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Prelude Listening to Music Today
1 Melody: Musical Line
2 Rhythm and Meter: Musical Time
3 Harmony: Musical Space
4 The Organization of Musical Sounds
5 Musical Texture
6 Musical Form
7 Musical Expression: Tempo and Dynamics
8 Voices and Musical Instrument Families
9 Western Musical Instruments
10 Musical Ensembles
11 Style and Function of Music in Society
12 The Culture of the Middle Ages
13 Medieval Music
14 The Renaissance Spirit
15 Renaissance Sacred Music
16 Renaissance Secular Music
17 The Baroque Spirit
18 Vocal Music of the Baroque
19 Orchestral Music of the Baroque
20 Baroque Keyboard Music
21 The Classical Spirit
22 The Development of Classical Forms
23 The Classical Symphony
24 The Classical Concerto and Sonata
25 Classical Opera
26 The Spirit of Romanticism
27 The Romantic Miniature
28 Romantic Program Music
29 Romantic Opera
30 The Late Romantics
31 America's Emerging Musical Voice
32 The Impressionist Era
33 Main Currents in Early-Twentieth-Century Music
34 Early-Twentieth-Century Innovators
35 Nationalism and Music
36 Ragtime, Blues, and Jazz
37 New Directions
38 Contemporary Composers Look to World Music
39 Music for the Stage and Screen
40 The Many Voices of Rock
41 Some Current Trends

The Enjoyment of Music: Essential Listening Edition

Glossary

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A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
A
absolute music Music that has no literary, dramatic, or pictorial program. Also pure music.
a cappella Choral music performed without instrumental accompaniment.
accelerando

Getting faster.

This example remains steady in pulse, then slowly speeds up toward the end.

Example: Delibes, Sylvia Suite, "Pizzicato"

accent

The emphasis on a beat resulting in that beat's being louder or longer than another in a measure.

In this example, the accented beat occurs at regular intervals, on every third pulse (1 - 2 - 3 - 1 - 2 - 3).

Example: Haydn, Symphony No. 94 (Surprise), third movement

accompagnato Accompanied; also a recitative that is accompanied by orchestra.
accordion A musical instrument with a small keyboard and free-vibrating metal reeds that sound when air is generated by pleated bellows.
acid rock Genre of American rock that emerged in the late 1960s, often associated with psychedelic drugs. Its style featured heavy amplification, instrumental improvisation, new sound technologies, and light shows.
adagio

Quite slow.

The melody is spun out at a regular but slow pace.

Example: Grieg, Peer Gynt Suite, "Ase's Death"

additive meter

Groupings of irregular numbers of beats that add up to a larger, overall pattern (2 + 3 + 2 + 3 = 10).

ad libitum Indication that gives the performer the liberty to omit a section or to improvise.
aerophone World music classification for instruments that produce sound by using air as the primary vibrating means, such as flute, trumpet, or whistle. The most common Western instruments of this category belong to the woodwind and brass families. Bagpipes are aerophones frequently used in some traditional musics.
agitato Agitated or restless.
Agnus Dei A section of the Mass; the last musical movement of the Ordinary.
aleatory Indeterminate music in which certain elements of performance (such as pitch, rhythm, or form) are left to choice or chance.
alla breve See cut time.
allegro

Fast, cheerful.

This march moves along at a regular, fast pace.

Example: J. F. Wagner, Under the Double Eagle

allemande German dance in moderate duple time, popular during the Renaissance and Baroque periods; often the first movement of a Baroque suite.
alto

Lowest of the female voices. Also contralto.

This vocal example features the low female voice of an alto (short for "contralto").

Example: Handel, Messiah, "O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion"

andante

Moderately slow or walking pace.

This example proceeds at a slow walking pace.

