| p |
abbr. for pedal |
|
pacato |
calm |
| padiglione |
the bell of a wind instrument |
| padovana |
literally, a dance from Padua |
| paean |
song to praise Apollo |
|
paired imitation |
special class of imitation wherein the first pair of the four statements of the theme appear in close succession, then three and four come later, also
paired |
|
palestrina style |
polyphonic a capella style based on counterpoint |
| pan |
a tuned percussion instrument made out of an oil drum. pans are played in
Caribbean steel
bands |
|
panconsonant |
style in which triads predominate, and dissonances occur as
ornamentation |
| pan pipes |
a set of graduated flutes or reeds bound together and blown
across |
|
pandean pipes |
a set of graduated flutes or reeds bound together and blown across. |
|
pandiatonicism |
the use of the diatonic scale as a base, but without conventional harmonic
rules |
|
pandoura, pandura |
a long-necked lute of ancient Rome and Greece |
|
panduri |
small fiddle from Caucasus |
| panpipes |
a musical instrument dating from at least the 6th-century
B.C. It consists of a series of pipes of graduated length joined together, and is played by blowing across the pipe
ends |
|
pantaleon |
large instrument of the hammered dulcimer family |
| pantomime |
although a pantomime in Britain has come to indicate a children's
Christmas entertainment, making use of traditional and topical elements in a mixture of fairy-story, comic routine and popular song, the word originally indicated a performance entirely in mime, in this sense having a long history.
In this second and original sense pantomime is sometimes found as part of a descriptive title of a musical work or part of a work originally so
intended |
|
pantonality, pantonal |
including all tonalities |
|
parallel chords |
the movement of fixed chords |
|
parallel fifths, octaves |
the doubling of the melody in fifths or octaves |
|
parallel intervals |
the movement in two or more parts of the same intervals in the same
direction |
|
parallel keys |
different keys based on the same keynote |
|
parallel minor |
tonic minor (but relative minor = relative minor) |
|
parallel motion |
two or more parts moving the same direction and staying the same distance from
each other in terms of interval |
|
paralleltonart |
relative key |
| parameter |
used to denote acoustic variables such as pitch, rhythm, volume, and
harmonics |
|
paraphonia |
Greek terminology for fourths and fifths, as opposed to
symphony (unison), and antiphonia (octaves) |
| paraphrase |
to arrange with variations |
|
parlando |
speaking. the use of the speaking timbre in singing |
|
parlante |
spoken |
| parody |
satire, send up |
| part |
a part may indicate the line or music intended for a particular performer.
Earlier choral music, for example, was written in separate part-books, one for each part, as is the modern practice with orchestral parts, rather than in the full vocal score now usual.
The art of part-writing or, in American, voice-leading, is the art of writing simultaneous parts according to the established rules of harmony.
A part-song is a vocal work in which different voices are used, as distinct from a song in which all sing the same
melody |
|
part song |
an unaccompanied homophonic song for three or more
voices |
|
part writing |
voice leading |
|
parte |
part |
| partial |
either the fundamental or an overtone in the harmonic
series |
|
partial signature |
the use of a key signature in some, but not all voices of a polyphonic
composition |
|
partimento |
improvisation above a pre-agreed bass |
|
partita |
variation |
|
partita |
partita is another word for suite, used, for example, by
Johann Sebastian Bach in the title of a set of keyboard suites or in the three partitas for unaccompanied violin. |
|
partsong |
a song written for two or more (generally four) voice parts, usually with no musical accompaniment, sometimes with one or more
instruments |
| pas |
dance step. Used often in ballet, as in pas de deux, meaning dance for
two |
|
paso doble |
a Spanish dance genre, popular since the 1920's |
|
passacaglia |
an instrumental piece, commonly written in triple time, originally a dance, in which a theme is continually repeated above a ground bass. similar to, and often confused with the
chaconne |
|
passacaille |
passacaglia |
| passage |
a section of a musical composition |
|
passaggio |
bridge, transition, or modulation |
|
passepied |
dance in fast 3/8 or 6/8 |
|
passing note |
a note in a musical composition which might create a dissonance with the prevailing harmony, but is justified by its leading into the next chord, which is usually
consonant |
|
passing tones |
notes that do not pertain to chords, but are used to form a melodic passage from one chord to the
next |
| passion |
the four accounts of the suffering and death of Christ, as given in the first four books of the new testament, were customarily sung during the catholic rites of holy week to plainchant, with a division of parts where direct speech is involved. it became customary in the 15th century to allow the singing of the parts of the crowd
in the biblical narrative in polyphonic settings, with a gradual extension of the polyphonic element in the next century.
