Vocabulary 2
- Al fine- to the end, generally used after a repetition
- Allargando- slowing of tempo, usually with increasing volume; most frequently occurs toward the end of a piece
- Amabile- sweet, loveable
- Binary form- AB- form of a composition that has two distinct sections
- Cadenza- an improvised or written-out ornamental passage performed by a soloists usually near the final cadence
- Caesura- grand pause; an interruption or break in the line
- Cantabile- in a singing style; singable
- Chromatic- motion by half steps; also describes harmony or melody that employs some of the sequential 12 pitches (semi-tones) in an octave
- Diminuendo- gradually reduce volume, getting softer
- Dolce- sweetly, usually also softly
- Falsetto- type of vocal phonation that enables the singer to sing notes beyond the normal vocal range.
- Fermata- a pause or hold
- Interval- the relationship between two pitches, the distance between an upper and a lower pitch
- Meno mosso - less motion
- Opus- a creative work, numbered to designate the order of the composer’s works
- Oratorio- large scale musical composition on a sacred subject.
- Presto- very fast; faster than allegro
- Rallentando- gradually slowing down
- Sforzando- strongly accented; forced
- Simile- continue to perform in a similar manner
- Slur- curved line that indicates to sing or play in a legato manner; without separation
- Strophic- describes a song where the stanzas are all sung to the same music
- Subito- suddenly; quickly
- Vivace- lively; briskly