Example: Mozart, Piano Concerto in C major, K. 467, second movement

answer Second entry of the subject in a fugue, usually pitched a fourth below or a fifth above the subject.
anthem A religious choral composition in English; performed liturgically, the Protestant equivalent of the motet.
antiphonal Performance style in which an ensemble is divided into two or more groups, performing in alternation and then together.
antique cymbals Small disks of brass, held by the player one in each hand, that are struck together gently and allowed to vibrate.
arabesque Decorative musical material or a composition based on florid embellishment.
aria Lyric song for solo voice with orchestral accompaniment, generally expressing intense emotion; found in opera, cantata, and oratorio.
arioso Short, aria-like passage.
arpeggio

Broken chord in which the individual tones are sounded one after another instead of simultaneously.

The harp frequently plays arpeggios, as in this example.

Example: Tchaikovsky, The Nutcracker, "Waltz of the Flowers"

Ars Antiqua French sacred polyphonic musical style from the period c. 1160–1320.
Ars Nova Fourteenth-century French polyphonic musical style whose themes moved increasingly from religious to secular.
art rock Genre of rock that uses larger forms and more complex harmonies than other popular styles; occasionally quotes examples from classical music. Also progressive rock.
a tempo Return to the previous tempo.
atonality Total abandonment of tonality (centering in a key). Atonal music moves from one level of dissonance to another, without areas of relaxation.
attaca "Attack," proceed without a pause between movements.
augmentation Statement of a melody in longer note values, often twice as slow as the original.
aulos Double-reed pipe; played for public and religious functions in ancient Greece.

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B
bagpipe Wind instrument popular in Eastern and Western Europe that has several tubes, one of which plays the melody while the others sound the drones, or sustained notes; a windbag is filled by either a mouth pipe or a set of bellows (uilleann pipes).
balalaika Guitar-like instrument of Russia with a triangular body, fretted neck, and three strings; often used in traditional music and dance.
ballade French poetic form and chanson type of the Middle Ages and Renaissance with courtly love texts. Also a Romantic genre, especially a lyric piano piece.
ballad opera English comic opera, usually featuring spoken dialogue alternating with songs set to popular tunes; also called dialogue opera.
ballet A dance form featuring a staged presentation of group or solo dancing with music, costumes, and scenery.
banjo Plucked-string instrument with round body in the form of a single-headed drum and a long, fretted neck; brought to the Americas from Africa by early slaves.
baritone Male voice of moderately low range.
baritone horn

See euphonium.

The rich mid-range voice of a baritone soloist balances well with the trombone in this excerpt.

Example: Mozart, Requiem, "Tuba mirum"

bas Medieval category of soft instruments, used principally for indoor occasions, as distinct from haut, or loud, instruments.
bass Male voice of low range.
bass clarinet Woodwind instrument of the clarinet family with the lowest range.
bass drum

The bass drum is a large membranophone of indefinite pitch that is played with a soft-headed stick; it produces a low, heavy sound that is heard prominently in this march.

Example: F.J. Wagner, Under the Double Eagle

basse danse Graceful court dance of the early Renaissance; an older version of the pavane.
basso continuo Italian for "continuous bass." See figured bass. Also refers to performance group with a bass, chordal instrument (harpsichord, organ), and one bass melody instrument (cello, bassoon).
bassoon

The bassoon is a double-reed instrument made of wood. Its relative, the contrabassoon, heard here, is the lowest pitched and weightiest sounding woodwind instrument.

Example: Mahler, Symphony No. 1, third movement

bass viol See double bass.
beat

Regular pulsation; a basic unit of length in musical time.

In this dance movement, the beats are regular, with a strong, or accented, beat followed by two weaker pulses (1 - 2 - 3 - 1 - 2 - 3).

Example: Haydn, Symphony No. 94 (Surprise), third movement

bebop Complex jazz style developed in the 1940s. Also bop.
bel canto "Beautiful singing"; elegant Italian vocal style characterized by florid melodic lines delivered by voices of great agility, smoothness, and purity of tone.
bell tree Long stick with bells suspended from it, adopted from Janissary music.
bellows An apparatus for producing air currents in certain wind instruments (accordion, bagpipe).
bent pitch See blue note.
big band Large jazz ensemble popular in 1930s and 1940s, featuring sections of trumpets, trombones, saxophones (and other woodwinds), and rhythm instruments (piano, double bass, drums, and guitar).
binary form

Two-part (A-B) form is based on statement and departure. Also two-part form.

