NetMet Music Dictionary

This glossary of common musical terms will increase your enjoyment and enhance your understanding of classical music. This list of definitions will help whether you want to attend concerts, buy new CDs, or simply be able to speak intelligently about classical music

Absolute Music Pure or abstract music, written without depicting something external, as opposed to Program Music.

Adagio Slow tempo.

Allegro Fast tempo.The first movement of a symphony or sonata is usually in sonata form, with the tempo marking of allegro.

Andante Medium tempo.

Baroque The period of music history between the years of 1600 - 1750.

Brass family Metal wind instruments with a mouthpiece at one end and a flared bell at the other, such as trumpet, bugle, trombone, tuba, and French horn.

Cadenza A solo passage, often brilliant and difficult, and usually near the end of a piece or movement.

Cantata A vocal piece with orchestral accompaniment composed during the Baroque period. Most cantatas are sacred compositions, but some are of a secular nature.

Character piece A short piano piece such as an Impromptu, Bagatelle, or Rhapsody, popular during the Romantic era.

Classical

The period of music history from about 1770-1825.

Concert master The lead first violinist in an orchestra.

Concerto A piece for a soloist and orchestra. The solo instrument is typically piano, violin, or cello, although any orchestral instrument can be used.

Concerto Grosso A type of concerto used during the Baroque period, in which a small group of solo instruments was accompanied by a full orchestra.

Duet A piece for two instruments or voices.

Dynamic Musical term for amount of loudness.

Encore To repeat a piece or play an additional piece at the end of a performance.

Finale The last movement of a symphony or sonata, or the last selection of an opera.

Largo Slow tempo.

Medieval The period of music history from about 500-1450. Most music that has come down to us from this era is music of the early Christian church.

Minuet An 18th century dance piece, often used as a movement in a sonata or symphony.

Modern The period in music history from about 1900 to the present.

Movement A section of a longer musical piece. Movements are complete musical statements separated by silence. A typical symphony or piece of chamber music is made up of three or four movements.

Octet A piece for eight instruments or voices. Mendelssohn and Schubert both wrote famous octets.

Opus, (abbreviation: Op) The term means work, and is used by composers or publishers to show the chronological order of a composer's pieces, e.g. Op. 1, Op. 2, etc. Sometimes, as in the case of Beethoven, early works were published late in the composer's life, and bear deceptively high opus numbers.

Orchestra A large group of musicians, usually thirty or more. The modern symphony orchestra is made up of stringed, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments.

Ornamentation Notes added to the original melody for embellishment.

Overture The introductory music for an opera, oratorio or ballet, or an independent work with the character of an overture. Brahms' "Academic Festival" Overture is an example of this type of overture.

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; even sometimes cannon!

Period of music history Music history is generally divided into periods with similar characteristics. These periods are the Medieval from about 500-1450, the Renaissance from about 1450-1600, the Baroque between the years of 1600 - 1750, the Classical from about 1770-1825, the Romantic from about 1825-1900 and the Modern from about 1900 to the present.

Presto Very fast tempo.

Program Music Music that depicts extramusical events. Beethoven's "Pastoral" Symphony, with its musical description of a thunder storm, is a good example.

Quartet A piece for four instruments or voices. A quartet of two violins, one viola and one cello is known as a string quartet, and is one of the most popular chamber music ensembles.

Quintet A piece for five instruments or voices. Mozart wrote many quintets for two violins, two violas, and one cello, while Boccherini prefered two violins, one viola, and two cellos. Schubert wrote a famous quintet for this combination.

Renaissance The period in music history from about 1450-1600.

Romantic The period in music history from about 1825-1900.

Rubato The term used to denote flexibility of tempo. In his piano music, Chopin liked to keep the accompanying part in the left hand at a steady tempo and push ahead or slow down the tempo of the melody in the right hand.

Scherzo Literally, a musical joke. A fast piece, a scherzo is often used as a movement of a symphony or sonata, replacing the minuet.

Score The written document showing all the parts of a large ensemble, such as a symphony.

Septet A piece for seven instruments or voices.

Sextet A piece for six instruments or voices. Brahms wrote two famous sextets for two violins, two violas, and two cellos.

Sonata An instrumental piece, often in several movements. Typically for solo piano, or for violin or cello and piano, or a wind instrument and piano, with the first movement in sonata form.

Sonatina A short sonata.

String Family The modern bowed stringed instruments are the violin, viola, cello, and bass although seldom banjo.

Symphony A piece for orchestra, usually in four movements, in which the first movement often is in sonata form.

Symphonic poem See Tone poem.

Tempo The rate of speed in a musical work.

Theme A melody used as the subject of a piece, as in sonata form or a set of variations.

Tone Poem An orchestral piece descriptive of an event or mood, popular in the Romantic era. Literary subjects were often chosen as the basis for tone poems.

Trio A piece for three instruments. The most common trios are those made up of violin, viola, and cello, or violin, piano, and cello. "Trio" can also refer to the middle section of a minuet or scherzo, and can be played by any number of instruments.

Virtuoso A brilliant, skillful performer.

Wind instrument family Instruments in which sound is produced by the vibration of air, including brass and woodwind instruments.

Woodwind family
Instruments that were originally made of wood, and which produces sound by the vibration of air. The modern woodwind family includes flutes, clarinets, saxophones, oboes, and bassoons.

