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Concept
Glossary of music terminology
Summary
A variety of musical terms are encountered in printed scores, music reviews, and program notes. Most of the terms are Italian, in accordance with the Italian origins of many European musical conventions. Sometimes, the special musical meanings of these phrases differ from the original or current Italian meanings. Most of the other terms are taken from French and German, indicated by Fr. and Ger., respectively.
Unless specified, the terms are Italian or English. The list can never be complete: some terms are common, and others are used only occasionally, and new ones are coined from time to time. Some composers prefer terms from their own language rather than the standard terms listed here.
1 "sifflet" or one foot organ stop
I usually for orchestral string instruments, used to indicate that the player should play the passage on the highest-pitched, thinnest string
Tierce organ stop
2 two feet – pipe organ indication; see
pipe organ stop for the twelfth interval
II usually for orchestral string instruments, used to indicate that the player should play the passage on the second highest string
II cymbal stop on pipe organ
III usually for orchestral string instruments, used to indicate that the player should play the passage on the third-highest string
4 four feet – pipe organ rank that speaks one octave higher than 8
IV usually for orchestral string instruments, used to indicate that the player should play the passage on the lowest-pitched, thickest string, ie the fourth-highest string
IV–VI mixture stop on pipe organ
8 eight-foot pipe – pipe organ indication
16 sixteen-foot pipe – pipe organ indication calling for one octave below 8
32 thirty-two-foot pipe – pipe organ indication calling for two octaves below 8 also called sub-bass
64 sixty-four-foot pipe – pipe organ indication (only a few organs have this deep a pitch)
a or à (Fr.) at, to, by, for, in
à la (Fr.) in the style of...
a battuta Return to normal tempo after a deviation. Not recommended in string parts, due to possible confusion with battuto (qv.
Official source
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