Continuing our glossary…
Madrigal - A song from the Renaissance period for multiple singers. Often unaccompanied.
Maestoso - Tempo marking meaning majestically.
Marcato - Marked, accented.
Melisma - Where a syllable in a song is sung to more than one note. (Don’t say warbling or wobbly music)
Melodic Interval - The distance between two notes played one after the other.
Moderato - A tempo of a moderate speed.
Modulation - A key change.
Molto - Very.
Monophonic - A single line of music - no backing, no harmony. For example a solo tune played on a flute.
Motet - Short polyphonic, religious choral piece.
Motif - A short piece of music that’s repeated.
Nonet - A group of nine players or singers.
Octet - A group of eight players or singers.
Opera Buffa - Light hearted opera.
Opera Comique - Comical opera with spoken recitatives.
Opera Seria - Serious opera often with a mythological theme.
Operetta - Small, often lighthearted, opera.
Oral Tradition - Music that is passed on by playing and listening - not written down.
Oratorio - Bible story set to music. Similar to opera but with no acting.
Ostinato - A repeated musical pattern.
Parallel Motion - When parts move with the same interval between them.
Passing Note - A note that links the preceding and following notes.
Pedal Note - A sustained or repeated note often in the bass part.
Perfect Cadence - The end of a section or piece going from the dominant chord (V) to the tonic (I)
Pesante - Heavy
Phrase - A short musical sentence.
Pianissimo (pp) - Very quiet
Piano (p) - Quiet
Piano Trio - A piano, violin, and cello (not three pianos!)
Pivot Chord - A chord that belongs to two keys used to modulate from one to the other.
Pizzicato (Pizz) - An instruction that tells strings players to pluck the strings.
Plagal Cadence - The end of a section or piece going from the subdominant chord (IV) to the tonic (I).
Polyphonic - Texture of music where two or more tunes are woven together.
Polyrhythm - Two or more rhythms being played at the same time.
Portamento - A singing technique where the singer slides from one note to another.
Presto - Tempo marking meaning very fast.
Prestissimo - Tempo marking faster than presto - about as fast as you can possibly play.
Primary Chord - The tonic, subdominant or dominant chord.
Pull-Off - Opposite to hammer on whereby the guitarist will play a note and then release the finger to let another note sound.
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