A
a 2	When instruments such as 1st violins share the same part or divide the same part into 2
absolute music	Simply music, i.e. not 'Programme music'
a cappella	Unaccompanied vocal music
a tempo	In time, resume original speed
accent	Emphasis on a note
acciaccatura	A grace note that is played as quickly as possible
accidental	Collective name for sharp, flat and natural
acoustics	The science or study of sound
a piacere	At pleasure
a 2 absolute music:	Music not explicitly connected with words or specific meaning but exists simply as it is.
accelerando	Getting gradually faster.
adagietto	Quite slow
adagio	Slowly. Slower than andante, but faster than largo. Literally, at ease.
Ad libitum/ad lib.	At pleasure - left to the performer
aeolian mode	One of the scales of ancient Greece. The white notes from A to A on a keyboard
affetuoso	Tenderly
affrettando	Hurrying.
alberti bass	Simple accompaniment, consisting of broken chords. It takes its name from Domenico Alberti
alla	In the style of.
alla marcia	In the style of a march.
allargando	Broadening out.
allegretto	Slightly less fast than allegro, and perhaps lighter texturally.
allegro	A fast or fairly lively tempo.
allegro assai	Very quick.
andante	Moderately slow tempo, between allegro and adagio. Walking pace. andantino  Could mean either slightly less faster or slower than andante.
appassionato	With passion.
arco	Played by drawing the bow across the strings.
aria	A composition for solo voice and accompaniment often contained within an opera, usually in ternary form.
arpeggio	A chord whose pitches are sounded one after another in succession rather than simultaneously.
atonality	Having no particular key or tonal area.
autograph	The original manuscript of a composition written in the composers hand.

B

ballad	A story on song. A song with a narrative
ballade	A Romantic piece, i.e written by composers such as Chopin and Brahms
bar	a measure of music in equal proportions
bagatelle	A fairly short, simple composition.
barcarolle	Means 'boat-song' and is a lyrical piece in triple time often in ternary form.
barline	Lines drawn vertically on the stave to separate bars (measures) baritone Vocal range midway between tenor and bass
bass	Lowest male voice. = Lower part of the musical stave, as opposed to treble
bass clef	Also called the F clef used by instruments like the bass, cello, tuba and bassoon
baroque	Period in Western music from approximately 1600 to around 1750. berceuse A cradle song and a quiet instrumental piece
binary form	Form containing two parts, each section repeated, as in Bach's keyboards suites.
boogie-woogie	Jazz style of playing featuring an ostinato bass
bolero	Spanish dance in triple time.
bourree	Baroque suite dance in 2/2
breve	Note equal to two semibreves
bridge passage	A transition to link the first subject to the second subject in Sonata Form
bridge	The transition section in a sonata (exposition) linking the 1st subject with the 2nd.
brillante	Brilliant - with sparkle.
brio	Vigour (Con Brio - with vigour)
broken chord	A chord in which the notes are played one after another

C

cadence	The point in music where the melody and/or chord sequence leads the listener to experience a sense of temporary or permanent close giving a sense of repose or resolution.
cadenza	Section towards the end of a piece of music where a performer has an opportunity to perform an elaborate improvisation.
calando	Getting softer and slower. (dying away)
canon	Exact imitation of the melody in one voice by another, continued for more than one phrase. A round is a good example.
cantabile	In the manner or style of a song.
cantata	Choral or solo vocal form of the Baroque period of religious or secular, generally with more than one movement and accompanied by instruments.
capriccio	A caprice (in a free, light-hearted style)
chaconne	Similar to the Passacaglia
chamber music	Music for small ensembles
chord	Three or more notes played simultaneously.
chromatic (scale)	A scale containing all 12 pitches of the western notation system.
chromaticism	The use of chromatic intervals
classical (period)	Music composed approximately between 1750-1820. Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven were the main composers of the period.
coda	Concluding section of a composition.
col. con	With.
col legno	Use the wood (back) of the bow (for string players)
colla voce	With the voice. As an accompanist follows the singer.
come prima	As at first
common time ( C )	Another name for 4/4 time signature
comodo	Convenient (at a convenient pace)
compound intervals	Intervals greater than an octave
compound time	Each beat in a bar amounts to a dotted note. E.g: 6/8 is 2 dotted
crotchet beats	(Compound = duple)
concert pitch	Tuning standard where the 'A' above middle C = 440 Hz or 440 vibrations per second
con anima	With deep emotion.
con brio	With vigour
con moto	With movement
con sordini	String direction - to play with mutes.
con spirito	With spirit
concertante	A work for a group of solo instruments and orchestra
concerto	Work for one or more solo instruments accompanied by orchestra, often in three or more movements.
concerto grosso	Baroque concerto contrasting a small group of soloists (concertino) against a small orchestra (ripieno).
concord	A chord which sounds harmonious, as opposed to a discord which sounds dissonant
continuo	A bass line (used in Baroque period) with figures below as a shorthand system to enable a harpsichordist (or organist) to improvise the harmonies that are suggested by the bass line.
corrente	An 18th century Italian or French dance in triple time in Binary form. counterpoint, contrapuntal Two (or more) melodic voices combining harmoniously within a score.
contrary motion	Moving in opposite directions
corda	A string
counter-exposition	A second exposition in Fugue immediately following the first, but with the voices entering in a different order
counterpoint	2 or more melodic lines playing simultaneously
courante	A Baroque dance in triple time and binary form. Varies in character from country to country.
crescendo	Getting louder, usually gradually.
crotchet	Note lasting for 1 whole beat

