MISCELLANEOUS TERMS
_A battuta_--with the beat; in strict rhythm. [Transcriber's Note:
Corrected error "battua" in original.]
_À quatre mains_--for four hands.
_Accompagnamento_--the accompaniment.
_All'unisono_--in unison.
_Alla breve_--2/2 measure.
The term _alla breve_ is also sometimes used as a tempo
indication, to show a rate of speed so great that a half-note
has a beat, _i.e._, only two beats in a measure--hence twice as
fast as before.
_Alla capella_--usually the same as a capella (see p. 76, Sec. 162) but
sometimes _used_ in the same sense as _alla breve_.
_Alla marcia_--in march style.
_Alla zingara_--in gypsy style.
_Alt_--see _in alt_.
_Alto_--the lowest female voice. Range approximately g-e''.
The word _alto_ is derived from the Latin word _altus_, meaning
_high_, the term being formerly applied to the highest male
voice, which originally sang (and still does so in many male
choirs) the alto part.
_Animato come sopra_--in animated style as above.
_Antiphony_ (_antiphonal_)--the responsive singing of two choirs,
usually one at either end of the church, or at either side of the
chancel.
_Arabesque_--an instrumental composition in light, somewhat fantastic
style.
The term _arabesque_ is derived from the word _Arabian_, and
was originally applied to a style of decoration.
_Arioso_--in the style of an air or song, _i.e._, a flowing, vocal
style.
_Attacca_--attack the next division without any pause.
_Attacca subito_--same as _attacca_.
_Attacca subito il seguente_--attack at once that which follows.
[Transcriber's Note: In last 3 entries, corrected misspelling "attaca"
in original.]
_Attack_--the promptness or firmness with which a phrase is begun.
_Bagpipe_--A Scotch instrument on which the tone is produced by a
combination of bellows and reeds. Its characteristic effect is the
continuous sounding of a low tone (sometimes several tones) while the
melody is being played on the higher reeds.
_Barcarole_ (or _barcarolle_)--a boat song. Also applied to a vocal or
instrumental composition in the style of the gondolier's boat song.
_Baritone_ (or _barytone_)--the male voice having a range between that
of the tenor and that of the bass. Approximate range G-g'.
_Bass_--the lowest male voice. Approximate range E-e'.
_Basso_--same as _bass_.
_Berceuse_--a cradle song.
_Binary form_--a form in two parts.
_Binary measure_--a measure having two beats.
_Bis_--twice. Used to indicate a repetition. (Rare.)
_Brace_--the sign used to join several staffs, showing that all tones
represented on these staffs are to be performed together. The term is
often used also in referring to the music written on staffs so joined;
as--"Begin with the upper _brace_."
_Broken chord_--a chord whose tones are not all sounded simultaneously,
as _e.g._, in an accompaniment group.
_Broken octave_--an octave whose tones are sounded one at a time instead
of simultaneously.
_Cacophony_--harsh, discordant, unpleasant, especially _incorrect_
combinations of tones. The opposite of _euphony_.
_Cadenza_--A brilliant passage, usually in an instrumental composition,
introduced just before the close of a movement. The _cadenza_ was
formerly improvised by the performer, (thus giving an opportunity of
displaying his technical skill), but since Beethoven, composers have
usually written their own _cadenzas_.
_Cantabile_--in a singing style.
_Cantando_--same as _cantabile_.
_Canto_--the highest voice part; _i.e._, the soprano part.
Note the derivation of _canto_, _cantabile_, etc., from the
Latin word _cantus_, meaning a _song_.
_Carol_--a hymn of joyful praise, usually sung in connection with Easter
or Christmas festivities. The word _carol_ meant originally _a dance_,
hence the _happy_ character of songs of this type.
_Catch_--a round set to humorous words.
_Chromatic_ (noun)--a term somewhat loosely applied to any tone not
belonging to the key as indicated by the signature. Many teachers are
replacing the word _chromatic_ in this sense with the term _intermediate
tone_, this term being applicable whether the foreign tone is actually
used for ornamental purposes as a _chromatic_, or to effect a
modulation. Thus _e.g._, "F[sharp] is the _intermediate tone_ between F
and G in the key of C."
_Clavichord_--an instrument with keys, resembling the square piano in
appearance. The tone was produced by forcing wedge-shaped pieces of
metal against the strings, thus setting them in vibration. The
_clavichord_ was one of the immediate predecessors of the piano, much of
the music written by Bach being composed for it, although this music is
now played on the modern piano.
_Colla voce_--with the voice: _i.e._, play the accompaniment according
to the soloist's performance rather than strictly according to the
rhythm indicated in the score.
_Colla parte_--same as _colla voce_.
_Coloratura_--florid passages in singing. Also applied to the style of
singing employed in rendering such passages. (See p. 76, Sec. 171.)
_Consonance_--A combination of tones agreeable to the ear and requiring
no resolution to other tone-combinations in order to give the effect of
finality. The major triad C--E--G is an example of a consonant chord.
_Contralto_--same as _alto_.
_Con variazioni_--with variations.
_Direct_--a sign ([direct symbol]) placed at the end of the last staff
on a page, to indicate what the first note on the next page is going to
be. This sign is now practically obsolete.
_Dirge_--a funeral chant. The dirge is named from the first word of a
chant used in the "office for the dead," which begins--_Dirige Domine,
Deus meus, in conspectu tuo viam meam_ (Direct, O Lord, My God, my way
in Thy sight).
_Discord_--an ugly, unharmonious combination of tones.
_Dissonance_--a harmonic combination of tones giving rise to the feeling
of incompleteness or unrest, and therefore requiring resolution to some
other combination which has an agreeable or final feeling. (cf.
consonance.) The diminished triad C--E[flat]--G[flat] is an example of a
dissonant chord.
_Divisi_--divided. An indication showing that the first violins, or the
sopranos, or any other body of performers ordinarily sounding in unison
are now to divide into two or more parts.
_Duet_--a composition for two performers. (From the It. word
_due_--two.)
_École_--a school or style of composition or performance.
_Etude_--a study. Also an instrumental composition in the style of a
study, but intended for artistic performance.
_Euphony_--agreeable tone combinations; the opposite of cacophony. (From
the Greek word meaning _well-sounding_.)
_Facile_--easy.
_Fanfare_--a trumpet call.
_Fantasia_--An instrumental composition not based on any regular form.
_Fiasco_--a complete failure or breakdown.
This use of the word _fiasco_ (which means in Italian a flask,
or bottle) is said to have reference to the bursting of a
bottle, the complete ruin of the bottle being compared with
the complete failure of a performance.
_Gamut_--all the tones of a scale.
_Glissando_--playing a scale on the keyboard by drawing the finger along
over the keys, thus depressing them in very rapid succession. The word
is derived from the French word _glisser_--to glide.
_Harpsichord_--one of the immediate predecessors of the piano.
_Humoresque_--a capricious, fantastic composition. (Cf. _fantasia_.)
_Idyl_--a short, romantic piece of music in simple and unaffected style.
_In alt_--pitches in the first octave above the treble staff. Thus
_e.g._, "C in alt" is the C represented by the second added line above
the treble staff.
_In altissimo_--pitches in the octave above the _alt_ octave.
_Instrumentation_--see _orchestration_.
_Interlude_--a short movement between two larger movements.
_Loco_--place; _i.e._, play as written. (See p. 15, Sec. 46.)
_Lunga trillo_--a long trill.