| r |
abbr. for right |
|
rabab |
a family of bowed stringed instruments used in the Islamic
world |
|
rabbia |
rage |
|
raddolcendo |
becoming softer |
|
raddoppiare |
double, usually with an octave below |
|
radel |
round |
|
radical bass |
root of a chord |
|
radleyer |
hurdy gurdy |
|
raffrenando |
slowing |
| raga |
building block for Indian music |
| ragtime |
a style of music that emerged in 1890's America. A forerunner of jazz, typified by piano playing with evenly syncopated march-like rhythms. noted ragtime composers include
Scott Joplin, Eubie Blake and Jelly Roll Morton. |
|
rallentando |
gradually growing slower |
| rank |
a set of organ pipes on the same stop |
|
rapidamente |
rapidly |
|
rasch |
swift |
|
rasgado, rasqueado |
guitar technique in which each of the fingers strums the strings, producing a fast repeated effect on each string as the arpeggiated chord is
sounded |
|
ratsche |
rattle |
|
rattenando, rattenuto |
withholding a little |
| rattle |
percussion instrument consisting of a wooden cogwheel that revolves against a flexible wooden strip. any shaken
idiophone |
|
rauscher |
quick figure encompassing repetitions |
|
ravvivando |
a musical instruction indicating a gradual return to previously developed subjects and themes. the third section of a sonata
form |
|
real answer |
a fugal answer that is an exact transposition of the
subject |
|
rebec |
ancient stringed instrument |
| recapitulation |
part of a composition marked by a return to previously developed subjects and themes. the third section of a sonata
form |
| recercada, recercar |
same as ricercar |
| recessional |
music played at the end of a church service as the clergy process
out |
|
recht |
right |
|
recit |
recitative, also a stop found on some organs |
| recital |
public performance by soloist, or duet, in contrast to a concert, which used to mean a larger group. in modern usage, the term recital is usually associated with serious music as
well |
| recitative |
recitative is used in vocal works, particularly opera and oratorio, usually for a solo voice, in relatively free rhythm.
In this respect recitative is distinct from the formal aria.
Recitative might be accompanied by basso continuo, harpsichord or other chordal instruments and a bass instrument
(recitativo secco or dry recitative), or accompanied by a larger number of instruments
(recitativo accompagnato, accompanied recitative). Recitative is often used for narrative or for the forwarding of the plot in opera. |
| reco |
Brazilian scraper made of a gourd or cane carved with notches. it is sounded by scraping the notched part with a stick. |
| recorder |
a type of reed less woodwind instrument, made in a variety of sizes.
Sopranino, descant, treble, tenor and bass. The recorder was used heavily between the 16th-and 18th-centuries, but gave way to the side-blown flute.
Revived in the 20th-century, it is often the first instrument taught to children. |
|
recueilli |
contemplative |
|
red notes |
in medieval music, notes that were colored red on the page in order to distinguish differences in rhythm or octave transposition for specific notes.
They were also used to show differences in a cantus firmus from the
original |
| redowa, rejdowak |
bohemian dance, similar to mazurka |
| reduction |
arrangement (usually based on orchestral score) that can be (barely) played on a
piano |
| reed |
a piece of cane or metal in the mouthpiece that vibrates to produce sound when air is blown across
it |
|
reed instruments |
musical instruments that use either one reed, or a pair of
reeds |
| reel |
a fast-paced dance for two or more couples, most common in
Scotland and Ireland, but also encountered in Scandinavia and North America |
| reexposition |
recapitulation |
| refrain |
part of a song that recurs, usually at the end of each verse or stanza. sometimes also referred to as a
chorus |
| regal |
small portable reed organ |
|
regisseur |
stage director of an opera |
| register |
the register of a voice or instrument is a distinct part of its range. the clarinet, for example, has a distinctive lower register known, from the origin of the instrument, as the chalumeau register, and an upper register of more flute-like
timbre |
| registration |
the choice of stops used by an organist or harpsichordist, a much more elaborate matter for the
former |
|
reigen |
round dance |
|
reine stimmung |
just intonatio |
|
reisado |
Brazilian play commemorating the journey of the magi |
| related |
used to describe chords, modes, or keys that have some element in common, and may be used in a musical
progression |
|
related keys |
musical keys that, being harmonically similar, are relatively easy to move
between |
| relative pitch |
the ability to recognize or produce a pitch with respect to a known reference pitch. relative pitch is a requirement for a
musician |
|
religioso |
in a religious manner |
|
remettez |
to take off a stop |
|
remote key |
a key with a very distant relationship to the current
key |
| renaissance |
"rebirth." the era from the mid-15th century to the end of the 16th century.