D

da capo/D.C.	From the beginning
dal segno/D.S.	From the sign
deciso	Decisively
decrescendo	(diminuendo) Gradually softer.
delicato	Delicately
descant	A higher part above the main melody
development	The second section in a sonata form.
diminished	Perfect or minor intervals that are flattened a semitone
diminished seventh	A four note chord comprising stacked minor thirds
diminuendo, decrescendo	Getting softer. The opposite of Crescendo.
discord/dissonance	A chord or interval that sounds inharmonious and requires resolution
divisi/div.	Divide into two or more groups (for orchestral players)
divertimento	Chamber works composed by Mozart and others around the late 18th Century.
divisi	When (for instance) Violins 1 & 2 have double notes written on the score and divide themselves so that violin 1 plays the upper part and violin 2 the lower.
dolce	Sweetly.
dolcissimo/dolciss.	Very sweetly
dolente	Sadly.
dolore	Grief, sorrow
doppio (movemento)	Double (the speed)
dominant	The fifth note of the major or minor scale and the chord that is built upon that note.
dominant seventh	A major triad with a flattened seventh note added
doppio	Double
doppio moviment	Twice as fast
double barline	Two vertical lines denoting the end of a piece of music
dotted rhythm	When a dotted note is (repetitively) followed by a shorter note producing the characteristic long-short (dah dee dah dee) rhythm.
double flat	A semitone lower than an ordinary flat. E.g: Ebb =Db
double sharp	A semitone higher than an ordinary sharp. E.g: F double sharp = G
double stop	Two strings played simultaneously on a stringed instrument.
duet	A piece for two performers
duo	A duet
duple time	Where the bar is divided into two beats, e.g: 2/4, 2/2, 6/8 dynamics The 'louds' and 'softs' of music.

E

ecossaise	A Scottish dance in 3/4
ein wenig	A little
elegy, elegie	A song of lament
embouchure	The positioning of the lips in relation to the mouthpiece for woodwind and brass players
encore	Again (as an excited audience would request)
energico	Energetic
enharmonic	Different names for the same sounding note, e.g: C# could also be described as Db
ensemble	A group of performers
epilogue	A concluding or ending part.
episode	1) In the development of a Fugue, passages that link the subjects together. 2) In Rondo form (or ternary) the sections that alternate with the main theme.
espressione	Expression.
espressivo	With feeling (expression)
essential note	An actual note of the chord, as opposed to a passing note
etwas	Somewhat
etude	A study - usually a piece designed to display the performers technique.
exposition	1) The first section of sonata form in which musical themes or ideas are introduced. Usually the music begins in the tonic key and concludes in the dominant. 2) In a fugue, the first subject is imitated and developed by several voices.
extemporization	Improvisation

F

facile	Easy, Simple
fanfare	Flourish of trumpets
fantasia, fantasie	A piece in improvisatory style
falsetto	A male voice singing notes higher than their normal range
fantasy	Type of composition unlike formal music, but where form is unimportant and suggests extemporisation.
figured bass	Also known as continuo, whereby keyboard players in the baroque era played the bass line and extemporaneously filled in the chords, denoted by figures, e.g: 6, 6/4, 5/3
finale	Final movement of a sonata, symphony, string quartet or similar work. fine The end.
first inversion	The 3rd (as in degree of the scale) note of the chord is in the bass first subject The first theme/melody in Sonata form
flamenco	Spanish dance with accompanying guitar playing
forte	To be played loudly, abbreviated form is f forte piano (fp) Loud, then soft
fortissimo	To be played very loudly, shortened to ff
forza(ando)	Force(ing)
french (german, italian) sixth	Augmented 6th chords named after European nationalities. See Wikipedia
fugue, fugal	A highly contrapuntal form perfected by J.S. Bach where imitation of up to four subject themes is developed.
fundamental note	The primary note of the harmonic series
fuoco	Fire.
furioso	Furiously.