The best known settings of the passion are the surviving Lutheran settings by
Johann Sebastian Bach of the accounts of the passion in the gospels of
St. Matthew and of St. John. |
|
passionato |
passionately |
|
pasticcio |
a piece of music written in the style of another composer. also carries the same meaning as pastiche. |
| pastiche |
a piece of music written in the style of another composer. also carries the same meaning as
pasticcio |
| pastoral |
piece evocative of, or written in the style of rural idyllic
scenes |
|
patetico |
with much feeling |
|
pathetisch |
patetico |
|
patter song |
a style of comic song, found particularly in opera, operetta and musicals, which for effect depends on being sung at a lively speed. |
|
pauke |
kettledrum |
|
pausa |
rest, breath |
| pause |
a sign used in musical notation meaning that the note or rest so marked must be held longer than normal-how long is usually decided by the
performer |
|
pavan |
a stately duple metre dance of the 16th and early 17th centuries, appears in various
English spellings, paven, pavin and other forms. Coupled with the quicker triple metre galliard, it was among the most popular dances of the time. the origin of the word is attributed either to the
Italian town of Padua or to the peacock. Well known examples include the
English composer John
Dowland's lachrimae, or seaven teares figured in seaven passionate pavans or
Ravel's nostalgic pavane pour une infante defunte, (pavan for a dead infanta). |
|
pavane |
slow procession |
|
pavillon |
the bell of a wind instrument, from which the air-and the
sound-escapes |
| peal |
set of bells in tune with each other; a succession of bell tones that
repeats |
| pedal |
a lever operated by the feet, found principally on pianos and other keyboard instruments.
The abbreviation ped. is an instruction in piano music that the sustaining pedal should be depressed. |
| pedal board |
a keyboard that is played by the feet, found on the organ and, occasionally, other keyboard
instruments |
|
pedal harp |
modern chromatic harp |
|
pedal harpsichord |
equipped with a pedal board similar to that of an
organ |
|
pedal piano |
piano fixed with pedal board like that of an organ |
|
pedale |
abbreviated ped. (pedal) |
|
pedalier |
pedal board of organ or piano |
|
pedalklavier |
pedal piano |
|
pedalkoppel |
pedal coupler (of an organ) |
|
pedalpauke |
timpani tuned by means of pedals |
|
peine entendu, a |
barely audible |
|
penillion |
a form of welsh musical competition between a singer and a harper.
The harper plays a well-known melody, and the latter improvises words to an extemporized countermelody. the harper is allowed to change either tune or tonality as often as he wishes, and the singer is expected to
accommodate as rapidly as possible |
|
penny whistle |
a wind instrument with six holes. originally made from tin, and now mostly from
steel |
|
pentachord |
the first five notes of a scale, by extension, any five note
segment |
| pentatonic |
or five-note scale is formed by the black notes of the keyboard, or the white notes c, d, e, g and a-two whole tones, a minor third and a whole tone.
This form of scale is the basis of folk melodies in many countries, from
China to Scotland, and occasionally occurs, in passing at least, in the work of 20th century composers.
