Listener’s Guide to Musical Terms

We often hear certain terms applied to musical pieces. But what do they mean? Here’s a brief guide of commonly-used terms to enhance our understanding and enjoyment of this wonderful art form we know as music.  As a bonus, we’ve included a guide to tempo markings, which indicate not only the pace of the music but sometimes describe the piece itself

A

Air.  An instrumental piece that has a song-like, lyrical quality.  It’s a variation of the Italian “aria”, referring to a lyrical vocal melody.  Examples include the Air on a G String, a movement within J.S. Bach’s Orchestral Suite No. 3 and the opening and closing theme of Bach’s Goldberg Variations.

B

Ballade.  With roots in the Medieval era, a ballad is music set to a literary piece, such as a narrative poem.  It can also be a piece that evokes a narrative quality, such as the ballades of Frederic Chopin.

Basso Continuo (or Continuo).  A bass line that supports the harmonic structure and provides a chordal progression. The use of continuo was popular during the Baroque era and is often performed on a keyboard, such as a harpsichord, or bass stringed instrument.

C

Cadenza.  An unaccompanied, bravura passage toward the end of a concerto movement that spotlights the virtuosic skill of the soloist. 

Cantata.  A multi-movement work for voice and chorus, accompanied by orchestra.  It can be based on a secular text (cantata da camera) or sacred text for church services (cantata da chiesa).  J.S. Bach is the best-known composer of cantatas, of which he composed more than 200.

Chamber Music.  Music written for performance by a small ensemble, typically with one player per part, and scored for one family of instruments such as strings, or a combination of families of instruments, such as strings with woodwinds.

Chord.  Two or more notes played simultaneously that form the harmonic structure of a passage.

Concert Overture.  An independent, single-movement composition that does not serve as an introduction or prelude to a forthcoming piece of music.  A convert overture contrasts with an opera overture, which is intended to introduce the opera and often incorporates themes presented within the opera.

Concerto.  A work in which a solo instrument (or instruments) is spotlighted and accompanied by, and dialogues with, an orchestra or other form of ensemble. Its roots are in the Baroque concerto grosso.  It came to the fore during the 18th century and blossomed during the Romantic era. 

Concerto Grosso.  Italian for “big concerto,” a form popular during the Baroque era in which primary portions of music alternate between a small group of soloists (the concertino) and a larger group of instrumentalists (tutti or ripieni). 

Continuo.  See basso continuo.

Counterpoint.  Independent lines of music interacting with each other according to certain standard construction rules.  Counterpoint was widely used during the Baroque era.

Crescendo.  From the Italian “to increase”, a dynamic marking that directs the performer to gradually increase the sound.

D

Decrescendo.  From the Italian “to decrease”, a dynamic marking that directs the performer to gradually decrease the sound.

Divertimento.  A set of pieces in a suite intended for an informal setting, such as an outdoor or social event, performed by a small ensemble.  Divertimenti were popular during the 18th century.

Dynamics.  The volume of a sound, such as loud or soft, and designed to convey the feeling of a particular passage.

E

Etude.  A short exercise for one instrument to instruct or improve technical ability, or to showcase the virtuosity of a performer.  Etudes were popular during the 19th century.

F

Fantasy (Fantasia, Fantasie).  A freely-structured work with roots in improvisation that does not follow a structured form. Fantasies were written during the Renaissance and Baroque eras and developed during the 18th and 19th centuries.

Fugue. A form of  polyphony -- multiple, independent lines of music simultaneously interacting with each other – commonly used during the Baroque era. The lines can be performed by separate instruments playing together (each representing a “voice”) or by different registers of a keyboard. The result is a complex texture that contrasts with later music styles in which a single melody is presented in one voice and accompanied by harmony.

G

Gavotte.  An 18th century French dance of medium tempo that is often included in Baroque suites.

H

Harmony.  Two or more notes played simultaneously to provide a tonal support for a melody based on a key signature of a composition.