G

galliard	A 16th and 17th century dance in quick triple time
gavotte	A gracious Baroque dance in duple time.
general pause (G.P.)	Rest or pause for the entire orchestra/ensemble.
german (french, italian) sixth	Augmented 6th chords named after European nationalities. See Wikipedia
gigue	Baroque suite dance in 6/8 or 12/8, lively and in Binary (AB) form. Often the last movement of the suite
giocoso	Merrily, happily, stems from jokily.
giusto	Exact, correct. Think of 'just so'
glissando	Sliding from one pitch to another, sounding all pitches in between.
groundbass	A short repetitive bass tune with varied treatment above it grandioso In a grand manner.
grave	Very slow.
grazioso	Gracefully.

H

H B	natural (ger.)
habanera	Slow (Cuban) song and dance in simple duple time and dotted rhythm
harmonic series	The tones (or partials) which exist above a fundamental note.
harmony	The combination of notes, melody and accompaniment
harmonic progression	The succession of chords in a piece of music. Also popularly called the chord sequence.
harmony	If melody is the bones then harmony is the flesh. The notes that are added to a melody (or bass line) to give it added beauty and pleasantly sounding structure.
hemiola	When music shifts the emphasis of the rhythm from duple to triple (or visa versa)

I

immer	Always (ger.)
imitation	The statement of a single motive or melody by two or more voices in succession, often in staggered entrances so one part continues as another enters, as in a round.
imperfect cadence	Chord I, II or IV - V
impetuoso	Impetuously
impressionism	Term used to describe music by composers such as Ravel and Debussy. The use of dissonance was used to create new moods and effects.
impromptu	A improvised piece, e.g: Schubert's Impromptus
incalzando	Getting faster and louder
interlude	Piece of music played between other pieces.
intermezzo	In 18th century, a comic work performed between the acts of a serious opera. In the 19th and 20th centuries, a middle movement in a larger work, or a short lyrical piece written for piano.
interrupted cadence	Chord V - VI
interval	The distance between two notes, measured by scale degrees or steps.
invention	A short contrapuntal piece stemming from a single musical idea. e.g. Bach's 2 part inventions.
inversion	Turned upside down as in chords/intervals
italian (french, german) sixth	Augmented 6th chords named after European nationalities. See Wikipedia

J

jazz	Popular style music with syncopation and improvisation

K

key	The relationship between pitches that establish the tonal centre of music. Most music is written in either a major or minor key but can move to other keys before moving back to the 'home' key.
key-note	Tonic note: the first note of the key. E.g: C is the key-note of C major (or minor)
key signature	The sharps or flats at the beginning of each staff, indicating the key.

L

langsam	Slow (ger.)
langsamer	Slower
largamente	Broadly
larghetto	Faster than Largo
largo	Very slow tempo. Often used in solemn and funereal music.
leading-note	Seventh degree of the scale E.g: In G major the Leading-note is F#
ledger lines	Short lines above or below the stave to accommodate notes higher or lower than the stave
legato	Smoothly.
leggiero	Lightly.
lento	Slowly. Somewhere between Largo and Adagio.
leitmotiv	A theme that represents a character or idea
libretto	Words of an opera
lieder ohne worte	Songs without words
lied, lieder	German songs of the Romantic era
l'istesso tempo	An instruction to performers to maintain the same tempo despite a change in time signature or character.
loco	At normal pitch (indicated after a passage an octave higher or lower)
lunga pausa	Long pause
lusingando	In a coaxing style