It is an important element in the educational music of Carl Orff and in the choral method of the
Hungarian composer Zoltan Kodaly. |
|
pentatonic scale |
major scale minus the fourth and seventh; pentatonic music may be played on the black keys only. many oriental forms employ this
scale |
|
per |
for, by, through, in, from |
| percussion |
overall term for those instruments in which the sound is created by a resonating surface being struck generally by a hand or stick. some percussion instruments may be tuned to a particular pitch, such as the kettledrum; others, such as the bass drum, cannot be
tuned |
|
perdendosi |
losing itself; dying away |
|
perendosi |
dying away (in intensity and tempo) |
| perfect |
term applied to intervals that cannot be major or minor, unisons, fourths, fifths, and
octaves |
| perfect cadence |
that is, what British call perfect and Americans call authentic - in which top voice is on root of final (tonic) chord, and both dominant and tonic chords are in root position so that the bass moves from the fifth to the first scale degree. |
|
perfect pitch |
the ability to distinguish and identify any given note without any musical or tonal
support |
|
performance practice |
indicates the attempt to perform music in the way envisaged originally by the composer. the second half of the 20th century has brought a significant interest in musicology and the technology and scholarship necessary to the construction of copies of earlier instruments and to the study of methods of performance on these instruments.
The study of performing practice extends from the study of music of the earliest periods to that of relatively recent periods of the 19th and early 20th centuries. |
| period |
a musical sentence usually ending with a cadence. the time it takes to complete one
waveform |
|
periodicity pitch |
a perceived low pitch formed by the interference pattern of two
waveforms |
|
perpetuum mobile |
a piece that moves rapidly from beginning to end |
|
pes |
same as podatus; also a name for the tenor |
|
pesante |
heavy, instruction that a passage should be played with great
emphasis |
|
petit |
small |
|
peu |
little bit |
|
pezzo |
piece |
| pf |
abbr. for piano in orchestral score. Also abbr. for soft immediately followed by
loud |
|
pfeife |
fife, organ pipe |
|
pfundnoten |
long notes |
|
phagotus |
a bizarre type of bagpipe, wrongfully believed to be the precursor of the
bassoon |
|
phantasie |
fantasy, fanciful piece |
| philharmonic |
the adjective philharmonic and noun philharmonia are generally used as adopted titles by orchestras or by music-loving societies of one sort or another.
The words have no other technical meaning |
| phonetic |
vocal |
|
phormix |
kithara, lyra. |
| phrase |
a phrase in music, on the analogy of syntactical use, is a
recognizable musical unit, generally ending in a cadence of some kind, and forming part of a period or sentence.
Phrasing in performance has a less precise use, indicating the correct grouping of notes, whether as phrases in the technical sense or in smaller distinct units, corresponding to the various possible syntactical uses of punctuation. |
|
phrasing, articulation |
the placement of phrases |
|
phrygian |
the modal scale in which the half steps occur between degrees 1 & 2 and 5 &
6 |
|
phrygian mode |
a medieval mode whose scale pattern is that of playing e to e on the white keys of a
piano |
|
piacare |
the instruction a piacere 'at the performer's discretion', is mostly used to indicate that strict time need not be
observed |
|
piacevole |
instruction to play in a pleasant, agreeable manner |
|
piangendo |
instruction to a player that a piece should be played mournfully, in a plaintive
tone |
|
pianino |
small upright piano |
|
pianissimo |
an instruction to play very gently. often abbreviated as
pp |
| piano |
soft |
| piano |
a stringed percussion instrument. the sound is produced by hammers striking the strings.
The hammer, in turn is activated by levers controlled by keys. The pianoforte is so named because volume can be controlled by the force with which the performer strikes the keys, and has been a mainstay instrument in
Europe and northern north America since the 18th century. |
|
piano duet |
composition for two pianists playing either one or two
pianos |
|
piano trio |
piano trio, piano quartet and piano quintet indicate works for the piano with varying numbers of string instruments.
The piano trio is scored for piano, violin and cello, the piano quartet for piano, violin, viola and cello, and the piano quintet for piano, two violins, viola and
cello |
| pianoforte |
instrument invented by Bartolomeo Cristofor in the early 18th-century.
It's name refers to its ability to grade volume-much greater than with the harpsichord. keys control hammers that strike strings, making the pianoforte a keyboard instrument, a stringed instrument and a member of the percussion family.
The grand piano has horizontal strings and the upright piano has vertical strings. |
|
pianola |
a player piano made by the American Aeolian
corporation |
|
piatti |
cymbals |
|
picardy third |
changing minor to major on the concluding note of a piece by raising the third one half
step |
| piccolo |
is the small flute, pitched an octave higher than the ordinary flute.