In this quick dance, the first idea is stated twice, followed by a contrasting idea, which is also repeated; the binary form here is outlined A-A-B-B.

Example: Corelli, Suite for Strings, "Badinerie"

biwa A Japanese lute, similar to the Chinese pipa.
blue note A slight drop of pitch on the third, fifth, or seventh tone of the scale, common in blues and jazz. Also bent pitch.
blues African-American form of secular folk music, related to jazz, that is based on a simple, repetitive poetic-musical structure.
bodhran Hand-held frame drum with a single goatskin head; used in Irish traditional music.
bongo A pair of small drums of differing pitches; held between the legs and struck with both hands; of Afro-Cuban origin.
bop See bebop.
bossa nova Brazilian dance related to the samba, popular in the 1950s and 1960s.
bourrée Lively French Baroque dance type in duple meter.
branle Quick French group dance of the Renaissance, related to the ronde.
brass family

The principal orchestral instruments of the brass family, from highest to lowest, are: trumpet, French horn, trombone, and tuba. Other brass instruments commonly used in concert and marching bands include cornet, and euphonium. These instruments all have cup-shaped mouthpieces attached to a length of metal tubing that flares into a bell at the end. A column of air is set vibrating by the tightly stretched lips of the player.

This majestic theme is sounded by the full forces of the brass family.

Example: Mussorgsky, Pictures at an Exhibition, "Great Gate of Kiev"

break Jazz term for a short improvised solo without accompaniment that "breaks" an ensemble passage or introduces an extended solo.
bridge Transitional passage connecting two sections of a composition; also transition. Also the part of a string instrument that holds the strings in place.
bugle Brass instrument that evolved from the earlier military, or field, trumpet.
Burgundian chanson Fifteenth-century French composition, usually for three voices, some or all of which may be played by instruments. Also chanson.

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C
cadence Resting place in a musical phrase; music punctuation.

This melody features four phrases, each of which ends in a cadence. The resting places, or cadences, after the first and third phrases are inconclusive (like a comma in a sentence); those after the second and fourth phrases sound final (like a period closing a sentence).

Example: Beethoven, Symphony No. 9, fourth movement, "Ode to Joy"

cadenza Virtuosic solo passage in the manner of an improvisation, performed near the end of an aria or a movement of a concerto.
cakewalk Syncopated, strutting dance of nineteenth century origin; developed among Southern slaves in a parody of white plantation owners.
call and response Performance style with a singing leader who is imitated by a chorus of followers. Also responsorial singing.
canon

Type of polyphonic composition in which one musical line strictly imitates another at a fixed distance throughout.

In this instrumental canon, the double bass presents a melody that is imitated exactly by the bassoon at a fixed distance in time.

Example: Mahler, Symphony No. 1 (Titan), third movement

cantabile Songful, in a singing style.
cantata Vocal genre for solo singers, chorus, and instrumentalists based on a lyric or dramatic poetic narrative. It generally consists of several movements including recitatives, arias, and ensemble numbers.
cantor Solo singer or singing leader in Jewish and Christian liturgical music.
cantus firmus "Fixed melody," usually of very long notes, often based on a fragment of Gregorian chant that served as the structural basis for a polyphonic composition, particularly in the Renaissance.
capriccio Short lyric piece of a free nature, often for piano.
carol English medieval strophic song with a refrain repeated after each stanza; now associated with Christmas.
cassation Classical instrumental genre related to the serenade or divertimento and often performed outdoors.
castanets Percussion instruments consisting of small wooden clappers that are struck together. They are widely used to accompany Spanish dancing.
castrato Male singer who was castrated during boyhood to preserve the soprano or alto vocal register, prominent in seventeenth-and early eighteenth-century opera.
celesta Percussion instrument resembling a miniature upright piano, with tuned metal plates struck by hammers that are operated by a keyboard.
cello

See violoncello.