M

madrigal	A contrapuntal composition for unaccompanied voices from the 16th and early 17th centuries
maestoso	Majestically.
maggiore	Major
ma non troppo	but not too much. May be preceded by Allegro (for instance) meaning fast but not overly.
mano destra	(abbr.) m.d. Right hand.
mano sinistra	(abbr.) m.s. Left hand.
marcato	Marked, accented.
martellato	Hammered
mazurka	A Polish dance in triple time.
measure	Unit of time made up of equal numbers of beats, divided by bar lines. (same as Bar)
mediant	Third degree of the scale E.g: In F major the Mediant would be A
meno	Less.
meno mosso	Less movement.
mesto	Sadly
meter	The organization of rhythm and beats.
mezzo forte	Moderately loud.
mezzo piano	Moderately soft.
minim	Note lasting 2 crotchet beats
misterioso	Mysteriously
minuet, menuett	A stately dance in ¾ time. Very popular in the 18th century and often forming the third movement of classical symphonies, usually with a middle section called a trio which traditionally used a smaller group of instruments. A second minuet called a trio follows
mit	With
modality, modal	A musical system based on scales popular in Renaissance and Medieval music. Often found as well in folk music. Similar to major and minor scales in some respects, but containing altered tones that color our perception of the scale.
moderato	Moderate tempo. Falls between andante and allegro.
modulation	A process whereby music shifts from one key to another.
molto	Very. As in molto allegro - very fast.
moll	Minor
mordents	Ornaments that start on the note, go up (upper) or down (lower) one note and back to the note again
morendo	Dying away.
mosso, moto, movimento	Movement
motive, motif	The shortest musical idea of rhythmic or melodic identity that retains its identity when elaborated or transformed.
movement	A part of a larger composition such as a symphony or concerto. The work often contains 3 or more movements and there is usually a pause in between where it is convention for audiences not to applaud. music The intellectual organization of sound and it's written language.

N

natural	Note other than a sharp or flat
neoclassic, neoclassical	Certain works composed in the 20th Century in which the aesthetics and ideas employed during the classical period of the 18th century are restored.
neapolitan sixth	A major chord built on the flattened supertonic note. Usually in the first inversion
nicht	Not
niente	Nothing.
nocturne	Means night piece. A dreamy and lyrical piece (Chopin, Field)
nobilmente	Nobly.
non tanto	Not so much.
non troppo	Not too much.
nonet, nonette, nonetto	Composition for nine solo instruments
note-row/tone-row	A row of 12 notes arranged in any order to form a composition

O

obbligato	Cannot be omitted, where the part is obligatory
octave	Interval of eight notes, i.e. from C-C
octet	Any combination of eight performers in an ensemble
opera	Drama set to music in a theatre, primarily sung and accompanied by an orchestra or ensemble.
operetta	Little opera
opera buffa	Comic opera.
opus	Some composers have conveniently catalogued or numbered their works. Beethoven would perhaps number a piano sonata - Opus 31 No. 3. Other composers had someone do it for them i.e., K. (Koechel for Mozart) or Hob. (Hoboken for Haydn)
oratorio	Vocal work like an opera but without costumes and staging.
ornaments	Decorations, embellishments. E.g: mordents, trills,
ossia	Or
ostinato	A short musical pattern or sequence sometimes in the bass that repeats persistently
overture	An orchestral introduction to an opera or oratorio overture Instrumental composition intended as an introduction to an opera or other dramatic vocal work, or from the 19th century onwards could be piece of instrumental music using a similar model but intended for solo performance (often piano)

P

pastorale	In a pastoral style.
patetico	With emotion or feeling.
pedal, pedal point	A sustained note, not always in the bass upon which various harmonies continue to change.
pentatonic	Five-note scale and music based on such a scale, found in folk music of many cultures and sometimes in 19th- and 20th- century Western art music.
perdendosi	Dying away.
periods in music	The table below gives a rough and conveniently rounded off chronology of the various stylistic periods of music.
Medieval (Middle Ages)  500-1450 Renaissance 1450-1600 Baroque 1600-1750 Classical 1750-1820 Romantic 1820-1900 Twentieth Century 1900-2000 These following secondary periods are also commonly referred to. Rococo 1690-1765 Early Classical 1720-1765 Impressionist 1890-1910 Expressionist 1910-1920
perpetuum mobile	Continuous rhythmic motion, employing a consistent note value that proceeds rapidly without pause for an entire section or movement.
pesante	To be played heavily or weightily..
phrase	A musical phrase resembling a phrase of speech.
piano	To be played softly, abbreviated form is p
pianissimo	To be played very softly, shortened to pp
piu	More.
pizzicato	Played by plucking the string as opposed to using a bow.
plagal cadence	The chord of the subdominant followed by the chord of the tonic. Known as the 'Amen' cadence as it always used to sing the closing amen by members of protestant churches.
poco a poco	Little by little.
polyphony, polyphonic	Music that simultaneously combines more than one voice. Literary means 'many sounding'.
presto	Tempo indication for very fast.
prestissimo	As fast as possible
principal	Leader of a section of an orchestra, except for first violins who are led by the concertmaster.
program music, programmatic	Instrumental music often inspired by nature, art or literature, as opposed to purely musical ideas.

