Musical Terms - M to Z

For musical terms not in Italian or English, the country of origin is included in parenthesis

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Mächtig (Ger) Mighty, powerful Maestoso Majestically Marcato Emphasized, heavily accented Martellato Articulation marking: "hammered" Mässig (Ger) Moderately Measure (US) Bar Meno mosso Less motion Mi In sol fa, the third note of the scale starting on Do Minim Half a semi-breve, two crotchets Minim rest Rest for above Mit dämpfer (Ger) With mute, like con sord mit großem Ton (Ger) With great tone, with lots of passion, like espressivo Modulation The process of changing from one key to another within a composition Natural A musical symbol which cancels a previous sharp or flat Net (Fre) Clean, clear Niente Nothing Nocturne Slow, dreamy night piece, often for solo piano Non troppo Not too much Obbligato Necessary. Opposite of ad libitum Offen (Ger) Open Ohne dämpfer (Ger) Without mute, like senza sord Opera A musical drama where the words are sung, not spoken Ophecleide Brass instrument, French ancestor of the tuba Orchestra Large group of classical instrumentalists, traditionally comprising strings, woodwind, brass and percussion. Ostinato Repeated phrase, often in the bass as an accompaniment Percussion family Instruments made of sonorous material that produce sounds of definite or indefinite pitch when shaken or struck, including drums, rattles, bells, gongs, and xylophones Pesante Heavy Phrase A relatively short portion of a melodic line which expresses a musical idea, comparable to a line or sentence in poetry Piano 1 - Keyboard instrument, whereby strings are struck by hammers. Can be classified as keyboard, percussion or strings! Brief history 2 - A dynamic marking Pizzicato "Pinched." On string instruments, plucking the string Plunger mute Brass instrument mute, also called "wah-wah" mute. Usually the rubber end to a plumber's plunger with the stick removed Poco Little. Used with other terms, e.g. poco accel., also, poco a poco, little by little Poco piu mosso A little more motion Prelude "Play before." An introductory movement or piece Quarter note (US) A crotchet Quartet A piece for four performers Quasi almost, as if Quaver Half a crotchet, an eighth of a semi-breve Quaver rest Rest for above Quintet A piece for five performers Rallentando Slow down gradually Re In sol fa, the second note of the scale starting on Do Renaissance The period c. 1450-1600 Retenu (Fre) Slowing down Ritardando Slow down suddenly Ritenuto Slow down suddenly Ritmico Rhythmically Rondo A musical form consisting of 5 sections, usually designated A B A C A Round Like the canon, a song in which two or more parts having the same melody, starting at different points Rubato Flexibility of tempo to achieve expressiveness Ruhig (Ger) Calmly Saxophone Member of the Woodwind family, whereby air is blown over a single reed and the air column length changed by a series of keys. Brief history Schnell (Ger) Quickly Segno "Sign." Sehr (Ger) Very Semibreve Half a breve, two minims, four crotchets Semibreve rest Rest for above Semiquaver Half a quaver, a quarter of a crotchet Semiquaver rest Rest for above Sempre Always. Used with other terms, e.g. sempre staccato Semplice Simple Senza Without Senza sord Without mute Septet A piece for seven performers Sforzando Sudden strong accent on a note or chord Sharp A symbol which raises the pitch of a note one semitone Simile An indication to continue in the same manner Sixteenth note (US) A semiquaver Slur A curved line placed above or below two or more notes of different pitch to indicate that they are to be performed in legato style So In sol fa, the fifth note of the scale starting on Do Sol fa A system of note-names and hand signs used in the sight reading and learning of music, where Do can be the tonic of any scale. The other degrees of the scale are Re, Mi, Fa, So, La, and Ti Sonata 1 - A composition of several movements, usually for piano or solo instrument and piano 2 - A musical form with a specific, complex plan Brief explanation Sonatine Smaller version of the above Soprano Female higher voice range Soprano clef Another name for the G clef

