The Music Term Glossary G-O
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The Music Term Glossary G-O
The musical term glossary.
G
gaudioso with joy
gentile gently
geschwind (Ger) quickly
getragen (Ger) sustainedly
giocoso or gioioso gaily
giusto strictly, exactly, e.g. tempo giusto in strict time
glissando (simulated Italian) a continuous sliding from one pitch to another (a true glissando), or an incidental scale executed while moving from one melodic note to another (an effective glissando). See glissando for further information; and compare portamento in this list.
grandioso grandly
grave slowly and seriously
grazioso gracefully
gustoso with gusto
H
H (Ger) B natural in German; B means B flat
Hauptstimme (Ger) "head" voice, chief part; i.e., the contrapuntal line of primary importance, in opposition to Nebenstimme
hemiola (English, from Greek) the imposition of a pattern of rhythm or articulation other than that implied by the time signature; specifically, in triple time (for example in 3/4) the imposition of a duple pattern (as if the time signature were, for example, 2/4). See Syncopation.
I
immer (Ger) always
imperioso imperiously
impetuoso impetuously
improvisando with improvisation
improvisato improvised, or as if improvised
in altissimo in the highest; i.e., play or sing an octave higher
incalzando getting faster and louder
insistendo insistently, deliberate
in modo di in the art of, in the style of
intimo intimately
irato angrily
K
krδftig (Ger) strongly
L
lacrimoso tearfully; i.e., sadly
lamentando lamenting, mournfully
lamentoso lamenting, mournfully
langsam (Ger) slowly
largamente broadly; i.e., slowly (same as largo)
larghetto somewhat slowly; not as slow as largo
Larghissimo very slowly; slower than largo
largo broadly; i.e., slowly
lebhaft (Ger) briskly, lively
legato joined; i.e., smoothly, in a connected manner (see also articulation)
leggiero lightly, delicately
lent (Fr) slowly
lento slowly
liberamente freely
libero free, freely
l'istesso see lo stesso, below
loco [in] place; i.e., perform the notes at the pitch written (generally used to cancel an 8va direction)
lontano from a distance; distantly
lo stesso (or commonly, but ungrammatically, l'istesso) the same; applied to the manner of articulation, tempo, etc.
lugubre lugubrious, mournful
luminoso luminously
lusingando coaxingly
M
ma but
ma non troppo but not too much
maestoso majestically, in a stately fashion
magico magically
magnifico magnificent
main droite (Fr) [played with the] right hand (abbreviation: MD or m.d.)
main gauche (Fr) [played with the] left hand (abbreviation: MG or m.g.)
malinconico melancholy
mano destra [played with the] right hand (abbreviation: MD or m.d.)
mano sinistra [played with the] left hand (abbreviation: MS or m.s.)
marcatissimo very accentuatedly
marcato marked; i.e., accentuatedly, execute every note as if it were to be accented
marcia a march; alla marcia means in the manner of a march
martellato hammered out
marziale in the march style
mδssig (Ger) moderately
MD see mano destra and main droite
melancolico melancholic
melisma the technique of changing the note (pitch) of a syllable of text while it is being sung
measure the period of a musical piece that encompasses a complete cycle of the time signature, e.g., in 4/4 time, a measure has four quarter-note beats
meno less; see meno mosso, for example, under mosso
mesto mournful, sad
meter (or metre) the pattern of a music piece's rhythm of strong and weak beats
mezza voce half voice; i.e., with subdued or moderated volume
mezzo half; used in combinations like mezzo forte (mf), meaning moderately loud
mezzo forte half loudly; i.e., moderately loudly. See dynamics.
mezzo piano half softly; i.e., moderately softly. See dynamics.
mezzo-soprano a female singer with a range usually extending from the A below middle C to the F an eleventh above middle C. Mezzo-sopranos generally have a darker vocal tone than sopranos, and their vocal range is between that of a soprano and that of an alto.
MG see main gauche
misterioso mysteriously
mobile flexible, changeable
moderato moderate; often combined with other terms, usually relating to tempo; for example, allegro moderato
modesto modest
moll (Ger) minor; used in key signatures as, for example, a-moll (A minor), b-moll (B♭ minor), or h-moll (B minor) (see also dur (major) in this list)
molto very
morendo dying; i.e., dying away in dynamics, and perhaps also in tempo
mosso moved, moving; used with a preceding piω or meno (see in this list), for faster or slower respectively
MS see mano sinistra
moto motion; usually seen as con moto, meaning with motion or quickly
munter (Ger) lively
N
narrante narratingly
naturale or nat. natural; i.e., discontinue a special effect, such as col legno, sul tasto, sul ponticello, or playing in harmonics
N.C. No chord, written in the chord row of music notation to show there is no chord being played, and no implied harmony.