The music was characterized by the use of freer forms, and a progression from modes toward major and minor scales, and
harmony |
|
renforcer |
to reinforce, increase in loudness |
|
renversement |
inversion |
| repeat |
double vertical line with dots to one side of it. if the dots are on the left, means go back to the matching repeat with dots on the right (or the beginning, if none.) if the dots are on the right, it marks the beginning of a repeated
section |
|
repeat sign |
( || ) repeat from the beginning or repeat section of music between the repeat
signs |
| repercussion |
repetition of a tone or chord |
|
repetenda |
psalm verses added ad lib |
| repetiteur |
the member of an opera or ballet company who plays the piano at rehearsals and coaches the singers and
dancers |
|
repetition |
rehearsal |
| |
part of the piano that permits the sounding of a new town with each quick repetition of a
keystroke |
|
replica |
repeat |
|
repons |
responsory |
|
reponse |
fugue answer |
| reprise |
a return to an earlier section of a composition after an intervening and contrasting
passage |
| requiem |
a version of the mass performed to commemorate the dead. the sections are. introit, kyrie, gradual and tract, sequence (dies irae), offertory, sanctus, and agnus dei |
|
requiem mass |
the catholic mass for the dead opens with the words requiem aeternam dona
eis, domine (eternal rest grant unto them, o lord), leading to the use of the word requiem for the mass for the dead.
Important settings of the requiem include that by Mozart and the large scale settings of the requiem by
Berlioz and by Verdi. Brahms set a collection of
Lutheran texts to form his German requiem, while Faure set a liturgical text that used parts of the burial service. |
|
res facta |
completely written |
| resin |
rosin |
| resolution |
changing of a dissonant pitch, usually by stepwise or chromatic motion, so that it becomes consonant with the chord
sounded |
| resonance |
the process where vibrations from a vibrating mass are transferred to another (usually larger)
mass |
|
resonanzsaiten |
sympathetic strings |
| resonator |
any chamber or device that reinforces a sound by resonating
it |
|
ressortir |
to emphasize |
| rest |
a musical sign indicating silence-either for one or more players, or for the entire
ensemble |
| restatement |
recapitulation (in sonata form) |
| rests |
where, for example, British say crotchet rest, Americans
say quarter rest (not quarter-note rest) |
| retardation |
holding back; slowing |
| |
suspension resolving upward |
|
retirada |
closing movement |
| retrograde |
backward, beginning with the last note and ending with the
first |
|
rf, rfz |
rinforzando |
| rhapsody |
the title came into general use in music of the mid-19th century, notably with the
Hungarian rhapsodies of Liszt.
It implies a work free in form and inspiration, often an expression of national temperament, as in the
Slavonic rhapsodies of Dvorak |
|
rhumba |
rumba |
| rhyme, musical |
composition wherein the sections begin differently but end
identically |
| rhythm |
an essential element in music in one way or another, is the arrangement of notes according to their relative duration and relative
accentuation |
|
rhythmic mode |
repeat of simple rhythm patterns. the modern name for a medieval concept of rhythm in which the value and relative duration of each note is determined by its position within a larger rhythmic series, or mode, consisting of a patterned succession of long and short
values |
| ribibe, ribible |
rabab |
| ribs |
the sides of stringed instruments |
| ricercar, ricercare, ricercata, recercada |
a 16th and 17th century style generally consisting of imitation of a
theme |
|
ridotto |
reduced |
|
riduzione |
arrangement |
| riff |
a short musical phrase in jazz or blues. it may be repeated often during a piece, with changes to the key, rhythm or
melody |
| rigadoon |
lively French dance in 4 or 2 |
| rigaudon |
the French folk-dance, the rigaudon, is occasionally found in instrumental dance suites of the 17th and 18th centuries.