Sordino Mute Sourdine (Fre) Mute, like sordino Staccato Detached sounds, indicated by a dot over or under a note. The opposite of legato Staff or Stave Five perpendicular horizontal lines upon which music is written Straight mute Brass instrument mute, creates a bright, piercing sound. The main mute used in classical music Streicher (Ger) Strings String family Instruments with strings that produce sound when plucked, bowed, or struck, including violin, viola, violoncello, double bass, harp and guitars Subito Suddenly Sul On the e.g. sul A "on the A string" Symphony 1 - large scale work of several movements, usually for orchestra 2 - In reference to an orchestra, e.g. the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra Syncopation Accent on an unexpected beat Tacet Silent, do not play Tempo The rate of speed in a musical work Tempo primo Return to the original tempo Tenor Male higher voice range Tenor clef The C clef falling on the second line Tenuto Articulation marking: hold to full value Ternary A musical form consisting of three sections with the third being a return of the first, usually designated A B A Theme & variation A musical form consisting of a theme with a set of variations Ti In sol fa, the seventh note in the scale starting on Do Tie A curved line connecting two or more notes of the same pitch. The first pitch is held for the duration of the notes affected by the tie Time signature Explains how many beats in a bar, and what they consist of Tonic The root note or key note of a scale Tranquillo Tranquil, calm Transposition The process of changing the key of some music Treble Young child soprano, usually associated with boys Treble clef Another name for the G clef Trés (Fre) Very Triad A chord of three tones arranged in thirds Trill A musical ornament performed by the rapid alternation of a given note with a major or minor second above Triplet A group of three notes performed in the time of two of the same kind Trombone An instrument from the Brass family, whereby an air column is lengthened and shortened by a slide. Brief history Troppo Too much e.g. "ma non troppo" not too much Trumpet An instrument from the Brass family, whereby an air column is lengthened and shortened by using valves to direct air flow through extra tubing. Brief history Tuba A bass instrument from the Brass family, whereby an air column is lengthened and shortened by the use of valves. Brief history Turn A musical ornament including a rapid movement and return to the given note Tutti All. A direction for the entire ensemble to sing or play simultaneously Top of Musical Terms Und (Ger) And Unison Singing or playing the same notes by all singers or players, either at exactly the same pitch or in a different octave Un peu (Fre) A little Un poco A little Una corda One string. In piano music, depress the damper pedal Vibrato Repeated fluctuation of pitch Violin Member of the String family, whereby a bow is drawn across tuned strings to produce sound waves amplified in a sound box. Highest (and most numerous) string instrument in the orchestra. Brief history Violoncello Member of the String family, whereby a bow is drawn across tuned strings to produce sound waves amplified in a sound box. Tenor voice of the family, played sitting down. Brief history Vocal score Score of vocal work with the accompaniment reduced to two-stave piano part for rehearsal Voce Voice Volti subito Turn (the page) quickly. Often shortened to V.S. Waltz A dance in triple time, with the accent on the first beat of the bar Whammy bar Tremolo arm on a guitar Whole note (US) A semi-breve Whole tone scale A scale comprised of whole tones Woodwind family Instruments, originally made of wood, in which sound is produced by the vibration of air, including recorders, flutes, clarinets, saxophones, oboes, and bassoons World music Generic term for music of non-Western, ethnic or folk origin Xylomarimba Percussion instrument combining features of the xylophone and the marimba Xylophone Percussion instrument consisting of a row of wooden bars corresponding to a keyboard, played with different sorts of mallets Yellow brass Standard alloy in the manufacture of brass instruments, consisting of roughly 70% copper and 30% zinc Yidaki Another name for the didjeridu Yodel Tyrloen singing style where the singer quickly alternates between chest voice and falsetto Zacht (Dutch) Soft Zählzeit (Ger) beat, as in beats in a bar Zart (Ger) Soft Zeitlich (Ger) In time, strict Zeitmaß (Ger) Tempo Zierlich (Ger) Graceful, elegant Zither Folk instrument with many regional variations with a box-like body, with many strings stretched over the top. Can be played by hand, with sticks or a plectrum Zornig (Ger) Angrily Zu (Ger) Too Zunehmend (Ger) Increasing, like crescendo

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