I

Impromptu.  A free-form composition that implies an unplanned, spontaneous expression.  Franz Schubert wrote two sets of impromptu for solo piano.

Incidental Music.  Music written to accompany a play or any type of performance not intended as musical.

Interval.  The distance in pitch of two notes/sounds.

K

Key or Key Signature.  The device that sets the pitches that form the tonal and harmonic structure of a composition.  Each key (i.e., C major, B minor) has its own unique set of accidentals (sharps and flats) that determine the pitches and tone for that key.  A key signature is a notation placed at the beginning of each staff of a score to indicate the key of the piece.

L

Legato.  From the Italian for “smooth”, a musical notation indicating a smooth connection from one note to the next, without a disconnected sound.

Leitmotif.  A recurring theme, typically used in opera, that represents a unique idea, person, thing or dramatic situation.

M

Melody.  A series of successive notes that form a tune. 

Meter.  The set pattern of beats per measure (i.e., ¾ time for waltzes).  Sometimes referred to as “time signature”, it is notated on the staff at the beginning of each piece, or, if meter changes within a piece, it is indicated at the beginning of the changed passage.

Minuet.  A moderately paced dance in triple meter.  Its origin is in a French dance comprised of small steps. It can be a single-movement work or incorporated as a movement in a suite or symphony.

Motif.  A small musical fragment that represents an idea or theme and recurs during the piece to bind it thematically.  (See also leitmotif.)

Movement.  A separate piece of music incorporated within a larger, multi-movement composition.

N

Nocturne. From the Latin noturnus (“belonging to the night”), music that is inspired by, or evokes, nighttime.  Written for ensembles or solo instruments.

O

Octave.  A series of eight successive notes that make up an internal.  The first and eighth note are the same but located at an eight-note distance from each other.  The notes in an octave include whole and half pitches, based on the key signature of a piece.

Opus.  From the Latin “work”, the order in which the piece of music was composed or published, thus helping to determine whether a piece is an early work, from a middle or developing period, or a mature composition. In some cases, pieces without an established Opus number are identified as “WoO” for “works without opus number.”

Note:  The following composer catalogs use these identifiers instead of Opus: 

• C.P.E. Bach:  “H” refers to the catalog compiled by Hans Helm.
• J.S. Bach:   “BWV” refers to the Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis (the Bach works catalog) compiled by Wolfgang Schmeider.
• G.F. Handel: “HWV” refers to the catalog compiled as Händel-Werke-Verzeichnis.
• W.A. Mozart:  “K” or “KV” refers to the chronological catalog compiled by Ludwig von Köchel.
• Domenico Scarlatti:  “K” refers to a chronological catalog compiled by American pianist and harpsichordist Ralph Kirkpatrick.
• Franz Schubert:  “D” is sometimes used, in addition to, or instead of, Opus, to refer to the catalog compiled by Otto Erich Deutsch.
• G.P. Telemann: “TWV” refers to Telemann-Werke-Verzeichnis (Telemann Works Catalogue) established by Martin Ruhnke.
• Antonio Vivaldi:  “RV” refers to the Ryom-Verzeichnis chronological catalog established by Dutch musicologist Peter Ryom.

Overture.  Music that serves as an introduction to a larger musical work, such as opera, and often includes themes that will be heard in the following work.  During the Baroque and early Classical eras, the term “overture” also signified a symphony or a suite.  (See also Concert Overture above.)

P

Pitch.  The frequency (vibration) of a particular note.

Polyphony.  Multiple, independent lines of music simultaneously interacting with each other. The form was common during the Baroque era.

Prelude.  A short piece that serves as an introduction to succeeding music. Chopin’s piano preludes, however, were composed as independent works.

Program Music.  Music that depicts or evokes an extra-musical idea or thing, such as an animal, the weather, or a season.  Vivaldi’s Four Seasons and Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony are examples.

R

Rhapsody.  A single-movement work, for orchestra or solo instrument, full of passion and moods. 

Rhythm.  Patterns and emphases in moving sounds and silence.  Sometimes referred to as the “beat” or “pulse”.