Last Updated 3/13/00

� HWS, 2000

This glossary of common musical terms will increase your enjoyment and enhance your understanding of classical music. This list of definitions will help whether you want to attend concerts, buy new CDs, or simply be able to speak intelligently about classical music
Absolute Music	Pure or abstract music, written without depicting something external, as opposed to Program Music.
Adagio	Slow tempo.
Allegro	Fast tempo.The first movement of a symphony or sonata is usually in sonata form, with the tempo marking of allegro.
Andante	Medium tempo.
Baroque	The period of music history between the years of 1600 - 1750.
Brass family	Metal wind instruments with a mouthpiece at one end and a flared bell at the other, such as trumpet, bugle, trombone, tuba, and French horn.
Cadenza	A solo passage, often brilliant and difficult, and usually near the end of a piece or movement.
Cantata	A vocal piece with orchestral accompaniment composed during the Baroque period. Most cantatas are sacred compositions, but some are of a secular nature.
Character piece	A short piano piece such as an Impromptu, Bagatelle, or Rhapsody, popular during the Romantic era.
Classical	The period of music history from about 1770-1825.
Concert master	The lead first violinist in an orchestra.
Concerto	A piece for a soloist and orchestra. The solo instrument is typically piano, violin, or cello, although any orchestral instrument can be used.
Concerto Grosso	A type of concerto used during the Baroque period, in which a small group of solo instruments was accompanied by a full orchestra.
Duet	A piece for two instruments or voices.
Dynamic	Musical term for amount of loudness.
Encore	To repeat a piece or play an additional piece at the end of a performance.
Finale	The last movement of a symphony or sonata, or the last selection of an opera.
Largo	Slow tempo.
Medieval	The period of music history from about 500-1450. Most music that has come down to us from this era is music of the early Christian church.
Minuet	An 18th century dance piece, often used as a movement in a sonata or symphony.
Modern	The period in music history from about 1900 to the present.
Movement	A section of a longer musical piece. Movements are complete musical statements separated by silence. A typical symphony or piece of chamber music is made up of three or four movements.
Octet	A piece for eight instruments or voices. Mendelssohn and Schubert both wrote famous octets.
Opus, (abbreviation: Op)	The term means work, and is used by composers or publishers to show the chronological order of a composer's pieces, e.g. Op. 1, Op. 2, etc. Sometimes, as in the case of Beethoven, early works were published late in the composer's life, and bear deceptively high opus numbers.
Orchestra	A large group of musicians, usually thirty or more. The modern symphony orchestra is made up of stringed, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments.
Ornamentation	Notes added to the original melody for embellishment.
Overture	The introductory music for an opera, oratorio or ballet, or an independent work with the character of an overture. Brahms' "Academic Festival" Overture is an example of this type of overture.
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; even sometimes cannon!
Period of music history	Music history is generally divided into periods with similar characteristics. These periods are the Medieval from about 500-1450, the Renaissance from about 1450-1600, the Baroque between the years of 1600 - 1750, the Classical from about 1770-1825, the Romantic from about 1825-1900 and the Modern from about 1900 to the present.
Presto	Very fast tempo.
Program Music	Music that depicts extramusical events. Beethoven's "Pastoral" Symphony, with its musical description of a thunder storm, is a good example.
Quartet	A piece for four instruments or voices. A quartet of two violins, one viola and one cello is known as a string quartet, and is one of the most popular chamber music ensembles.
Quintet	A piece for five instruments or voices. Mozart wrote many quintets for two violins, two violas, and one cello, while Boccherini prefered two violins, one viola, and two cellos. Schubert wrote a famous quintet for this combination.
Renaissance	The period in music history from about 1450-1600.
Romantic	The period in music history from about 1825-1900.
Rubato	The term used to denote flexibility of tempo. In his piano music, Chopin liked to keep the accompanying part in the left hand at a steady tempo and push ahead or slow down the tempo of the melody in the right hand.
Scherzo	Literally, a musical joke. A fast piece, a scherzo is often used as a movement of a symphony or sonata, replacing the minuet.
Score	The written document showing all the parts of a large ensemble, such as a symphony.
Septet	A piece for seven instruments or voices.
Sextet	A piece for six instruments or voices. Brahms wrote two famous sextets for two violins, two violas, and two cellos.
Sonata	An instrumental piece, often in several movements. Typically for solo piano, or for violin or cello and piano, or a wind instrument and piano, with the first movement in sonata form.
Sonatina	A short sonata.
String Family	The modern bowed stringed instruments are the violin, viola, cello, and bass although seldom banjo.
Symphony	A piece for orchestra, usually in four movements, in which the first movement often is in sonata form.
Symphonic poem	See Tone poem.
Tempo	The rate of speed in a musical work.
Theme	A melody used as the subject of a piece, as in sonata form or a set of variations.
Tone Poem	An orchestral piece descriptive of an event or mood, popular in the Romantic era. Literary subjects were often chosen as the basis for tone poems.
Trio	A piece for three instruments. The most common trios are those made up of violin, viola, and cello, or violin, piano, and cello. "Trio" can also refer to the middle section of a minuet or scherzo, and can be played by any number of instruments.
Virtuoso	A brilliant, skillful performer.
Wind instrument family	Instruments in which sound is produced by the vibration of air, including brass and woodwind instruments.
Woodwind family	Instruments that were originally made of wood, and which produces sound by the vibration of air. The modern woodwind family includes flutes, clarinets, saxophones, oboes, and bassoons.

NetMet Music Dictionary

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