The cello is noted for its dark resonance and singing quality.

celtic harp See Irish harp.
chaconne Baroque from similar to the passacaglia, in which the variations are based on a repeated chord progression.
chamber choir Small group of up to about twenty-four singers, who usually perform a cappella or with piano accompaniment.
chamber music Ensemble music for up to about ten players, with one player to a part.
chamber sonata See sonata da camera.
chanson French polyphonic song, especially of the Middle Ages and Renaissance, set to either courtly or popular poetry. See also Burgundian chanson.
chart Colloquial or jazz term for a score or arrangement.
chimes Percussion instrument of definite pitch that consists of a set of tuned metal tubes of various lengths suspended from a frame and struck with a hammer. Also tubular bells.
Chinese block Percussion instrument made from a hollowed rectangular block of wood that is struck with a beater.
choir

A group of singers who perform together, usually in parts, with several on each part; often associated with a church.

This example features an unaccompanied (a cappella) chorus singing Latin-texted church music.

Example: Josquin, Tu solus qui facis

choral Baroque congregational hymn of the German Lutheran church.
chorale prelude Short Baroque organ piece in which a traditional chorale melody is embellished.
chorale variations Baroque organ piece in which a chorale is the basis for a set of variations.
chord

Simultaneous combination of three or more tones that constitute a single block of harmony.

In this example, the melody is accompanied by repeated chords, or blocks of harmony (each made up of three tones).

Example: Chopin, Prelude in E minor, Op. 28, No. 4

chordal Texture comprised of chords in which the pitches sound simultaneously; also homorhythmic.
chordophone World music classification for instruments that produce sound from a vibrating string stretched between two points, which is bowed, struck, or plucked. The most common Western instruments of this category belong to the string family (violin, harp). The koto (Japan), erhu (China), and the sitar (India) are examples of non-Western chordophones.
chorus

Fairly large group of singers who perform together, usually with several on each part. Also a choral movement of a large-scale work. In jazz, a single statement of the melodic-harmonic pattern.

In this example, the four-part chorus (soprano, alto, tenor, bass) is heard with orchestra.

Example: Beethoven, Symphony No. 9, fourth movement, "Ode to Joy"

chorus (men's)

Choruses can be restricted to either men's or women's voices. In early times, church music, including Gregorian chant, was traditionally sung by a men's chorus, as heard here.

Example: Gregorian chant, "Kyrie eleison"

chromatic

Melody or harmony built from many if not all twelve semitones of the octave. A chromatic scale consists of an ascending or descending sequence of semitones.

This winding melody makes use of many half steps from the chromatic scale.

Example: Bach, Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue in D minor, Fugue theme

church sonata See sonata da chiesa.
clarinet

The wooden clarinet produces sound via a single reed, a small, thin piece of cane attached to its mouthpiece.

This example demonstrates its smooth, liquid sound.

Example: Ravel, Boléro

clavecin French word for "harpsichord." See harpsichord.
claves A Cuban clapper consisting of two solid hardwood sticks; widely used in Latin-American music.
clavichord stringed keyboard instrument popular in the Renaissance and Baroque that is capable of unique expressive devices not possible on the harpsichord.
clavier Generic word for keyboard instruments, including harpsichord, clavichord, piano, and organ.
closed ending Second of two endings in a secular medieval work, usually cadencing on the final.
coda The last part of a piece, usually added to a standard form to bring it to a close.
codetta In sonata form, the concluding section of the exposition. Also a brief coda concluding an inner section of a work.
collage A technique drawn from the visual arts whereby musical fragments from other compositions are juxtaposed or overlapped within a new work.
collegium musicum An association of amateur musicians, popular in the Baroque era. Also a modern university ensemble dedicated to the performance of early music.
comic opera See opéra comique.
commedia dell'arte Type of improvised drama popular in sixteenth- and seventeenth-century Italy; makes use of stereotyped characters.
common time See quadruple meter.
compound meter Meter in which each beat is subdivided into three rather than two.
computer music A type of electro-acoustic music in which computers assist in creating works through sound synthesis and manipulation.
con amore with love, tenderly.
concertante Style based on the principle of opposition between two dissimilar masses of sound; concerto-like.
concert band Instrumental ensemble ranging from forty to eighty members or more, consisting of wind and percussion instruments. Also wind ensemble.
concertina Small, free-reed, bellows-operated instrument similar to an accordion; hexagonal in shape, with button keys.
concerto Instrumental genre in several movements for solo instrument (or instrumental group) and orchestra.
concerto form Structure commonly used in first movements of concertos that combines elements of Baroque ritornello procedure with sonata-allegro form. Also first-movement concerto form.
concerto grosso Baroque concerto type based on the opposition between a small group of solo instruments (the concertino) and orchestra (the ripieno).
concert overture Single-movement concert piece for orchestra, typically from the Romantic period and often based on a literary program.
conductor Person who, by means of gestures, leads performances of musical ensembles, especially orchestra, bands, or choruses.
con fuoco With fire.
conga Afro-Cuban dance performed at Latin-American Carnival celebrations. Also a single-headed drum of Afro-Cuban origin, played with bare hands.
conjunct

