on the notes of the major or minor
scale.
@310 key signature\This indicates the precise key of the piece. Sharps or flats are
placed at the beginning of a composition after the clef. Any other alteration
(e.g. a brief modulation to another key, is indicated by accidentals. If there is
an extended passage in a new key, however, then a new key signature may
appear. The key signature must be represented at the beginning of every new
stave in a composition (although not always in popular music).
@311 klein (Ger.)\Little.
@312 lacrimoso (It.)\Mournful, sad.
@313 lai (Fr.) or lay\A type of trouvere song similar to the sequence with
sections of irregular length and melodic repetition.
@314 lament\Music signifying grief but especially describing bagpipe music
played at Scottish clan funerals.
@315 landler\Slow Austrian dance in waltz time popular in the late 18th and
early l9th centuries.
@316 largamente (It.)\Broad and deliberate in style.
@317 larghetto (It., 'a little largo')\Not quite as slow as a largo.
@318 largo (It., 'broad')\Slow and broad.
@319 leading note\The seventh degree of the major scale. This is so called
because it seems naturally to rise to the tonic a semitone above. In the minor
scale this note is used only when ascending, not descending.
@320 lebhaft (Ger.)\Lively.
@321 legato (It.)\Smoothly.
@322 leger (Fr.)\Light.
@323 Legerement\lightly.
@324 leggiero, leggieramente (It.)\Light, lightly.
@325 leyno (It . 'wood ')\(1) Direction in some scores to use the woodblock; (2)
Direction to string players to hit the string with the back of the bow.
@326 leicht (Ger.)\Lightly.
@327 leise (Ger.)\Soft, gentle. Leiser, softer.
@328 leitmotif (Ger.)\Leading motif. This is a recurring theme symbolising a
character, emotion or object and was first used by H. Von Wolzogen in a
discussion of Wagner's The Ring.
@329 lento (It.)\Slow.
@330 lesson\This term described a short, keyboard piece or a set of short pieces
in the 17th and 18th centuries.
@331 libretto (It., 'booklet')\The text of an opera or oratorio.
@332 licenza (It.)\Freedom, licence. Con akune licenze, with some freedom in
style.
@333 lied (Ger., plural lieder)\Song. This term is particularly applied to the
German romantic songs of Schubert, Schumann and Brahms. A characteristic
is the importance paid to the piano part and the mood of the words.
@334 ligature\(1) In vocal music this is a slur mark indicating that a group of
notes is to be sung to the same syllable; (2) In instrumental music this is a slur
indicating notes which are to be phrased together.
@335 loco (It., 'place')\An indication to a performer that music is to be played at
the pitch written. This direction may (a) cancel previous indications to play at
a different pitch or (b) indicate a passage to be played in the normal position
as opposed to any other in string music.
@336 locrian mode\A mode represented on the white keys of the piano from B to
B.
@337 lontano (It.)\Distant.
@338 loud pedal\A nickname for the sustaining (right) pedal on the piano.
@339 lungo, lunga (It.)\Long.
@340 lusingando, lusinghiero (It.)\Alluringly.
@341 lustig (Ger. )\Cheerful, jolly.
@342 Iydian mode\(1) In Ancient Greek music this could be represented on the
white keys of the piano from C to C; (2) From the middle ages, the Iydian
mode can be represented on the white keys of the piano from F to F.
@343 Iyric\(1) Words of a song. (2) A fairly short but expressive piece (e.g. Lyric
Piece by Grieg; (3) Describes vocal performance with the lyre. (4) A Iyric
drama is an occasional synonym for opera.
@344 ma (It.)\(1) But; (2) Abbreviation of the major scale.
@345 madrigal\A secular, polyphonic, unaccompanied vocal composition set to
poems for several parts, mainly cultivated in the 16th and 17th centuries.
Italian writers of this time included Gabrieli and Palestrina (16th century).
Monteverdi and Marenzio wrote in the later highly stylised manner of the
17th century. English writers included Morley and YVeelkes.