Adjectivally the word may be applied to other instruments or groups, as in coro piccolo, small chorus.
The violino piccolo, a smaller violin, is used by Johann
Sebastian Bach in the first Brandenburg concerto, where it is to be tuned a third
higher |
| pick |
plectrum |
|
pickelflote |
piccolo |
|
pick-up notes |
note or notes that come before the first full
measure |
|
pien |
in Chinese music, the two tones that are a half tone below the fifth and the
octave |
|
pieno |
full |
|
piffero |
old term for the shawm, fife and bagpipe, which were all played by
shepherds |
|
pince |
pinched |
|
piobaireachd, pibroch |
a type of Scottish bagpipe music, including its system of
notation |
| pipe |
generic term for hollow tube or cylinder that forms part of a wind instrument. sound is produced when air vibrates within the pipe. more specifically, a small, simple fipple flute is often called a
pipe |
| piston |
a valve on a brass instrument, which opens up an extra section of tubing when it is depressed. the effect of this is to alter the harmonic series by lowering its fundamental
note |
| pistons |
devices on organs facilitating quick changes in
registration |
| pitch |
he pitch of a note is the frequency of its vibrations. the exact pitch of notes has varied over the years and nowadays differs to some extent between continent and continent or even between orchestra and orchestra.
Earlier pitches were generally lower, but not necessarily standardized. perfect pitch is the ability to distinguish the pitch of a note, according to generally accepted nomenclature.
Relative pitch is the ability to distinguish the pitch of one note with relation to another, given
note |
|
pitch aggregate |
a cluster of pitches that are usually close
together |
|
pitch pipe |
a small reed instrument used to tune instruments or a
choir |
|
piu |
more. as in the following instruction. piu allegro, 'more quickly'
etc |
|
piu-piu |
is found in directions to performers, as in piu forte, louder, or piu lento,
slower |
|
piva |
bagpipe, or, a type of fast dance |
|
pivot chord |
a chord that is common to the current key, and the one being modulated
into |
|
pizzicato |
a direction to performers on string instruments to pluck the strings.
A return to the use of the bow is indicated by the word 'arco', bow.
Pizzicato notes on the violin, viola and cello are normally plucked with the index finger of the right hand. the great violinist
Paganini, however, introduced the technique of left-hand pizzicato for occasional use, notably in one of the variations of his 24th caprice, where it produces a very special effect. |
|
placido |
placid |
|
plagal cadence |
cadence from IV to I |
| plainchant |
type of medieval church music consisting of a single line of unaccompanied vocal melody in free rhythm, with no regular bar lengths.
As Gregorian chant, plainsong became the standard way of singing texts from roman catholic
liturgy |
| plainsong |
a monophonic chant which is unmeasured, and unaccompanied; such as
Gregorian chant. |
|
plainte |
baroque ornament |
|
plaisanterie |
pleasantry, joke |
|
plaque |
play notes of a chord together |
|
plate numbers |
numbers employed by publishers to keep inventory of the metal engravings, and which appeared on the published
music |
|
platerspiel |
bladder pipe |
|
player piano |
a piano that plays without a performer touching the keys. a device may be attached to a standard piano, or incorporated within the instrument itself.
The player piano is operated by pedals forcing air through holes punched in a rotating paper roll. player pianos were popular in the
1920's |
|
plectrum |
a small device often used to pluck the strings on instruments such as the lute, mandolin, banjo and guitar. it has a rounded
end and can be made of wood, metal, horn, ivory, plastic or
tortoiseshell. The word is also used to describe the quills which pluck the strings in a harpsichord. |
|
plein |
full |
|
plein-jeu |
full organ |
|
plena |
Dominican or Puerto Rican work song consisting of short lines followed by a meaningless refrain. |
|
plica |
indication for an ornamental note to follow |
|
pochissimo |
very little |
|
poco |
is found in directions to performers, as in poco allegro, although un poco allegro, a little fast, would be more accurate.
