Pronouncing Dictionary of Musical Terms

How to say it as well as what it means: every Italian, German and French musical term of 1896, respelled phonetically for the student.

F

26 terms in this part of Pronouncing Dictionary of Musical Terms.

Fa

The fourth of the syllables adopted by Guido, called the Aretinian syllables. In "Movable Do" system the fourth of any scale. Fa burden…

Facilité (Fr.)

Made easy; an easy version of a difficult passage. Facture (Fr.) (fak-toor), Fattura (It.) (fattoo-rah). Literally, the making. The…

Fandango (Sp.)

A rapid dance in triple time. FANFARE FINALE Fanfare (Fr.), Fanfara (It.). A brilliant | Festo'so (It.). Gay; joyful. trumpet call or…

Feldton

The key of E2, often used for military band music. pause. Fermata (It.) [from fermare, to stay]. A pause. A cessation of accompaniment and…

Fagottone (It.) (fag-got-to'-neh) – Fes (Ger.)

A name for the diminished fifth. The highest register of the voice.

Festivamente (It.)

With Faelten, Carl. Pianist; Germany. B. 1846. Farinelli, Carlo B. (fah-ree-nel-lee). Sopranist; Italy. B. 1705; d. 1782. Faure, J. B…

Fest (Ger.) – Fiato (It.)

A failure; breakdown. Literally, " a flask."

Fieramente (It.)

Fiero (It.) (fee-eh-ro), Fier (Fr.) (fee-eh). proud; fierce. Fife, Fifre (Fr.), Piffero (It.), Querpfeife (Ger.) (kvehr-pfei-feh). A small…

Figure

(I) A form of accompaniment maintained without change. (2) A repeated melodic phrase. (3) Sequence. Figured Bass, Basso figurato (It.)…

Finale (It.) (fee-nah-leh)

Final. The last movement of a sonata or symphony or of the act of an opera. Fesca, F. E. Composer; Germany. B. 1789; d. 1826.

France (B d)

Field, John. Pianist; Ireland. B. 1782; d. Fillmore, J. C. Pianist, essayist; U. S. A.

Fingerboard

The upper side of the neck of string instruments, generally a thin strip of ebony against which the strings are pressed by the fingers of…

Flue Stops

Organ stops, the pipes of which are constructed on the same principle as the whistle or flageolet. Flute, Flauto (It.) (flau-to), Flöte…

Foglietto (It.) (fol-yet'-to)

The part used by the leader of the violins in the orchestra, containing cues, etc., of the other instruments, sometimes used by the…

Fois (Fr.) (foa)

Time; as, première fois, first time. Folia (Sp.), Follia (It.). A Spanish dance.

Foot

(I) A poetic measure or meter. (2) A drone bass. (3) The unit used in determining the pitch of organ pipes, the standard being 8-foot C…

Form (Number order and key relation)

The number, order, and key relation of the several themes that are combined to make an extended composition, such as the sonata, rondo…

Form (It was formerly largely used)

It was formerly largely used in vocal music, and is now one of the most usual forms for the lighter class of piano music. The following…

France (B d) (II)

Made from Ist theme or all the themes. For an example of this kind see Beethoven's No. 2 Sonata of the three dedicated to Haydn, last…

Forte (It.) (for-teh)

Loud. Fort (Fr.), Stark (Ger.). Meno forte, less loud. Mezzo forte (M. F.), half loud. forte, louder. Poco forte, a little loud; rather…

Fidicinal – Fourniture (Fr.)

A general term for string instruments. An organ-stop of 2-foot pitch; open; metal.

Freddamente (It.)

With Franz, Robert (frants). Composer; Germany. B. 1815; d. 1892. Frescobaldi, G. (fres-co-bal-dee). Composer. organist; Italy. B. 1583; d…

Frets

Pieces of wood, metal, or ivory, set across the fingerboard of some string instruments, raised slightly above its surfaces, to regulate the…

Frottola (It.)

Fuga, Fugue (It.), Fuge (Ger.) (foo-geh). [From Lat., fuga, flight.] The parts seeming to fly one after another; the highest development of…

Fusée (Fr.) (foo-seh')

A slide from one sound to another. Fuchs or Fux, J. J. (fooks). Theorist. B. 1660; d. 1741.

Free Reed – Furlano (It.)

The reverse of strict contrapuntal style. The generator or root of a chord..

Rights & ReuseThe complete text of Pronouncing Dictionary of Musical Terms (1896) is in the public domain in the United States — like all works published before 1928 — and is free to read, download, quote, teach from, and reuse. This digital edition (its transcription, restored images, and site design) is © 2026 PhotoOpAI, and any editorial commentary we add is clearly marked as ours; the underlying public-domain text carries no such restriction.