@346 maestoso (It.)\Majestic, dignified.
@347 maestro (It., 'master')\This title was given to well-known conductors and
composers in Italy. It is now used (sometimes rather amusingly) elsewhere.
@348 maggiore (It.)\Major.
@349 maj\Abbreviation of the major scale.
@350 major, minor\These are the two main scales of the western tonal system.
The major key is based on the major scale and the minor key is based on the
minor scale. The minor scale breaks into three variations: harmonic, melodic
and natural. These terms also refer to chords and intervals being built out of
the major or minor scale.
@351 mal (Ger.)\Time.
@352 malaguena (Sp.)\An Andalusian dance, originating in Malaga, marked by
singing. This term also describes an instrumental piece of similar nature.
@353 malinconia (It.)\Melancholy.
@354 marcato (It.)\Marked, emphatic.
@355 march\A marching piece either slow (4/4 time) or quick (2/4 or 6/8 time).
@356 marche (Fr.)\March.
@357 marcia (It.)\March. Alla marcia, in a march-like style.
@358 marziale (It.)\Martial.
@359 masque\Aristocratic, elaborate English stage entertainment chiefly
cultivated in the 17th century and involving poetry, dancing, scenery,
costumes, instrumental and vocal music. The masque was related to opera and
ballet.
@360 mass\This is the main service of the Roman Catholic Church which has
been set to music by composers including Bach, Mozart and Haydn.
@361 mattinata (It. )\Morning song.
@362 mazurka\A Polish folk dance in moderate to fast 3/4 or 3/8 time. Adapted
and stylised by Chopin.
@363 md\Instruction to play with the right hand in piano playing. Abbreviations
of main droite (Fr.) and mano destra (It.).
@364 mediant\A name for the third degree of the scale (e.g. E is in the mediant in
C major). The mediant is so-called because it stands between the tonic and
dominant.
@365 melisma (Gk., ' song'; plural melismata)\Describes a group of notes sung to
the same syllable. However, the term is also applied to any florid vocal
passage of improvisatory or cadenza-like nature.
@366 melodic minor\One of the three types of minor scale.
@367 melodie (Fr.)\I) Melody. (2) Song.
@368 melodrama\In musical contexts, this term refers to the dramatic use of the
spoken word against a musical background. This style may be used
throughout an entire work or just as part of a work.
@369 meno (It.)\Less.
@370 Meno mosso\slower.
@371 menuet (Fr.), menuett (Ger.)\Same as minuet.
@372 menuetto\Term used by German composers who believed it to be Italian for
minuet. The Italian for minuet is minuetto.
@373 messa di voce (It.)\The steady increasing and decreasing of volume on one
long held note in singing.
@374 messe (Fr. and Ger.)\Same as mass.
@375 mesto (It.)\Sad.
@376 meta (It.)\Half.
@377 metamorphosis of themes\Liszt's term for leitmotif, the recurring and
development of themes symbolising a character, emotion, object, idea, etc.
@378 metre\This is indicated by a time signature dividing up the music into
regularly occurring accents (e.g. 3/4 time means that the basic note values are
quarter notes and that every third one is accented).
@379 mezzo (It., 'half')\Mezzo-soprano, female voice midway between a soprano
and contralto range.
@380 Mezzo forte\Midway between loud and soft and abbreviated mf.
@381 Mezza voce\With a moderate tone.
@382 MG\Instruction to play with the left hand in piano playing. Abbreviation of
main gauche (Fr.).
@383 mi\Abbreviation of the minor scale.
@384 microtone\An interval smaller than a semitone, evident in some modern
compositions.
@385 min\Abbreviation of the minor scale.
@386 minacciando (It.)\Threatening.
@387 minor\Opposite of major. Applied to scales, keys, chords and intervals.
@388 minuet (Eng.), minuetto (It.)\A moderately fast French dance of rustic
origin in 3/4 time but rising to court and becoming fashionable in the 18th
century. The minuet is the standard third movement in the classical sonata,
symphony, string quartet, etc., developing later into the scherzo with
Beethoven. Form is A A B A.