Poco, in fact, is commonly used meaning un poco, a little |
|
poco a poco |
little by little |
|
poi |
thereafter |
| point |
upper end of bow |
|
point d'orgue |
pedal point, pause, or cadenza |
|
polacca |
polonaise |
| polka |
a Bohemian dance, became one of the most popular ball-room dances of the 19th century,
it's title a possible reference to Poland. It is used by Smetana in his
Czech opera the bartered bride and elsewhere and in William
Walton's jeu d'esprit facade |
|
polo |
Andalusia dance in 3/8 with frequent hemiola, and rapid coloratura, sung to a syllable such as
"ay." |
|
polonaise |
the polonaise is a Polish dance in triple metre.
Although the title is found in French suite no. 6 of Johann
Sebastian Bach and elsewhere in the earlier 18th century, the form is best known from the piano pieces written by
Chopin a hundred years later, works that elevated the original dance to a higher level, while capturing the current spirit of
Polish nationalism. |
|
polska |
Swedish dance possibly of Polish roots |
| poly |
more than one |
|
polychoral |
a style in which an ensemble is divided into groups that may perform individually, alternately, or
together |
|
polymetric |
having more than one rhythm at the same time |
| polyphonic |
describes works in which different lines of music are played or sung together, creating harmony. |
| polyphony |
the writing of music in many parts or in more than one part, with reference in particular to contrapuntal practices. monody or monophony are possible
opposites |
|
polyrhythm |
music that uses several different rhythms at the same time.
This has long been a common practice in the ethnic music of many cultures, particularly in
African music |
| polyphony |
having more than one voice part at the same time |
|
polytextuality |
superimposition of different texts at the same time |
| polytonal |
describes music written in more than one key. See
polytonality |
| polytonality |
the simultaneous use of several keys. The technique was used extensively by 20th-century composers such as
Ives and Holst |
|
pomposo |
pompous |
|
ponticello |
the bridge of a stringed instrument, such as a violin.
Sul ponticello, for example, means 'on the bridge', and is an instruction to the musician to play with the bow as close as possible to the bridge.
This makes a sound with a special nasal or metallic quality. |
|
pop music |
'pop', an abbreviation of 'popular', was originally used to refer to music which appealed to a wide audience. since the
1950's, it has been closely associated with rock 'n' roll |
|
port |
instrumental piece |
|
portamento |
smooth gliding from one note to the next, such that the intermediate pitches are
distinguishable |
|
portative organ |
portable organ |
|
portato |
between legato and staccato |
|
portee |
staff |
| pos |
abbr. for position |
|
posaune |
trombone |
|
positif |
choir organ |
| position |
the pivot point of the left hand on a stringed instrument. the placement of the trombone slide. the spacing of a
chord |
| positive organ |
a single manual organ with no pedals |
|
post horn |
is a relatively simple kind of horn once played by postilions as a signal of the departure, arrival or approach of a coach.