Romance or Romanza.  A single-movement work that is intimate and tender in nature.

Rondo.  A musical form that alternates between an initial theme and other, contrasting material. (i.e., A-B-A-C-A-D-A).  The return segments of the initial statement are typically variations of the original theme.  A Rondo can be a single, stand-alone work or a movement within a larger piece.

Rubato.  From the Italian “to rob”, it refers to slight rhythmic and tempo adjustments, typically a slowing of the tempo. Rubato can be indicated on the score or based on the mood and expressiveness of the interpreter. 

S

Scale.  See Octave.

Scherzo.  From Italian for “joke” or “jest”, a lighthearted, up-tempo and playful piece of music – independent or a movement within a piece -- that contains elements of surprise, such as tempo, dynamic or rhythmic changes. The term scherzando is an expressive indication that a passage be performed in a playful style.

Score. The written manuscript of a composition that shows the notes, key signature, meter and tempo and dynamic markings.  It also indicates the instrumentation used in a piece (i.e., scored for winds).

Serenade.  A peaceful, light instrumental piece dedicated to a person or designed for calm evening enjoyment. 

Sinfonia Concertante. A hybrid between a symphony and a concerto involving a small group of two or more soloists who are highlighted against an orchestra, but play a less prominent role than soloists in a concerto. Popular during the 18th century.

Sonata.  From Italian suonare, “to sound”, a multi-movement piece for solo instrument.  The keyboard sonatas of Domenico Scarlatti, however, are one movement.

Sonata Form.  Developed and used widely during the 18th century, it signifies a standard musical structure of a composition consisting of three main parts:  exposition, development and recapitulation.

Staff or Stave.  The five stacked, horizontal lines upon which notes are placed to signify their pitches.

Symphonic Poem.  A freely-formed composition that evokes a non-musical source, such as a literary work, a poem, a person, a painting or atmosphere. Developed during the 19th century Romantic era.

Symphony or Sinfonia.  From the Greek symphonia, meaning a concordance of sound, it is composition written for full orchestra that includes strings, brass, woodwinds and percussion sections.  The symphony took shape during the early part of the 18th century.  Joseph Haydn is credited with developing the standard symphonic form in the mid-18th century, later taken up by Mozart and Beethoven and expanded during the 19th century Romany era and late Romantic era. 

Syncopation.  An accent placed on non-important or “off” beats in a measure, rather than an accent on primary beats.

Suite.  A multi-movement collection of short pieces played in sequence, connected by a theme or structure. Baroque suites typically open with an overture or prelude, followed by traditional dances of the era, such as allemande, courante, sarabande and gigue.  Later-era suites are collections of music extracted from larger works. 

T

Tempo.  The pace or speed at which music is played.

Texture.  How elements are combined to provide variations and mood.  Textures can include layering of sound, instruments and harmonies; openness or density of orchestration; and varying rhythms.

Theme and Variation. A theme, displayed by a fundamental melody or idea, followed by a series of variations based upon that theme. Variations can be harmonic, melodic or rhythmic.

Timbre.  The tonal quality or color of a sound produced by various techniques of sound production.

Time Signature.  See Meter.

Tone Poem.  Similar to the Symphonic Poem (see above), it evokes a mood or a non-musical source.

Trio.  A group of three musicians. Also, a single musical composition comprised of three parts and placed within a larger work, such as a symphony. 

Triplet. Three notes played in the time meter for two notes.

TEMPO MARKINGS

Andante:  Moderately slow, at a leisurely strolling tempo.

Allegro:  Brisk and lively.

Allegretto:  Cheerful, more rapid than Moderato but slower than Allegro.

Con brio:  Spirited and lively. 

Grave:  Very slow and solemn.

Larghetto:  Fairly slow, but not as slow as Lento or Grave.

Largo:  Slow and solemn

Lento (Lent):  Slow.

Moderato:  Moderate, and faster than Andante.

Presto:  Very fast!

Vivace:  Vivacious and quick.