@389 mirror\This term is sometimes attached to a fugue or canon to describe two
or more parts appearing simultaneously, with one the correct way up and the
other upside down, as if a mirror had been placed between them.
@390 missa (Lat.)\Mass.
@391 missa brevis (Lat.)\(I) A short concise musical setting of the mass. (2) A
setting of the Kyrie and Gloria only.
@392 Missa solemnis\High Mass.
@393 misura (It.)\A measure. Senza misura, not in strict time.
@394 mit (Ger.)\With.
@395 mixed chorus, mixed voices\mixed chorus, mixed voices A body of singers
including both adult male and female voices.
@396 mixolydian mode\A mode represented on the white notes of the piano from
G to G.
@397 moderato (It.)\At a moderate pace. This term is used in other tempos (e.g.
allegro moderato, implying a moderately fast pace).
@398 modes\Sets of eight-note scales inherited from ancient Greece via the
Middle Ages in which they were most prevalent, although they still survive
today in plainsong and folk music. At the end of the 17th century the modes
had been reduced to two scales, major and minor, which we know today. Here
are the modes which may be represented by scales of white notes on the piano
with the names derived from the Greek system. The 'final' of a mode is the
note of a cadence, or resting point, in a melody, and the 'dominant' is a
reciting note.
@399 modo (It.)\Manner. In modo di, in the manner of.
@400 modulate\The shift from one key to another in composition.
@401 molto (It.)\Much, very.
@402 monodrama\A dramatic stage work for only one character.
@403 monody (Gk., 'single song')\ A term used to describe a solo song with
accompaniment (or continuo) in contrast to the polyphonic style in which all
parts are of equal importance.
@404 monophony (Gk., 'single sound')\This term describes music with a single
melody line without support of accompaniment.
@405 monothematic\Music with only one theme.
@406 morbido (It.)\Gentle, delicate.
@407 mordent\An ornament which has two forms: (1) upper mordent (or
inverted mordent); (2) lower mordent or simply, mordent.
@408 morendo (It.)\Dying away (of force and sometimes, speed).
@409 mosso (It.)\Animated, moving.
@410 motet\(1) In modern use this is a religious choral composition in Latin of
the Roman Catholic service corresponding to the anthem in the Anglican
service. (2) In medieval times, this was a vocal composition based on a given
set of words and melody, which sometimes came from a secular song.
@411 motif (Fr.)\(1) A term sometimes used in English for leitmotif. (2) Sarne as
motiv or motive.
@412 motion\A term describing the course of a melody or melodies. Conjunct
motion is movement by step. Disjunct motion is movement by leap. Similar
motion describes two melodies moving in the same direction and contrary
motion describes two melodies moving in opposite directions. Paralicl motion
describes parts moving the same way and also keeping the same interval
between them.
@413 motiv (Ger.), motive (Eng.)\(1) A short but recognisable melodic or
rhythmic figure. (2) In analysis, this term describes the smallest subdivision of
(e.g. a theme).
moto (It.)\Movement. Con Moto means 'with movement'.
@414 motto theme\A term for music which recurs and develops in the form of a
quotation.
@415 movement\A self-contained section of a large composition having its own
time signature and title. In some works, movements are directly linked
(without a break inbetween) and sound incomplete without performing them
in sequence. In all works, movements form a cohesive whole, much like in a
set of related literary short stories.
movimento (It.)\Motion. Doppio mouvmento, at double the preceding speed.
@416 MS (It. 'mano sinistra')\Left hand. Instruction to play with left hand in
piano playing.
@417 M Sop\Abbreviation of mezzo soprano.
@418 musical play\A type of American-influenced light stage entertainment
which succeeded the musical comedy in the mid-20th century. Now known
simply as a musical. An example is Phantom of the Opera with music by
Andrew Lloyd Webber.
@419 musical switch\A medley of popular tunes.
