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Whitstable Choral - Choral glossary Category: Music and Sound > Choral Date & country: 24/10/2013, UK Words: 663

capriccio (caprice)
a piece of light and humorous style, usually in irregular form.

carezzando
in a tender manner

carita
tenderness, feeling

celere
quick, rapid

cembalo
a harpsichord

chaconne
a slow dance, very similar to a Passacaglia, probably originally from Spain. Usually in a major key, in 3/4 time, with a ground bass and generally in the form of variations.

chamber music
an ensemble consisting of only a few instruments and usually only one instrument to a part.

chanson
French term for song.

chant
general term for liturgical song similar to plainsong.

choir
vocal ensemble, usually small church choruses. Also applied to groups in an orchestra: e.g., brass choir, woodwind choir.

choral
music for chorus or choir.

chorale
a German Protestant hymn tune, upon which larger compositions such as the CHORAL PRELUDE were based.

chorale prelude
organ composition based on a chorale melody.

chord
a combination of three or more tones.

chordal style
in vocal polyphony, a texture in which all the parts have the same rhythm and sing the same syllables simultaneously. Also called familiar style.

chorus
a large vocal ensemble.

chromatic scale
twelve consecutive tones within an octave, one half step apart.

chromatic, chromaticism
extensive use of accidentals in melody and harmony.

col
with the

coll
with the bow

colla voce
with the voice

coloration
written-out ornamentation.

coloratura
ornamental passage in vocal music

come
as, like

come prima
as before

comodo
quietly, easily

compiacevole
agreeable

con
with (for various phrases beginning with con see other words)

con sordini
in strings, with mutes; in piano, with dampers, that is the damper pedal is not to be used.

concento
harmony of voices and instruments

concerto
a composition for one or more solo instruments with orchestral accompaniment, usually written in three movements.

conjunct
stepwise progression in melody.

consonance, consonant
harmonic intervals (thirds, forths, fifths, sixths, and octaves) which produce a sense of repose; harmony which consists only or mainly of these intervals.

continuo
without cessation

contralto
the deepest female voice

contrary motion
simultaneous melodic progression in opposite direction between two parts. counterpoint, contrapuntal

crescendo
gradually getting louder

da
by, from, for, etc.

da capo
a sign at the end of a movement indicating that the player must return to the beginning. abbreviation: D.C.

da capo al fine
return to the beginning and play to the word

dal segno
repeat from the sign

dal, dalle, dalla
from the, by the, etc.

debile
weak, feeble

deciso
in a bold manner

decrescendo
gradually getting softer

delicato
delicately

deritta, deritto
the right hand

destra
the right hand

devoto
religious

di
of, with, from, etc.

di molto
very much

di sopra
above

diatonic
melody or harmony confined to the tones of the scale; the opposite of chromatic.

difficile
difficult

dignita
grandeur

diluendo
gradual dying away until no sound is left

diminished triad
a three-note chord consisting of two minor thirds.

diminuendo
gradually getting softer

diminution
to halve the note values of a melody

disciolto
skillful, dexterous

discreto
discreetly

disjunct
melodic progression dominated by wide skips.

disperato
with desperation

dissonance, dissonant
harmonic intervals (seconds, sevenths, ninths, augmented and diminished intervals) which produce the effect of action or tension; chords which contain one or more of these intervals.

divisi
separated (half the players play the upper notes, and the others play the lower notes.

dolce
sweetly

dolente
sorrowful

dolore
grief, sorrow

doloroso
sorrowfully

dominant
the fifth tone of a diatonic scale, and the chord buik on that tone.

dopo
after

doppio movimento
twice as fast

dotted rhythm
rhythmic patterns consisting of a dotted note followed by a note of the next smaller denomination (e.g., a dotted quarter followed by an eighth note).

double bar
two vertical lines drawn through one or more staves to indicate a major sectional division or the conclusion of a composition.

double fugue
a fugue with two subjects and, correspondingly, two expositions.

double stopping
playing two notes simultaneously on a bowed string instrument.

drammatico
dramatic

due corde
two strings

duo
two, in two parts

duolo
sorrow, sadness

duple meter
two or four beats to the measure.

duro
harsh, rude

dynamics
levels of soft and loud.

ecclesia
church

ecossaise
originally a slow dance in 3/4 time, allegedly of Scottish origin but not at all similar to the Scottish dance music, such as the reel. Later it became livelier and was written in duple time.

effretto
the effect of music on an audience

eighth note
one eighth the value of a whole note

elegante/eleganza
graceful, elegant

elegiaco
plaintive

eleventh chord
a chord of six tones, five superimposed thirds.

embellishment
short, fast ornaments such as trills, mordents, and turns.

emozione
agitation

energico
forcibly

enfactico
with earnestness

ensemble
a performing group consisting of two or more players or singers.

entre
music played between acts of a drama

entree
an introduction, a march-like piece played during the entrance of a dancing group, or played before a ballet. Usually in 4/4 time.

epico
heroic

equabitmente
mostly, evenly

equalmente
evenly, alike