A Capella
Unaccompanied choral music

Accelerando
An increase, or accelleration of the tempo, or pace of a piece

Accent
Extra force given to a marked note. Indicated with a > above the note

Accidental
A sharp, flat or natural given to a note that is not indicated in the key signature

Adagio
Slow, but faster than largo. A slow movement is called an adagio

Aerophone
An instrument which produces sound by air being blown through it

Allegretto
Fairly quick, but not as much as allegro

Allegro
Quick and lively, but not as much as presto

Alto
The lowest female voice or a clef for instruments such as the viola

Andante
A walking speed, but not too slow

Anthem
See Anthem

Antiphonal
When two or more sets of instruments or voices sing against each other in a question - answer style, playing alternately

Arco
Use of the bow by the player of a string instrument. Normally follows a passage of pizzicato

Aria
See Aria

Atonal
Music without a sense of key, by Schienberg and others in the early 1900s

Brass
A family of instruments. See Brass

Choir
A group of singers usually comprising sopranos, altos, tenors and basses

Chordophone
An instrument that produces sound by the vibration of strings

Chorus
See Chorus

Concerto
See Concerto

Concerto Grosso
See Concerto Grosso

Contrapuntal
When the melody is shared between the different instruments playing, to produce an overall melody when all the instruments are playing

Dischord
(discord) "A combination of notes including one or more dissonant intervals". This means a combination of notes that don't sound 'right' together

Flat
When a note is played a semitone down from its natural state

Grave
A term meaning very slow, slower than largo

Homophonic
All the parts play the same rhythm although they play different notes

Idiophone
An instrument that sounds as a consequence of being hit

Imitation
Where the opening pattern of a musical phrase played by one voice or instrument is copied in another, not necessarily at the same pitch

Keyboards
A family of instruments. See Keyboards

Key Signature
Symbols at the beginning of a stave showing which notes are to be played flat or sharp throughout a piece of music

Largo
A term meaning slow, but not as slow as grave

Membranophone
An instrument that produces sound by the vibration of a stretched skin, eg. drums

Modes
Before the modern practice of major and minor keys was developed, players and composers used modes in music. A mode can be created by playing all the white notes on a piano from any note to that note a further octave up (eg. A-A)

Monophonic
Music written in only one voice, or with only one melody line throughout the range of instruments

Motet
See Motet

Opera
See Opera

Oratorio
See Oratorio

Percussion
A family of instruments. See Percussion

Piano Trio
A group of three instruments including: A piano, a violin and a cello

Pizzicato
When a stringed instrument is played not with a bow, but plucked with the fingers. Opposite of arco

Polyphonic
Music written with several different parts for different instruments. May be contrapuntal

Presto
Very fast, faster than Allegro

Recitative
In oratorios - A sung solo punctuated by chords

Rubato
To play with a flexible tempo

Sharp
When a note is played a semitone up from its natural note

Sonata
See Sonata

Soprano
The highest female voice

Stave
The lines upon which music notation is written

String Quartet
A group of four string instruments including: two violins, one viola and a cello. See also String Quartet

Strings
A family of instruments. See Strings

Symphonic Poem
See Symphonic Poem

Symphony
See Symphony

Trio Sonata
See Trio Sonata

Troubadors
A musician who makes there living wandering from place to place, performing for rich families and their courts

Woodwind
A family of instruments. See Woodwind

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