It was normally in a brisk duple metre. |
|
rigo |
staff |
|
rilasciando |
slowing down |
|
rinforzando |
a sudden accent on one note |
|
ripieno |
reinforcing section of orchestra |
| riposato, riposo |
in a tranquil manner, repose |
|
riprendere |
resume the original tempo |
|
ripresa |
repeat. refrain, recapitulation |
| risoluto |
resolute |
|
risposta |
answer (of fugue) |
|
risvegliato |
lively |
|
ritardando |
gradually slackening the pace |
| ritardano |
becoming slower. often abbreviated to rit |
|
ritenuto |
immediate slow down |
|
ritmo |
rhythm |
|
ritornello |
a recurrent phrase or passage, is a feature of baroque form, where an aria may be punctuated by re-appearances of a short instrumental phrase.
It became a frequent element in baroque solo concertos by composers such as
Vivaldi, and works with operatic connotations |
|
ritornello form |
form often used in baroque concerto, consisting of alternating tutti and soli sections, the tutti parts always returning to the
theme |
|
ritournelle |
dance in quick 3 |
| riverso, rivolto |
retrograde or inverse |
| robustamente, robusto |
robustly, firmly |
| rock'n'roll |
a type of popular music characterized by electric guitars and solo voice, which is derived from black
American blues music. It spread to Europe from the U.S. around 1955 |
| rococco |
ornamental style of architecture, where delicate, rather than grandiose, is an appropriate adjective. the musical analogue is graceful, delicately executed
pieces |
|
rohrblatt |
reed |
|
rohrstimmen |
reed of an organ |
| roll |
a series of rapid drum beats, played so fast that they seem to merge into one continuous
sound |
|
rollschweller |
the crescendo or swell pedal of an organ |
|
romance, romanze, romanza |
a popular narrative piece in ballad style. has come to mean a short lyrical instrumental
piece |
|
romantic era |
the musical period from roughly 1827-1900, characterized by freer forms, larger, more elaborate works, and an increased attention to emotional themes within the
music |
|
romantic music |
music with less emphasis on structure and more on emotional response in the listener.
Art songs, symphonic tone poems and various character pieces for piano are typical of this period. |
|
ronde |
whole note |
|
rondeau |
medieval French form of poetry and music. A form consisting of a repeated refrain and different material in between
refrains |
| rondelet |
roundelay |
|
rondellus |
voice exchange |
| rondo |
a form in which a passage of music is repeated between other, differing sections.
A typical rondo comprises the pattern abacada, etc. in which "a" is the recurrent section.
The rondo form has been employed by many great composers |
| root |
the most fundamental note of a chord, often the bass note, which usually contains the other members of the chord in its
overtones |
| rosalia |
hack music of the eighteenth-nineteenth century |
|
rosin, resin |
a slightly sticky substance derived from the sap coniferous trees and applied to the hair of a bow to increase the friction between the bow and the
strings |
| rota |
round |
| rote |
fixed, robotic way of learning, by memory alone without
understanding |
| rotta, rotte, rota |
medieval instrument like psaltery |
|
rotulus |
manuscripts that scrolled from top to bottom |
|
roulade |
ornamental passage |
| round |
a type of short canon for unaccompanied voices, each of which enters in turn to sing the same melody.
A well-known round is row, row, row your boat |
| round |
circle canon-a piece written in one line where the various parts are offset in time, and are so written to
harmonize |
| roundelay |
rondeau, rondelet |
|
rovescio |
describes a passage that can be performed in reverse order, or to indicate a melodic passage with rising notes being played or sung from high to
low |
| row |
tone row |
| rubab |
see rabab |
|
rubato |
a musical direction giving the player a certain amount of freedom with the time and rhythm. this is intended to increase the expressiveness of the
music |
|
rueda |
Castilian round dance in 5 |
| ruggiero |
chanting epic poetry to a skeletal bass |
|
rumba |
Afro-Cuban dance, performed by ensemble including a singer who sings nonsense syllables or very short phrases that
repeat |
| run |
rapid scale-like passage |
|
russian bassoon |
upright, now obsolete instrument with brass bell |
|
rustico |
rustic, pastoral |
|
rute |
a brush made of birch which is used on the head of a bass
drum |
|
ruckpositif |
a part of the organ in a separate location |
|
rucksichtslos |
inconsiderate, as of the harmonic considerations of
counterpoint |
