A
Abbellitura (It.) (ab-bellee-too-ra)
Embellishment. Both are derived from- Abbellire (abbel-lee'-reh). To ornament. Abbott, Emma. Soprano; U. S. A. B. 1850; Abt, Franz (apt…
Abbreviation
A system frequently employed in music, by which a portion of a technical term is made to stand for the whole. following is a list of the…
Absolute Music
Music independent of words, scenery, acting or "programme;' the highest class of instrumental music. Accelerando (It.) (atchel - leh - ran…
Accent
The stress which recurs at regular intervals of time. Its position is indicated by upright strokes called bars. The first note inside a bar…
Acciacatura (It.) (at-cheea-ca-too-ra)
A short grace note, written thus: K takes the place in the harmony of the note it precedes; is played rapidly. [From Acciaccare…
Accolade (Fr.) (ac-co-lahd)
A brace enclosing two or more staves. { [From Latin ad, to; collum, the neck.] To embrace. Accompagnamento (It.) (ac-com-pan-yamen-to)…
Achtel Pause (pow-ze)
Acoustics (a-koos-tics) [from Greek akuo, to hear]. The science of sound; that which treats of the cause, nature, and phenomena of sound as…
Adagio (It.) (a-da'-jee-o)
Slowly; also a name given to a movement written in that time. Adagio assai (as-sah-e), Adagio di molto (dee mol-to). Very slowly.
Adjunct Keys or Scales
Those a fifth above and fifth below the given key or scale. Related scales. The scales or keys of the dominant and subdominant. Adam…
Adjunct Notes
Short notes, not essential to the harmony, occurring on unaccented parts of a bar. [Cf. Auxiliary Notes, Passing Notes.] Ad libitum (Lat.)…
Added Sixth
A name given to the subdominant chord with the 6th over its fundamental added, thus: FACD. This explanation of this combination is not now…
Afflitto (It.) (af-flit'-to)
Affrettando (It.) (af-fret-tan'-do), Affrettate (It.) (af-fret-tah'-teh), Affrettore (It.) (affret-to-reh). Hastening the time. Agevole…
Ais (Ger.) (a-iss)
A la mesure (Fr.) (meh-zoor). In time. Same as A tempo and A battuta.
Alla (It.)
Written Al. or All. before words beginning with a vowel. Like; in the style of. Alla breve. The value of one or two whole notes in the…
Allegro (It.) (al-leh-gro)
(Lit., joyful.) Quick, lively. The word is occasionally employed to describe a whole movement of a quartet, sonata, or symphony. In music…
Alla Palestrina
In the style of Palestrina, i. e., strict C. P. without instrumental accompaniment. Alard, Delphin (ah-lard, del-feen). Violinist; France…
Accoppiato (It.) (ac-cop-pee-ah'-to) – Alt-Geige
Acute. A mixture-stop in the organ.. Pitched high; the opposite of grave.
Alternativo (It.) (al-ter-nah-tee'-vo)
An alternate. A part of a movement to be played alternately with others. This name is frequently given to the second trio of a Scherzo in…
Alto Clef
The C clef on the third line, used for the viola, alto trombone, and (in Europe) for the alto voice. Altra, Altre, Altri, Altro (It.)…
American Organ
The English name for American reed organs, in which the air is drawn through instead of being forced through the reeds, as in the usual…
Andächtig (Ger.) (an-daych-tig)
Amati, Geronimo (jeh-ro-nee-mo). Italy. B. -; d. 1635. Sons of Andreas. Amati, Nicolo (nee-co-lo). Italy. B. 1596; d. 1684. Son of…
Andamento (It.) (an-da-men'-to)
Movement; the coda to a long fugue theme frequently dropped in the "working out." Andante (It.) [from andare, to walk or go slowly]. A slow…
Angel'ique (Fr.) (on-jeh-leek)
Voix angelique, angel voice, name of an organstop. Also called Voix Celeste (Fr.) (vo-a seh-lest). Celestial voice. Angosciosamente (It.)…
Alt-Oboe – Animoso (It.)
Oboe de caccia, q. v. The highest.
Anlage (Ger.) (an-lah'-geh)
Ambrose, St. Established the Ambrosian Chant; Gaul. B. 340; d. 398. André (an-dray), Johann; Germany. B. 1741; d. 1799.
Anschwellen (Ger.) (an-shvel-len)
Antecedent [Lat. ante, cado, to fall before]. The subject or theme proposed for imitation; the subject of a fugue. The reply or imitation…
Antiphony
The responsive singing of two choirs generally placed on opposite sides of the chancel, one called the Decani, on the André, Johann…
Appoggiatura (It.) (ap-pod-jea-too'-rah)
To lean against. An ornamental note foreign to the harmony, one degree above or below a member of the chord, always on an accent or on a…
Arpa (It.) (ar'-pah)
Arpège (Fr.) (ar-pehzh'), Arpeggio (It.) (ar-ped-jeeo). In harp style. In piano music a direction to play the notes of a chord in rapid…
Anmuthig (Ger.) – Ardito (It.) (ar-dee-to)
The fingering of a musical instrument.
Aretinian Syllables
Ut, re, mi, fa, sol, la, given by Guido Aretinus to the hexachord. Ut was changed to do, as being a better vowel for solemnization.
Arpeggiato (It.) (ar-ped-jeea'-to)
A Arrangement (Fr.) (ar-ranzh-mong). piece of music written for one or more instruments or voices adapted to other instruments or voices…
Arsis (Gk.)
The unaccented or up-beat; the reverse of Thesis, the accented or downbeat. Arne, Thomas Augustus. Composer; England. B. 1710; d. 1778…
Assez (Fr.) (as-seh)
Rather, as Assez vite (veet), rather quick, or quick enough. Assoluto (masc.), Assoluta (fem.) (It.) (as-so-loo'-to). Absolute. Applied to…
Attacca (It.) (at-tak'-ka)
Attack. Begin the next movement with slight or with no pause. Attacca subito (It.) (soo-bee-to). Attack quickly, without pause.
Attendant Keys
The keys of the 4th and 5th above, and the relative minors of the principal key and these two major relations, as:- Rel. minors CFG ADE
Auflösen (Ger.) (leh-zen)
To let loose; resolve a dissonance. Auflösungszeichen Auflösungszeichen (Ger.) (leh-soonkstzeich-en). Releasing sign; the. Artôt (ar-to)…
Augmented Sixth Chord
Called also extreme sharp sixth; superfluous sixth; when formed thus, Ab C Ft, the Italian sixth; thus, A2 CDF, the French sixth; thus, A2…
Arpeggiando (It.) (ar-ped-jee-an-do) – Ausdruck (Ger.) (drook)
In harp style. Neat, pretty, unaffected.
Authentic (Ambrosian scales A melody)
The Ambrosian scales. A melody 'that lies between the keynote and its octave is called authentic. One that lies between the fourth below…
Autoharp
A modern instrument resembling a zither, of easy performance. The plectrum is drawn across all the strings at once, and those that it is…
Auxiliary Scales
Related scales. soa es-pree). Opera composer; France. B. 1784; d. 1871. Avison, Charles. Composer; England. B. 1710; d. 1770.