The Music Dictionary
The Calhoun Conservatory of Music....since 1969

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P R S T U V W


 _________A_________
A - B...A basic structural pattern based on statement of a "theme" and "departure" to contrasting material. (Binary form, Two-part form)
A - B - A...A basic structural pattern based on statement of a "theme", "departure" to new material and "return to the theme." (Ternary form, Tree-part form)
Absolute Music...Without literary or pictorial associations, as opposed to "program music." Forms: sonata, symphony, concerto, chamber music.
a cappella...(Italian, for the chapel). Choral Music without instrumental accompaniment.
accelerando...(Italian) To become faster.
accent...Emphasis or stress on a specific tone.
accidentals...Signs such as sharp, flat , natural , introduced to alter pitch of single notes.
accompaniment...The background for the melody; song with piano accompaniment.
adagio...(Italian)...1. Slow, leisurely, 2. Apiece or a movement in this tempo.
Air...A melody or tune.
al fine...(Italian)...To the end, (Da capo)
alla breve...(Italian)...A marking that indicates duple meter, with a half note receiving the beat instead of quarter: 2/2 instead of 4/4. Implies a faster tempo.
allegro...(Italian, happy)...At a quick pace; lively.
alto...1. Women's voice of lower range than soprano. The second highest part in 4-part chorus (Contralto), 2. An instrument in this range: alto saxophone. (Clef)
andante...(Italian, going)...At a moderate tempo.
andantino...Slightly faster than andante.
aria...(Italian)...An elaborate solo song with instrumental accompaniment. Either separate or part of opera, oratorio, cantata, etc.
arioso...(Italian, like aria)...Vocal style between recitative and aria.
arpeggio...(Italian)...A broken chord, the tones being played in succession rather than simultaneously.
arrangement...Adaptation of a piece for instruments or voices other than for which it was written. Art Song...A musical setting of a literary text.
assai... (Italian)...Very, Allegro assai, very fast.
a tempo...In time. A return to the original tempo.
atonality...absence of relationship to a key center. Arnold Schoenberg. (Tonality)
augmentation...Theme presented in longer time values: halfnotes instead of 1/4 notes, etc.

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©1999, CCM
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Lesson 1
Grand Staff
Lesson 5
Piano Keyboard
Lesson 9
Key Signatures
Lesson 12b
All Major Scales
Lesson 16
History of Church Music in America
Lesson 20
Key Transposition
Music Teachers
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Lesson 2
The Musical Alphabet
Lesson 6
Music Notes
Lesson 10
Intervals
Lesson 13
Time Signatures
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John Philip Sousa
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Lesson 3
Reverse The Musical Alphabet
Lesson 7
Small Intervals
Lesson 11
Triads
Lesson 14
Measure Completion
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Calhoun v. Religious Music Publishers
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Lesson 4
More Musical Alphabet
Lesson 8
Major Scales
Lesson 12a
Music Dictionary
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Lesson 23
History & Philosophy of Music Education


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©1999, CCM
Any teacher or student of music may reproduce these pages in printprovided that each lesson or other resource copied from this site has the CCM copyright notice attached.The material may not be placed on any other site address.