Smooth, connected melody that moves principally by small intervals.

This joyful tune moves in small, connected intervals (mostly seconds), making it conjunct.

Example: Beethoven, Symphony No. 9, fourth movement, "Ode to Joy"

con passione With passion.
consonance

Concordant or harmonious combination of tones that provides a sense of relaxation and stability in music.

This majestic passage is harmonious, or consonant, providing a sense of stability in the music.

Example: Brahms, Symphony No. 1, fourth movement

continuous bass See basso continuo.
continuous imitation Renaissance polyphonic style in which the motives move from line to line within the texture, often overlapping one another.
contrabass See double bass.
contrabassoon Double-reed woodwind instrument with the lowest range in the woodwind family. Also double bassoon.
contralto See alto.
contrapuntal Texture employing counterpoint, or two or more melodic lines.
contrast

Contrast of musical materials sustains our interest and feeds our love of change; it provides variety to a form.

In this example, the first musical idea (heard twice at a fast tempo) is balanced by a contrasting idea, which is also repeated.

Example: Corelli, Suite for Strings, "Badinerie"

cool jazz A substyle of bebop, characterized by a restrained, unemotional performance with lush harmonies, moderate volume levels and tempos, and a new lyricism; often associated with Miles Davis.
cornet Valved brass instrument similar to the trumpet but more mellow in sound.
cornetto Early instrument of the brass family with woodwind-like finger holes. It developed from the cow horn, but was made of wood.
Council of Trent A council of the Roman Catholic Church that convened in Trent, Italy, from 1543 to 1565 and dealt with Counter-Reformation issues, including the reform of liturgical music.
counterpoint The compositional art of combining two or more simultaneous melodic lines (polyphonic texture); term means "point against point" or "note against note."
countermelody

An accompanying melody sounded against the principal melody.

In this famous march, we hear the high piccolos playing a countermelody against the main melody.

Example: Sousa, The Stars and Stripes Forever, Trio

countersubject In a figure, a secondary theme heard against the subject; a countertheme.
country-western Genre of American popular music derived from traditional music of the rural South, usually vocal with an accompaniment of banjos, fiddles, and guitar.
courante French Baroque dance, a standard movement of the suite, in triple meter at a moderate tempo.
cover Recording that remakes an earlier, often successful, recording with a goal of reaching a wider audience.
cowbell Rectangular metal bell that is struck with a drumstick; used widely in Latin-American music.
Credo A section of the Mass; the third musical movement of the Ordinary.
crescendo

The dynamic effect of gradually growing louder, indicated in the musical score by the marking "<."

This energetic theme is repeated in various combinations of instruments as the dynamic level gradually grows from p (piano, or soft) to ff (fortissimo, or very loud).