Nebenstimme (Ger) under part; i.e., a secondary contrapuntal part, always occurring simultaneously with, and subsidiary to, the Hauptstimme
nicht (Ger) not
nobile or nobilmente in a noble fashion
notes inιgales (Fr) unequal notes; i.e., a principally Baroque performance practice of applying long-short rhythms to pairs of notes written as equal
O
omaggio homage, celebration
one-voice-per-part, or OVPP the practice of using solo voices on each musical line or part in choral music.
ossia or instead; i.e., according to some specified alternative way of performing a passage, which is marked with a footnote, additional small notes, or an additional staff
ostinato obstinate, persistent; i.e., a short musical pattern that is repeated throughout an entire composition or portion of a composition
ottava octave; e.g. ottava bassa: an octave lower
G
gaudioso with joy
gentile gently
geschwind (Ger) quickly
getragen (Ger) sustainedly
giocoso or gioioso gaily
giusto strictly, exactly, e.g. tempo giusto in strict time
glissando (simulated Italian) a continuous sliding from one pitch to another (a true glissando), or an incidental scale executed while moving from one melodic note to another (an effective glissando). See glissando for further information; and compare portamento in this list.
grandioso grandly
grave slowly and seriously
grazioso gracefully
gustoso with gusto
H
H (Ger) B natural in German; B means B flat
Hauptstimme (Ger) "head" voice, chief part; i.e., the contrapuntal line of primary importance, in opposition to Nebenstimme
hemiola (English, from Greek) the imposition of a pattern of rhythm or articulation other than that implied by the time signature; specifically, in triple time (for example in 3/4) the imposition of a duple pattern (as if the time signature were, for example, 2/4). See Syncopation.
I
immer (Ger) always
imperioso imperiously
impetuoso impetuously
improvisando with improvisation
improvisato improvised, or as if improvised
in altissimo in the highest; i.e., play or sing an octave higher
incalzando getting faster and louder
insistendo insistently, deliberate
in modo di in the art of, in the style of
intimo intimately
irato angrily
K
krδftig (Ger) strongly
L
lacrimoso tearfully; i.e., sadly
lamentando lamenting, mournfully
lamentoso lamenting, mournfully
langsam (Ger) slowly
largamente broadly; i.e., slowly (same as largo)
larghetto somewhat slowly; not as slow as largo
Larghissimo very slowly; slower than largo
largo broadly; i.e., slowly
lebhaft (Ger) briskly, lively
legato joined; i.e., smoothly, in a connected manner (see also articulation)
leggiero lightly, delicately
lent (Fr) slowly
lento slowly
liberamente freely
libero free, freely
l'istesso see lo stesso, below
loco [in] place; i.e., perform the notes at the pitch written (generally used to cancel an 8va direction)
lontano from a distance; distantly
lo stesso (or commonly, but ungrammatically, l'istesso) the same; applied to the manner of articulation, tempo, etc.
lugubre lugubrious, mournful
luminoso luminously
lusingando coaxingly
M
ma but
ma non troppo but not too much
maestoso majestically, in a stately fashion
magico magically
magnifico magnificent
main droite (Fr) [played with the] right hand (abbreviation: MD or m.d.)
main gauche (Fr) [played with the] left hand (abbreviation: MG or m.g.)
malinconico melancholy
mano destra [played with the] right hand (abbreviation: MD or m.d.)
mano sinistra [played with the] left hand (abbreviation: MS or m.s.)
marcatissimo very accentuatedly
marcato marked; i.e., accentuatedly, execute every note as if it were to be accented
marcia a march; alla marcia means in the manner of a march
martellato hammered out
marziale in the march style
mδssig (Ger) moderately
MD see mano destra and main droite
melancolico melancholic
melisma the technique of changing the note (pitch) of a syllable of text while it is being sung
measure the period of a musical piece that encompasses a complete cycle of the time signature, e.g., in 4/4 time, a measure has four quarter-note beats
meno less; see meno mosso, for example, under mosso
mesto mournful, sad
meter (or metre) the pattern of a music piece's rhythm of strong and weak beats
mezza voce half voice; i.e., with subdued or moderated volume
mezzo half; used in combinations like mezzo forte (mf), meaning moderately loud
mezzo forte half loudly; i.e., moderately loudly. See dynamics.
mezzo piano half softly; i.e., moderately softly. See dynamics.
mezzo-soprano a female singer with a range usually extending from the A below middle C to the F an eleventh above middle C. Mezzo-sopranos generally have a darker vocal tone than sopranos, and their vocal range is between that of a soprano and that of an alto.
MG see main gauche
misterioso mysteriously
mobile flexible, changeable
moderato moderate; often combined with other terms, usually relating to tempo; for example, allegro moderato
modesto modest
moll (Ger) minor; used in key signatures as, for example, a-moll (A minor), b-moll (B♭ minor), or h-moll (B minor) (see also dur (major) in this list)
molto very
morendo dying; i.e., dying away in dynamics, and perhaps also in tempo
mosso moved, moving; used with a preceding piω or meno (see in this list), for faster or slower respectively
MS see mano sinistra
moto motion; usually seen as con moto, meaning with motion or quickly
munter (Ger) lively
N
narrante narratingly
naturale or nat. natural; i.e., discontinue a special effect, such as col legno, sul tasto, sul ponticello, or playing in harmonics
N.C. No chord, written in the chord row of music notation to show there is no chord being played, and no implied harmony.
Nebenstimme (Ger) under part; i.e., a secondary contrapuntal part, always occurring simultaneously with, and subsidiary to, the Hauptstimme
nicht (Ger) not
nobile or nobilmente in a noble fashion
notes inιgales (Fr) unequal notes; i.e., a principally Baroque performance practice of applying long-short rhythms to pairs of notes written as equal
O
omaggio homage, celebration
one-voice-per-part, or OVPP the practice of using solo voices on each musical line or part in choral music.
ossia or instead; i.e., according to some specified alternative way of performing a passage, which is marked with a footnote, additional small notes, or an additional staff
ostinato obstinate, persistent; i.e., a short musical pattern that is repeated throughout an entire composition or portion of a composition
ottava octave; e.g. ottava bassa: an octave lower

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» The music disharmony theory and chromatic music
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