Q

quadruple time	Four beats in a bar 4/4 4/2
quadruplet	A group of four notes, played in the time of three
quartet	A group of four performers..
quasi	Like, similar to.
quasi una fantasia	Like a fantasia
quaver	Note lasting half a beat/crotchet

R

ragtime	Early type of jazz, popular from 1895-1920. Scott Joplin was a typical composer.
rallentando	Getting gradually slower.
recapitulation	A restatement of themes introduced in the exposition (or first section) of sonata form. Usually, the second subject is restated in the tonic key instead of the dominant. (as it was in the exposition)
recitative	Dramatic singing style, used particularly in opera, oratorio, and cantata. redundant entry An extra entry of the first voice in a Fugue, at the end of the Exposition
reel	A lively dance usually in 4/4. Popular in Scotland, but of Scandinavian origin
reggae	Rhythmic soul music, Jamaican origins
requiem	A Mass for the dead set to music
rest	Silence
riff	short, repetitive passage used in Jazz, Rock etc.
rhythm	The pattern of movement in time as defined by the duration of pitches.
ripieno	The term used for the orchestra in a Concerto Grosso
risoluto	Boldly.
ritardando (ritard)	Getting gradually slower.
ritenuto (rit.)	Hold back (the tempo)
riitmico	Rhythmically.
Romantic	The period of music history approximately from the early-19th to early-20th centuries. Emphasis on individual creative imagination.
rondo form	A form whereby a principal theme alternates with other (varied) themes called episodes on the pattern A B A C A, A being the principal theme and B and C being the episodes. There are other variations of this format.
root position	When the keynote of the chord is in the bass i.e. when C is the lowest note of the chord of C
round	Perpetual canon. E.g: London's Burning.
rubato	Robbed time, not strict tempo.
ruhig	Peaceful.

S

sarabande	Baroque suite dance in slow triple time with accent on the second beat
scale	Notes moving up or down stepwise (from 'Scala' it. meaning ladder)
scherzo	Scherzo means "joke," and is usually a movement or piece that is playful in style. Beethoven often substituted the minuet for the scherzo in his sonatas and symphonies; The character of a scherzo can be also be grim and sinister.
scherzando	Playfully.
schnell(er)	Quick(er)
score	Musical notation showing all parts arranged one underneath the other.
second inversion	The fifth note of the chord is in the bass
second subject	The second theme in Sonata form
segue	The next section follows without a break or continue without stopping.
sehr	Very
semibreve	Note lasting 4 beats/crotchets (whole-note)
semiquaver	Note lasting 1/4 value of a crotchet
semitone	Two closest notes. E.g ; C to C#
semplice	Simple.
sempre	Always.
senza	Without.
senza sordini	String direction - to play without mutes.
septet	A group of seven performers
sequence	When a phrase is repeated at a different pitch, either higher or lower
serial, serialism	Method of composition where a series of tones (pitches) in a predetermined order are used as the basis the work is built on. The 'twelve tone' system uses all 12 notes of the scale rather than the conventional major/minor scale system. sextet A group of six performers
sforzando (sf, sfz)	With a sudden accent
sharp	Raises the note by a semitone
siciliano	A slow dance in 6/8 or 12/8
simile	In the same way.
slargando	Get gradually slower.
slentando	Get gradually slower.
slur	Curved line, meaning to play the notes smoothly
smorzando	Dying away.
sonata	Composition for one or more instruments, usually in several movements; Typically, the Baroque sonata is very different from the classical sonata however. Originally meant a work for an instrument as opposed to Cantata which indicated a vocal work.
sonata form	Typifies the the Classical Period, where musical ideas are introduced through exposition, development and recapitulation, sometimes finishing with a coda. The design enhanced the idea of a home key moving to its dominant, exploring other keys and then returning to the main theme but this time remaining in the tonic.
sonatina	A small sonata
sonoro	With a rich, full tone.
sopra	Above.
soprano	Highest female voice
sordino	Mute
sospirando	Sighing.
sostenuto	Sustained.
sotto	Below.
sotto voce	In an undertone.
spiccato	Detached, with springy bow ( for string players)
spiritoso	Spirited, lively.
staccatissimo	Play the notes very short and detached.
staccato	Short and detached.
stave/staff	The five lines and four spaces on which notes are written
strepitoso	Noisy, boisterous
stretto	A fugal technique where voices will enter before the previous voice is complete.
string family	Violin, viola, cello, double bass
stringendo	Gradually Getting faster
subdominant	4th degree of the = scale E.g: In C major the Subdominant note is F
subito	Suddenly, quickly.
subject	Musical theme.
submediant	Sixth degree of the scale E.g: In C major the Submediant note is A
suite	Instrumental composition consisting of several movements in dance character, usually in the same key. Later suites are often extracts from an opera or ballet.
sul	On
sul G	Play on the G string
sul ponticello	Play near the bridge (string instruments)
supertonic	Second degree of the scale E.g: In C major the Supertonic note is D suspension Sustained or "held-over" note of a chord that becomes dissonant when other voices of the chord move to a new harmony, usually resolved down a step or half step.
suss	Sweet.
symphonic poem	An orchestral work that depicts stories or images. See program music. symphony In a broad sense, a work for orchestra in multiple movements.
syncopation	Where 'off' beats are accented instead of the main beats, common in jazz music.