Mozart made brief use of the instrument in his post horn serenade, and its sound was imitated by various composers, including
Johann Sebastian Bach in his harpsichord capriccio on the departure of his beloved brother, which includes a postilion aria and a fugue on the sound of the post
horn |
| posthumous |
published after author's death |
| postlude |
is played at the end of a piece and indicates, in particular, the additional piano phrases that may appear at the end of a song, after the singer has stopped. the word is more widely used to describe the closing section of a work or to indicate a piece of music to be played as the conclusion of some ceremony, the opposite of a
prelude |
|
potpourri |
medley of many types of tune, played in succession, with or without bridges or
modulations |
| potpourri |
a medley of tunes |
|
pour |
for |
|
pousse, poussez |
upbow |
|
practical music |
applied music |
|
praeambulum |
preamble, prelude |
|
precentor |
choir director |
|
precipitando |
pushing |
|
precipitato |
impetuously |
|
preciso |
precisely |
| pre-classical |
describes music predating the classical period established by
Haydn and Mozart |
| preface |
introduction to the canon of the mass |
| prelude |
a movement or section of a work that comes before another movement or section of a work, although the word also has been used for short independent pieces that may stand alone, or even for more extended works, such as
Debussy's prelude
a l'apres-midi d'un faune |
| preparation |
the sounding of a dissonant note preceded by sounding the same note in a consonant
context |
|
prepared piano |
a piano whose timbre is altered by a row of tacks, bolts, felt or any foreign objects on the strings, or by detuning the unison
strings |
|
presa |
the sign in a canon that indicates the entry of the next
voice |
|
pressante |
urgent |
|
pressez |
increase speed |
|
prestissimo |
very fast |
|
presto |
is used frequently as a direction to performers. an even faster speed is indicated by the superlative prestissimo or even il piu presto
possible, as fast as possible |
|
prim |
prime |
|
prima |
first, principal |
|
prima donna |
principal female singer. this term is used in a derogatory
sense to mean a self-centered high strung performer of any type. |
|
prima vista |
sight reading |
|
prima volta |
first ending |
|
primary accent |
downbeat |
| primary chords |
important, often used chords of a key |
|
primary triads |
I, IV, and V - the triads that are major in a major key (some
Americans also use this term) |
| prime |
unison interval |
|
primgeiger |
principal violinist, concertmaster |
|
primo |
first part |
| principal |
the leading player of a particular orchestral section, as in principal trumpet. also used to describe a singer who takes the main part in an opera, as in principal tenor or
soprano |
| processional |
music played during a formal entrance |
|
produce an opera |
direct an opera |
|
program symphony |
symphonic composition based on programmatic idea |
|
programme music |
is music that has a narrative or descriptive extra-musical content. music of this kind has a long history, but the term programme music was coined by
Liszt, whose symphonic poems principally attempt to translate into musical terms works of literature, such as
Goethe's Faust or Dante's Divina Commedia. It seems preferable that the term should be limited to instrumental music for concert use and should not include either incidental music or ballet music. |
| progression |
the succession of notes or chords which lead to a new
one |
| prologue |
introduction to ballet or opera |
|
prolongement |
sostenuto pedal |
|
pronto |
quick |
|
pronunziato |
marked, emphasized, pronounced |
| proper |
the parts of the mass whose parts change daily, as distinct from the ordinary.
The proper consists of the introit, gradual, alleluia or tract,
offertory and communion |
|
proportional notation |
use of note values in the proportion of 2.1 or 3.1 |
| proportions |
in mensural notation, diminution of note values in arithmetic
ratios |
|
proposta |
subject (of fugue) |
|
prosa |
sequence (of mass) |
| psalm |
psalms are the texts included in the biblical book of psalms and retaining an important place in the services of the catholic divine office, sung to plainchant.
The biblical texts are not metrical and therefore use a relatively simple form of chant that can be expanded by the use of a longer reciting note, the final syllables sung to a short syllabic formula.
After the reformation of the early 16th century metrical versions of the psalms became current, with texts that could be sung to hymn-tunes.
Harmonized settings of the biblical and metrical psalms have been current in protestant churches and chapels since the 16th century. |
| psalmody |
the study of, or an arrangement of, psalms for
singing |
|
psalter |
an edition of the book of psalms, translated into the vernacular, often including music and sometimes presented in a rhymed
version |
| psaltery |
ancient stringed instrument |
| pulse |
beat |
|
pumhart |
bombarde |
|
punctus |
in mensural notation, sign similar to a dot in modern notation, and having the same meaning. |
|
punta |
point (of bow), thrust |
|
punteado |
a style of guitar playing which involves plucking the strings, as opposed to the rasgueado, a style of classical playing where the strings are
strummed |
|
punto |
rural Cuban folksong in alternating 3/4 and 6/8, characteristically with predominantly seventh chords and vocal portamento |
|
purajhei |
Paraguayan song that shows clear European influences but sung in guarani |
|
purfling |
inlaid border of violins. helps prevent the corners from
chips |
|
puy, pui |
French societies that held music festivals |
|
puzzle canon |
riddle canon |
|
pyiba, pyipar |
Chinese lute |
|
pyknon |
lower segment of enharmonic and chromatic tetra chords |
|
pythagorean scale |
scale deriving entirely from the absolute fifth |