Example: Mendelssohn, Symphony No. 4 (Italian), fourth movement

crossover Recording or artist that appeals primarily to one audience but becomes popular with another as well (e.g., a rock performer who makes jazz recordings).
crotales A pair of small pitched cymbals mounted on a frame; also made in chromatic sets.
crumhorn Early woodwind instrument, whose sound is produced by blowing into a capped double reed and whose lower body is curved.
cut time A type of duple meter interpreted as 2/2 and indicated as ¢; also called alla breve.
cyclical form Structure in which musical material, such as a theme, presented in one movement returns in a later movement.
cymbals

Cymbals are two circular brass plates of equal size, which when struck together produce a shattering sound, as heard in this example.

Example: F.J. Wagner, Under the Double Eagle

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D
da capo An indication to return to the beginning of a piece.
da capo aria Lyric song in ternary, or A-B-A, form, commonly found in operas, cantatas, and oratorios.
decrescendo

The dynamic effect of gradually growing softer, indicated in the musical score by the marking ">." Also referred to as diminuendo.

The dynamic level decreases very gradually in the closing section of this work (except for the last two loud chords).

Example: Smetana, The Moldau

development Structural reshaping of thematic material. Second section of sonata-allegro form; it moves through a series of foreign keys while themes from the exposition are manipulated.
dialogue opera See ballad opera.
diatonic

Melody or harmony built from the seven tones of a major or minor scale. A diatonic scale encompasses patterns of seven whole tones and semitones.

This trumpet melody is built exclusively from the seven pitches of a major scale, making it diatonic.

Example: Mouret, Rondeau

Dies irae Chant from the Requiem Mass whose text concerns Judgment Day.
diminuendo Growing softer.
diminution Statement of a melody in shorter note values, often twice as fast as the original.
disco Commercial dance music popular in the 1970s, characterized by strong percussion in a quadruple meter.
disjunct

Disjointed or disconnected melody with many leaps.

This dance-like tune moves with disjointed leaps, making it disjunct.

Example: Haydn, Symphony No. 94 (Surprise), third movement

dissonance

Combination of tones that sounds discordant and unstable, in need of resolution.

divertimento Classical instrumental genre for chamber ensemble or soloist, often performed as light entertainment. Related to serenade and cassation.
Divine Offices Cycle of daily services of the Roman Catholic Church, distinct from the Mass.
doctrine of the affections Baroque doctrine of the union of text and music.
dodecaphonic Greek for "twelve-tone"; see twelve-tone music.
dolce Sweetly.
dolente Sad, weeping.
dominant The fifth scale step, sol.
dominant chord Chord built on the fifth scale step, the V chord.
double bass

Largest and lowest-pitched member of the bowed string family. Also called contrabass or bass viol.

The double bass, the lowest member of the bowed string family, has a thick, weighty tone.

Example: Mahler, Symphony No. 1, third movement

double bassoon See contrabassoon.
double exposition In the concerto, twofold statement of the themes, once by the orchestra and once by the soloist.
double-stop Playing two notes simultaneously on a string instrument.
doubles Variations of a dance in a French keyboard suite.
down beat

First beat of the measure, the strongest in any meter.

This triple-meter dance begins on an accented beat, the first beat, or downbeat, in the measure (1 - 2 - 3 | 1 - 2 - 3).

Example: Bach, Minuet in G

drone

Sustained sounding of one or several tones for harmonic support, a common feature of some folk musics.

A low-pitched, two-note drone is heard at the beginning of this example, as the disjunct melodic idea is passed from one instrument to another.

Example: Beethoven, Symphony No. 9 in D minor, first movement

dulcimer Early folk instrument that resembles the psaltery; its strings are struck with hammers instead of being plucked.
duple meter

Basic metrical pattern of two beats to a measure.

Most marches are in duple meter, with two beats per measure (alternating a strong beat with a weak beat (1 - 2 | 1- 2 ).

Example: F.J. Wagner, Under the Double Eagle

duplum Second voice of a polyphonic work, especially the medieval motet.
duration Length of time something lasts; e.g., the vibration of a musical sound.
dynamics Element of musical expression relating to the degree of loudness or softness, or volume, of a sound.