T

tacet	To be silent
tablature	Use of diagrams rather than notes, informing the guitarist of the position of the fingers
tango	Argentinean dance in 2/4 time.
tanto	So much
tarantella	A very lively dance in 6/8, which originated in Italy
tempo	The speed at which music is performed.
tempo comodo	At a comfortable speed
tempo giusto	In strict time
tempo primo	Back to original speed.
tempo rubato	Freely, without strict tempo.
ternary form	A movement in three parts in which the first and third parts are very similar, with a contrasting middle section (A B A).
teneramente	Tenderly
tenerezza	Tenderness
tenor	High male voice
tenuto	Held on for full value.
theme with variations	A form in which a self-contained musical unit is followed by a series of modifications of the original material.
tierce de picardie	In which the final chord of a piece in a minor key is major
timbre	Tone-colour. The quality of sound from an instrument or singer
time signature	Sign after the clef and key signature, indicating the number of beats in a bar. E.g: 2/4, 6/8
toccata	An Italian word meaning to 'touch' designed to display the brilliance of the performer.
tonality	Key: Major, minor
tone poem	Programmatic orchestral composition in one movement.
tonic	The first note of a scale, or the chord built upon that note.
transposition	Changing the pitch. E.g: raising the pitch from F major to G major
tranquillo	Quiet and calm.
traurig	Sad.
treble	The high part of the musical stave as opposed to the bass or lower part. An unbroken boy's voice
tre corda	Release the left pedal (on the piano)
triad	Chord made up of three notes: Usually the 1st (root) 3rd and 5th notes of the scale combined.
trill	Ornament involving the written note and one higher played quickly several times
trio	1) Composition in three voices. 2) Composition for three performers. 3) Second section in a symphony or sonata minuet or scherzo movement, followed by a repetition of the minuet or scherzo.
trionfale, trionfante	Triumphant
triple counterpoint	Three melodic parts interwoven
tritone	Three whole tones (Augmented 4th)
troppo	Too much
tutti	All.
twelve-bar blues	Twelve bars of repeating chord pattern used in Blues and Rock music: I,I,I,I, IV,IV,I,I V,IV,I,I
twelve-tone music	20th century system of composition in which a predetermined order of the twelve notes of the chromatic scale, and variations of this pattern, are systematically followed throughout a composition.

U

una corda	Use the left pedal (on the piano) lit. one string
und	And. (ger.)
un peu	A little
un poco	A little
unison/unis.	No harmony. Everyone plays/sings the same note

V

variation	A technique of changing, modifying, or transforming a musical idea.
veloce	Swift.
vibrato	Vibrating or modulating the tone.
vigoroso	Vigorously
vivace	Lively, fast. Falls between allegro and presto.
voce	Voice.
voll	Full.
volta	Time. (Prima Volta - 1st time)
volta subito (v.s.)	Turn the page quickly.

W

waltz, walzer	Dance in triple time with accent on the first beat of the bar
wenig	Little.
whole-tone scale	Scale made up only of intervals of a whole-tone. i.e. C - D - E - F# - G# - A# - C
woodwind family	Flute, (piccolo), oboe, (cor anglais), Clarinet, (bass clarinet, Eb clarinet), Bassoon, (contrabassoon)

XYZ

zart	Delicate
zu	Too