Conducting Vocab 1

ayyy ur welcome

a cappella

a cappella

music written without instrumental accompaniment

accelerando

accelerating, getting gradually faster in tempo

accent

prominence given to a syllable by stress or pitch

accompagnato

accompanied (where accompanist follows singer, varying tempo when singer does)

Adagio

In slow tempo

Ad libitum

As much or as often as necessary or desired

Agitato

In an agitated manner

Aleatory

Depending on chance (like throwing a die); random

Alla breve

A time signature indicating 2 or 4 half-note beats in a bar

Allargando

In a manner that is slower and slower, and often also fuller in tone

Allegretto

At a fairly brisk tempo

Allegro

at a brisk (not fairly brisk) tempo

Andante

At a moderately slow tempo

A niente

With a soft sound or tone gradually fading to nothing

Animato

In an animated manner

Anthem

A song or hymn of praise or gladness

Antiphonal

Sung recited, or played alternately by two groups

Appoggiatura

A grace note performed before a note of the melody and falling on the beat

Arco

A note in string instrument musical notation indicating that the bow is to be used in the usual way, usually following a passage that is played pizzicato

Aria

a long accompanied song for a solo voice, typically one in an opera or oratorio

Arioso

Vocal music that is more melodic than recitative but less formal than an aria

Arpeggio

Any chord that is played one note at a time

Assai

“very” - used with tempo direction in music (“allegro assai”)

A tempo

Return to original tempo of piece

Atonality

Without definitive key or mode

attaca

attack at once- used to show that movements one and two should end and begin without pause (or movements 3 and 4, literally any movement groups)

Basso continuo

An accompanying part that includes a bassline and harmonies, typically played on a keyboard instrument (for mostly baroque music)

Baroque pitch

Reference tuning pitch intended to imitate those used in the baroque period, usually with the A above middle C tuned to four-hundred and fifteen Hz, but sometimes as low as three-hundred and ninety-two Hz (woah)

Beat

Basic rhythmic unit of a measure

Bel canto

Lyrical style of operatic singing using a full, rich, broad tone and smooth phrasing

Binary form

Two-part musical form in which the first part modulates to the dominant or relative minor and the second returns to the tonic

Bocca chiusa

Wordless humming - “at closed mouth”

Bodhran

A shallow one-sided Irish drum typically played with a short two-headed drumstick

Bongo

A pair of small, long-bodied drums typically held between the knees and played with the fingers

Bridge

Section of a song that’s intended to provide contrast to the rest of the composition

Brio

Directive to perform the indicated passage with vigor, vivacity or spirit as in “con brio” - with vigor

Cadence

Two-chord progression that occurs at the end of a phrase (usually V to I)

Cadenza

Unaccompanied bravura passage introduced at or near the close of a movement of a composition and serving as a brilliant climax, particularly in solo concerti of a virtuoso character

Caesura

break, pause, or interruption in the normal tempo of a composition

Call and response

One musician offers a phrase and a second answers with a direct commentary or response to the offered phrase

Cambiata

Melodic ornamental tone following a principal tone by a skip, usually of a third above or below, and progressing by a step

Canon

Leader opens a statement, then a second group begins at a different measure but using the beginning statement (y’all know what a canon is we’re fine)

Cantabile

In a singing manner, often used as a direction

Cantata

Musical composition intended to be sung, as opposed to a sonata (now, loosely means any work for voices and instruments)

Cantor

Trained vocalist and member of the clergy (typically in Judaism) who leads the congregation in song and prayer, teaches music to both children and adults, and officiates major life cycle events

Cantus firmus

Preexistent melody that forms the basis of a larger musical work

Carol

A song of religious joy, usually associated with a given season (especially Christmas); a late medieval English song on any subject

Castrato

Male soprano or contralto voice of great range, flexibility, and power, produced as a result of castration before puberty

Celesta

Orchestral percussion instrument resembling a small upright piano

Chanson

Lyric-driven French song, usually referring to the secular polyphonic French songs of late medieval and Renaissance music

Chorale

Musical composition (or part of one) consisting of or resembling a harmonized version of a simple, stately hymn tune

Claves

A pair of sticks that play the “key” or repeating rhythmic pattern in a piece