| o |
the symbol for diminished |
|
o antiphons |
standard set of antiphons used during advent, all beginning with the word
"o" |
| obbligato |
a musical direction indicating the obligatory use of a particular part or
instrument |
| obbligo |
a manner of writing that involves obligations of canon, counterpoint
etc |
|
ober |
upper |
|
oberdominante |
dominant |
|
oberstimme |
upper part |
|
obertas |
round dance in fast 3, performed wildly. Also called
oberek |
|
obertaste |
black key (of piano) |
| oberton |
overtones, upper harmonics |
|
oberwerk |
swell organ |
|
obligat |
obbligato |
|
oblique motion |
melodic movement wherein one part moves and the other stays
put |
| oboe |
woodwind instrument with a double reed and conical tube, played in the orchestra, military band, chamber music and as a solo instrument.
Developed in 17th-century France |
|
oboe d'amore |
alto oboe, popular in the 18th-century |
|
obra |
work, opus |
| ocarina |
a small and very simple wind instrument which is shaped like a sweet potato and is usually shaped like a sweet potato and
usually made of terra cotta, with finger holes and a mouthpiece.
The tones it produces are soft and hollow |
|
occursus |
unison-confluence of the two parts at the start
& ending of phrases |
| octave |
an interval eight diatonic scale degrees above it. two notes an octave apart have the same letter name, and form the most consonant interval
possible |
|
octave marks |
abbreviated 8va or just 8 to indicate the notes should be played an octave higher or lower than actually
written |
| octet |
a piece written for eight parts, or the group that performs such a
piece |
| octotonic |
scale where notes are arranged regularly in alternate tone and semitone intervals, suggesting major and minor as well as modal tonality.
Popular in jazz |
|
oda |
a type of poetry with a rigidly defined rhyme
scheme |
|
ode |
free meter poem usually addressed to a deity |
| oeuvre |
opus |
|
offertory |
a part of the roman catholic mass proper, following the credo and sung during the
offering |
| |
in protestant church services, any music sung or played during
offering |
|
office, divine |
the services of the daily hours. matins, lauds, prime,
terce, sext, none, vespers, and compline |
|
oktave |
octave. Describes instruments sized an octave higher than
normal |
| oliphant |
signal horn of the middle ages, made from elephant's
tusk |
|
ombra scene |
opera scene that occurs in hell, or pertaining to the
dead |
|
ondeggiando |
waving motion of the bow in violin |
|
ondes martenot |
an electronic instrument invented by the French musician
Maurice Martenot, produces single sounds by means of a keyboard that controls the frequencies from an oscillator.
It has a wide range and offers the possibility of glissando. It became popular among
French composers |
| one-step |
American dance which has largely been superseded by the two-step, or
foxtrot |
| ongarese, all' |
after Hungarian style |
|
onzieme |
interval of eleventh |
| op |
abbreviation for opus |
| open |
term used for a string that is allowed to vibrate throughout its full length, as opposed to being 'stopped' by pressing a finger on
it |
|
open fifth |
a triad that does not contain a third, consisting only of a root and a
fifth |
|
open form |
denotes a musical work in which a performer can vary the sequence of component sections, and choose at which point in the score to begin and
end |
|
open notes |
the natural notes on a wind, on strings, the string without any
fingers |
|
open strings |
a string with no fingers or capo |
| opera |
a musical play, usually entirely sung, making use of costumes, staging, props, sets, and dramatic elements.
Operas usually consist of two types of musical elements, the aria, which primarily expresses a single idea or theme, and the recitative which advances the
story |
|
opera bouffe |
the French term for comic operetta of composers such as
Offenbach in 19th century France |
|
opera comique |
type of opera, often comic and with spoken dialogue, developed in 18th-century
France. Used in the 19th-century to describe any opera, comic or not, with spoken dialogue. |
|
opera seria |
serious opera, as opposed to opera Buffa. Refers to 18th-century
Italian operas with plots often taken from mythology or ancient history.
The hero was often played by a castrato. |
| operetta |
a light type of opera, generally including spoken
dialogue |
| ophicleide |
a brass wind instrument, the bass member of the keyed bugle family.
It replaced the serpent in the early 19th century as was superseded by the
tuba |
|
opus |
"work". With a number, used to show the order in which the works by a given composer were written or published.
Opus numbers are most often used for composers who catalogued their own works. |
| oratorio |
an operatic work without staging, sets, or elaborate costumes. usually performed in amore relaxed setting than a formal opera, and usually having a religious
theme |
| orchestra |
a large ensemble of players of musical instruments, generally including the following sections. strings, made up of violins, violas and double basses; wind, subdivided into woodwind and brass; and percussion; plus, very often, a harp. a symphony orchestra is capable of playing symphonies; a chamber orchestra is much
smaller |
|
orchestra leader |
concertmaster, concertmistress |
| ordinary |
in the mass, the parts that are used every day, as distinct from the proper. the ordinary consists of the
kyrie, gloria, credo, sanctus, and agnus dei. |
| organ |
a wind instrument consisting of at least one row of pipes, which are made to sound by air being directed under pressure from a wind-raising device, and key-and pedal-boards, which admit air to the pipes by means of valves. |
|
organ chorale |
composition for organ based on chorale melody |
|
organ point |
pedal point |
| organetto |
portative organ |
|
organum |
earliest types of polyphony |
|
orgel |
organ |
| ornament |
one or more notes added as an embellishment to a melody, by the performer or the composer.
Also used as a verb, as in to ornament a melody |
| orpharion |
instrument of the lute family, shaped like a
bandora, but smaller |
| orphica |
a mutant in the piano family |
|
ossia |
indicates an alternative |
|
ostinato |
indicates a part that repeats the same rhythm or melodic element. the basso ostinato or ostinato bass occurs in the ground bass of baroque arias where a melody is set over a repeated bass pattern. ostinato is used by the
Bavarian composer Carl Orff in his instrumental teaching methods, where it may form a basis for improvisation by pupils. |
|
ottava |
abbreviated 8va. octave |
|
ottavino |
piccolo flute |
|
ou |
or |
|
ouverture |
overture |
| overblow |
to blow a wind instrument so hard that upper harmonic tones are
produced |
| overstrung |
term used to describe a piano in which the strings have been set at two different
levels |
| overtone |
a tone that is present in the sounding of a fundamental, due to the physics of the production of musical
tones |
| overture |
an orchestral composition that introduces an opera, oratorio or similar work, and usually includes music that alludes to what is to follow.
A concert overture, however, stands on its own and is not part of an opera or other
work |
.