@420 music drama\A Wagnerian term for opera, which he felt to be inadequate.
This term describes Wagner's new concept of the leitmotif and the fusing of
scenery, costume, libretti, music and drama into a new art.
@421 music theatre\A term describing (from the 1960's) dramatic works simpler
than opera and suitable for the concert platform.
@422 musique concrete (Fr., 'concrete music')\Music in which natural sounds
(instrumental, vocal or other) were recorded on tape and then distorted,
combined, etc. This term was coined by Peter Schaeffer in 1948 but it has
largely been superseded by electronic music.
@423 muta (It.)\Change. Direction to the timpani player to change tuning or to
the wind player to change instrument.
@424 nach (Ger.)\To, after.
@425 nachschlag (Ger.)\Ornament in German music in the 17th and 18th
centuries.
@426 nachtanz (Ger., 'after dance')\A quick dance used to follow a slow one.
@427 nachtmusik (Ger.)\Serenade or 'night music'. A title used in Mozart's Eine
Klcine Nachtmusik.
@428 nationalism, nationalist\Music with national characteristics (e.g. use of
folk music. The term is particularly applied to 19th century composers (e.g.
Smetena and Grieg. Bartok and Kodaly were also famous as nationalist
composers).
@429 natural\(1) The cancelling of a flat or sharp of a note or key indicated by a
sign beside the note; (2) A trumpet or horn, etc. not having any valves or keys.
@430 naturale\Instruction to a singer or instrumentalist to perform in the normal
way (e.g. singing tenor instead of falsetto or playing without mutes).
@431 neapolitan sixth\A chord on the fourth degree of the scale with a minor
third and sixth (e.g. in C major it includes the notes F, A flat and D flat).
@432 neo (Gk., 'new')\A prefix indicating a new interest in older styles (e.g. neo-
romantic refers to composers in the 20th century writing in the romantic
style).
@433 neo-classical\Describes a trend, especially in the 1920's, characterised by
its use of the concerto grosso technique, contrapuntal writing and avoidance
of emotion. Neo-classical composers included Stravinsky and Hindemith.
@434 new music\(I) In the early 17th century this described the new expressive
music; (2) Between 1850 and 1900 it described the new music of Wagner and
Liszt as opposed to the more traditional music of Brahms; (3) Today it refers
to music by contemporary composers.
@435 niente (It.)\Nothing. A niente, to nothing. Used after a diminuendo symbol
to indicate the sound dying away entirely.
nobile, nobilmente (It.)\Noble, nobly.
@436 nocturne\A night piece with two main meanings: (1) In the 18th century
this was a composition close to a serenade for several instruments and
movements. (2) In the romantic period it was a short Iyrical piece in one
movement for piano (e.g. by Chopin).
noel (Fr., 'Christmas')\A Christmas carol.
non (Fr. and It.)\Not.
@437 non-harmonic note\A note which is not part of the chord with which it
sounds. This could mean a passing note or an appoggiatura.
@438 nota cambiata (It., 'changed note')\A contrapuntal device whereby a
dissonant note is used when one expects a consonant one.
@439 notation\Written music, by ordinary staff notation symbols or graphic
representation or simply by letter-names (e.g. the tonic sol-fa.
@440 note cluster\The performance of a group of adjacent notes simultaneously
on the piano, e. g. with the forearm or a piece of wood. Pioneered by Cowell
in 1912 and used by Ives. Also known as tone cluster.
@441 note row\This occurs in 20th century serial music, also called
dodecaphonic music or twelve-note music. It is the order in which the
composer chooses to arrange the twelve notes, which serves as the foundation
of the composition.
novelette (Eng.) or novellette (Ger.)\A short, instrumental, romantic piece. The
term was first used by Schumann for a piano work in 1848.
@442 obbligato (It., 'obligatory')\An obbligato part is one which has an important
and unusual special role and cannot be dispensed with, as opposed to an
optional part. However, in some l9th century music, the term obbligato was
applied to an additional optional part.
@