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

ironico
ironical

irresoluto
wavering

istesso
the same

istesso tempo
the same time

jubiloso
exulting

key
the tonal center of a composition or subdivision thereof. The key of a composition is indicated by the letter name of its tonic. Also, the white or black surface on a keyboard instrument which produces a tone when depressed.

key signature
sharps or flats at the beginning of each staff to indicate the key of the composition.

keyboard
the series of black and white keys of a piano, organ, harpsichord or similar instrument.

lacrimoso
weeping, tearful

lamentando
mourning

lamentoso
mournful

landler
a popular German or Austrian dance in 3/4 or 3/8 time,thought to be the true origin of the waltz. It is very like a waltz, though slower.

languendo/languido
feeble, languishing

largamente
broadly

larghetto
not as slow as largo

largo
slow and broad

leading tone
the seventh note of a diatonic scale and the chord built on that note.

legatissimo
exceedingly smooth

legato
smoothly

leggiero
lightly

leno
feeble, faint

lentando
with increased slowness

lento
slow

lestamente
quickly, lively

lesto
lively quick

libero
free, unrestrained

libretto
the text of an opera, oratorio, or cantata.

lied
German word for song; plural: lieder. liederbuch

line
the melodic component in a composition; melodic line.

linear counterpoint
dissonant counterpoint,

liscio
simple, smooth

liturgical
music intended for performance in a church service.

loco
place; return to the written register after playing an octave higher through using 8va

lontano
distant, a great way off

loure
a slow French dance in 6/4 time, sometimes found in the classic Suite.

lugubre
sad, mournful

lunga pausa
a long pause

lusingando
alluring, flattering

luttuoso
sorrowful

lyric
song-like, as opposed to dramatic.

ma
but

madrigal
a composition for unaccompanied voices. It originated in Italy in the fifteenth century, and was written in from two to eight voices.

maestoso
dignified

maggiore
the major key

main droite
right hand

main gauche
left hand

major
a diatonic scale with half steps between the third and fourth and between the seventh and eighth tones of the scale. Also, a triad consisting of a major and a minor third.

mancando
dying away

mano
the hand

mano destra
the right hand

mano sinistra
the left hand

marcando/marcato
accented

march
a piece written in simple duple or quadruple time, strongly accented, used for accompanying marching (usually of soldiers).

martellato
strongly marked

marziale
in the style of a march

mazurka
a Polish national dance in moderate 3/4 time, with strong accents on the third beat, and sometimes on the second.

measure
a group of beats between bar lines; also, all the notes between two bar lines.

mediant
the third note of a diatonic scale, and the chord built on that note.

medium
the voices and/or instruments required for the performance of a composition; plural: media.

melisma, melismatic
a melodic passage sung to one syllable of the text; a melodic style of many notes to a syllable.

melody, melodic
consecutive tones; the linear or horizontal element of music.

meno
less

mesto/mestoso
sad, mournful

meter, metric
the measuring of time in music according to a specific number of beats to the measure.

mezza/mezzo
medium, half

mezzo soprano
a female voice lower than a soprano but higher than a contralto

minacciando
menacing minor

minuet (menuet)
a French dance in triple time, usually followed by a TRIO and then repeated. The early minuets were rather dignified and graceful but the later ones became faster and lighter in character.

misterioso
in a mysterious manner

misurato
in strict, measured time

mobile
changeable

modality, modal
melody and/or harmony based on one of the church modes.

mode
one of the eight church modes. Also refers to major or minor keys.

moderato
in moderate time

modulation
melodic or harmonic progressions which begin in one key and end in another.

molto
very much, a great deal

moniera
manner, style

monody
early 17-century term for accompanied solo songs.

monophony, monophonic
texture consisting of a single melodic line without accompaniment.

morendo
dying away in time and tone

mormoroso
with a gentle, murmuring sound

mosso
movement, motion

motive
a short melodic and/or rhythmic fragment.

moto
motion (con moto

moto perpetuo
perpetual motion

movement
the complete and independent part of large works such as sonatas, symphonies, suites.

movimento
impulse, the time of a piece

multitonality
music which shifts abruptly between two or more remotely related keys without modulation.

musette
a short French dance-tune of pastoral character, with a drone-bass, originally played on a bag-pipe. Found in some Suites usually following a Gavotte.

musicology
the scholarly study of music, especially research in music history.

natural
a symbol which cancels a previously indicated sharp or flat

negligente
unconstrained, careless

neighbor tone
same as auxiliary tone.

nel, nella, nell
in the, at the

neomodality
modern melodic or harmonic material which makes use of a church mode or some new scale basis.

ninth chord
a chord of five tones, four superimposed thirds.

nobile
noble, grand

nocturne
literally

non
not, no

nonchordal, nonharmonic
a dissonant tone which does not belong to the chord with which it sounds.