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E
embellishment Melodic decoration, either improvised or indicated through ornamentation signs in the music.
embouchure The placement of the lips, lower facial muscles, and jaws in playing a wind instrument.
Empfindsamkeit German "sensitive" style of the mid-eighteenth century, characterized by melodic directness and homophonic texture.
encore "again"; an audience request that the performer(s) repeat a piece or perform another.
English horn Double-reed woodwind instrument, larger and lower in range than the oboe.
ensembles Musical performing groups; common Western ensembles include chorus, choir, men's chorus (and women's chorus), orchestra, chamber group (such as string quartet), and band (concert, marching, jazz).
entenga Tuned drum from Uganda; the royal drum ensemble of the former ruler of Buganda.
episode Interlude or intermediate section in the Baroque fugue, which serves as an area of relaxation between statements of the subject.
equal temperament Tuning system based on the division of the octave into twelve equal half steps; the normal system used today.
erhu Bowed, two-string fiddle from China, with its bow hairs fixed between the strings; rests on the leg while playing.
espressivo Expressively.
ethnomusicology Comparative study of musics of the world, with a focus on the cultural context of music.
ethno-pop See world beat.
étude Study piece that focuses on a particular technical problem.
euphonium Tenor-range brass instrument resembling the tuba. Also baritone horn.
exoticism Musical style in which rhythms, melodies, or instruments evoke the color and atmosphere of far-off lands.
exposition Opening section. In the fugue, the first section in which the voices enter in turn with the subject. In sonata-allegro form, the first section in which the major thematic material is stated. Also statement.

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F
falsetto Vocal technique whereby men can sing above their normal range, producing a lighter sound.
fantasia Free instrumental piece of fairly large dimensions, in an improvisational style; in the Baroque, it often served as an introductory piece to a fugue.
fiddle Colloquial term for violin; often used in traditional music.
figured bass Baroque practice consisting of an independent bass line that often includes numerals indicating the harmony to be supplied by the performer. Also thorough-bass.
film music Music that serves either as background or foreground for a film.
first-movement concerto form See concerto form.
first-movement form See sonata-allegro form.
fixed forms Group of forms, especially in medieval France, in which the poetic structure determines musical repetitions. See also ballade, rondeau, virelai.
flat sign Musical symbol (b) that indicates lowering a pitch by a semitone.
fluegelhorn Valved brass instrument resembling a bugle with a wide bell, used in jazz and commercial music.
flute

The flute is a cylindrical metal tube closed at one end that is held horizontally and blown across the mouth hole.

In this example, its timbre is cool and velvety in the low range.

Example: Ravel, Boléro

flutter tonguing Wind instrument technique in which the tongue is fluttered or trilled against the roof of the mouth.
folk music See traditional music.
folk rock Popular music style that combines folk music with amplified instruments of rock.
form The structure or shape of a musical work, based on repetition, contrast, and variation; the organizing principle in music. Binary and ternary are basic forms, while more complex forms include sonata-allegro, rondo, minuet and trio, theme and variations, ritornello, and fugue.
formalism Tendency to elevate formal above expressive value in music, as in Neoclassical music.
forte

The Italian term for "loud," indicated in the musical score by the marking "f."

In this example, the woodwind section plays the melody loudly (marked "forte")

Example: Ravel, Boléro

fortissimo (ff)

The Italian term for "very loud," indicated in the musical score by the marking "ff."

At the close of this work, the dynamic level is very loud (fortissimo) in the full orchestra.

Example: Ravel, Boléro

four-hand piano music Chamber music genre for two performers playing at one or occasionally two pianos, allowing home or salon performances of orchestral arrangements.
free-verse rhythm A free-flowing, nonmetric line in which movement is linked to the text inflections, as in Gregorian chant.
French horn

The solo instrument featured here is the French horn, a mellow brass instrument that descended from the ancient hunting horn. Also horn.

Example: Mozart, Horn Concerto K. 447, third movement

French overture Baroque instrumental introduction to an opera, ballet, or suite, in two sections: a slow opening followed by an Allegro, often with a brief return to the opening.
frequency Rate of vibration of a string or column of air, which determines pitch.
fugato A fugal passage in a nonfugal piece, such as in the development section of a sonata-allegro form.
fuging tune Polyphonic, imitative setting of a hymn or psalm, popular in Great Britain and the United States from the eighteenth century.
fugue

Polyphonic form popular in the Baroque era in which one or more themes are developed by imitative counterpoint.

