Quartet - A group of four players/singers. A piece in four parts.
Quintet - A group of five players/singers. A piece in five parts.
Raga - A scale used in Indian music.
Ragtime - A piece of music (usually for piano) popular in early 20th Century America. Contains lots of syncopation. Jazz music followed on from ragtime.
Rallentando (rall.) - Gradually slowing down.
Recapitulation - The third section of sonata form.
Recitative - A song, often performed with harpsichord accompaniment, in an opera or oratorio. It moves the story along. It’s like the spoken dialogue in a musical.
Reel - A lively folk dance.
Reggae - A type of music from Jamaica.
Relative Major - A major key that is related to the minor key. It is the third note of the minor scale.
Relative Minor - A minor key that is related to the major key. It is the sixth note of the major scale.
Resolution - The last of three notes in a suspension.
Retrograde - A tune that has been reversed.
Retrograde Inversion - A tune that has been reversed and turned upside down.
Ripieno - The group of musicians accompanying the soloists in a concerto grosso.
Risoluto - Play resolutely - ie confidently.
Ritardando (rit.) - Gradually getting slower.
Ritenuto (rit.) - Hold back the tempo. A sudden slowing down.
Ritornello - A musical form where a theme is returned to regularly. Early form of rondo.
Rondo - A piece where the first theme is repeated after each new section. ABACADA etc.
Root Note - The note a chord originates from. For example, a D major chord would have a D as its root.
Rubato - Flexible tempo.
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