DEFINITIONS

This is just a list of musical terms most asked by my students. I will be adding more and more terms as I go seeing there are a lot more to add. So just enjoy these for now. ... S.B.

Scales: A succession of notes, normally either a whole tone or a half tone apart, Arranged in acending or decending order. The basic scales of most music today are the major and the minor scales, both consisting of seven different notes forming five whole tones (w) and two half tones (h). Forming in the arrangement w w h w w w h. The minor in the form w h w w h w w. Starting from c the tones of the major scale (C major) are: C D E F G A B C those of the minor scale (Cminor) C D Eb F G Ab Bb

Tritone: The interval of an augmented fourth (C-F#) or a diminshed fifth (C-Gb) called because it spans three whole tones.

Adagio: A slow tempo, between andante and largo.

Andante: Moderately slow, a movement at a moderately slow or walking pace.

Largo: Broad, very slow, slower than adagio.

Accelerando: Becoming faster.

Adagietto: A tempo slightly faster than adagio, a composition in a slow tempo.

Adagissimo: Extremely slow.

Agitato Agitated, excited.

Affettuoso: Affectionate, with warmth.

Allegro: Indicating a fast tempo.

Allargando: Slowing down and increasing volume.

Allegretto: A tempo between allgro and andante. A lively tempo.

A piacere: At pleasure, freely performed.

Larghetto: slow, somewhat faster than largo.

Grave: slow, solemn.

Lento: slow.

Moderato: A moderate tempo.

Andantino: somewhat quicker than andante.

Presto: very fast.

Prestissimo: As fast as possible.

Melody: A succession of musical tones, as opposed to harmony (tones sounded simultaneously). Melody and harmony represent the horizontal and the vertical elements of musical texture. Melody is a universal human phenomenon, traceable to pre-historic times. The origins of melodic thinking have been sought in language, in birdsong and other animal sounds, and in the crying and playing of young children. The early development of melody may have proceeded from one-step voice inflections through combinations of such small intervals as minor 3rds and major 2nds to pentatonics patterns ( based on a five-note scale) such as are found in may parts of the world.

Semitone: Minor Second.

Whole tone: Major Second.

Sesquitone: Minor Third.

Ditone: Major Third.

Diatessaron: Perfect Fourth.

Tritone: Augmented Fourth.

Diapente: Perfect Fifth.

Quadritone: Minor Sixth.

Sesquiquadritone: Major Sixth.

Quinquetone: Minor Seventh.

Sesquiquinquetone: Major Seventh.

Phrygian Polytetrachord: Polytetrachord composed of 12 conjunct or disjunct phrygian tetrachords ( 1 semitone plus 2 whole tones).

Palindromic canons: Canons that read the same backward or forward.

Polyrhythmic scales: Simultaneous progressions in different rhythms.

Tertian position: In four-part harmony, a triad with the root in the bass and the third in the melody.

Octive position: In four-part harmony, a triad with the root both in the melody and in the bass.

Quartal chord: 12-tone chord arranged in perfect fourths.

Polytonal polyrhythmic scales: Simultaneous progressions in different keys and in different rhythms.

Polytonal scales: Scales in different tonalities played simultaneously.