A fugue is a complex composition in which the theme (called the subject) is developed by imitative counterpoint. In this example, the first imitation of the subject is heard overlapping the initial idea.

Example: Bach, Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue in D minor, Fugue

fusion Style that combines jazz improvisation with amplified instruments of rock.

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G
gagaku Traditional court music of Japan.
galliard Lively, triple-meter French court dance.
gamelan Musical ensemble of Java or Bali, made up of gongs, chimes, metallophones, and drums, among other instruments.
gavotte Duple-meter Baroque dance type of a pastoral character.
genre General term describing the standard category and overall character of a work.
Gesamtkunstwerk German for "total artwork"; a term coined by Richard Wagner to describe the synthesis of all the arts (music, poetry, drama, visual spectacle) in his late operas.
gigue Popular English Baroque dance type, a standard movement of the Baroque suite, in a lively compound meter.
gioioso Joyous.
glee club Specialized vocal ensemble that performs popular music, college songs, and more serious works.
glissando Rapid slide through pitches of a scale.
glitter rock Theatrical, flamboyant rock style popular in the 1970s.
glockenspiel Percussion instrument with horizontal, tuned steel bars of various sizes that are struck with mallets and produce a bright metallic sound.
Gloria A section of the Mass; the second musical movement of the Ordinary.
Goliard song Medieval Latin-texted secular song, often with corrupt or lewd lyrics; associated with wandering scholars.
gong Percussion instrument consisting of a broad circular disk of metal, suspended in a frame and struck with a heavy drumstick. Also tam-tam.
gospel music Twentieth-century sacred music style associated with Protestant African Americans.
grace note Ornamental note, often printed in small type and not performed rhythmically.
Gradual Fourth item of the Proper of the Mass, sung in a melismatic style, and performed in a responsorial manner in which soloists alternate with a choir.
grand opera Style of Romantic opera developed in Paris, focusing on serious, historical plots with huge choruses, crowd scenes, elaborate dance episodes, ornate costumes, and spectacular scenery.
grave

Solemn; very, very slow.

The pace of this piano work is very, very slow and the mood is solemn.

Example: Beethoven, Piano Sonata in C minor, Op. 13, (Pathétique), first movement

Gregorian chant Monophonic melody with a freely flowing, unmeasured vocal line; liturgical chant of the Roman Catholic Church. Also plainchant or plainsong.
ground bass A repeating melody, usually in the bass, throughout a vocal or instrumental composition.
grunge rock Contemporary Seattle-based rock style characterized by harsh guitar chords; hybrid of punk rock and heavy metal.
guitar Plucked-string instrument originally made of wood with a hollow resonating body and a fretted fingerboard; types include acoustic and electric.

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H
habanera Moderate duple-meter dance of Cuban origin, popular in the nineteenth century; based on characteristic rhythmic figure.
half step Smallest interval used in the Western system; octave divides into twelve such intervals; on the piano, the distance between any two adjacent keys, whether black or white. Also semitone.
harmonica Mouth organ; a small metal box on which free reeds are mounted, played by moving back and forth across the mouth while breathing into it.
harmonics Individual pure sounds that are part of any musical tone; in string instruments, crystalline tones in the very high register, produced by lightly touching a vibrating string at a certain point.
harmonium Organ-like instrument with free metal reeds set in vibration by a bellows; popular in late-nineteenth-century America.
harmony

The simultaneous combination of notes and the ensuing relationships of intervals and chords. Not all musics of the world rely on harmony for interest, but it is central to most Western music.

harp

The harp's strings are plucked, and its pitches are changed by means of pedals. Its ethereal tone is easily recognizable. The harp frequently plays broken chords called arpeggios.

Example: Tchaikovsky, The Nutcracker, "Waltz of the Flowers"