Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Dictionary: C - D

C
@067 C\Note of the scale
@068 cadence\A progression of chords in music designed to produce a closing
effect, such as at the end of phrases, sections or the composition. Over the
years, some chord progressions have come to be known as a standard
cadences.
@069 cadenza (It.)\A solo passage before the final cadence, generally occurring
in the first or last movement in the classical concerto. It suggests
improvisation of the main themes and a display of the soloist's virtuosity.
However, Mozart and other composers since have taken no chances with the
performer's improvisational skills and have written out their cadenzas in a
style that matched the concerto.
@070 canon\A contrapuntal work in which a melody, stated by one voice (or
part) is repeated by one or more voices in turn, each entering before the
previous part has finished. This results in overlapping, similar to a type of
music called the Round (e.g. Frere Jacques), but more formal and complex in
construction. Although canons can be performed by a group of singers or
instrumentalists, solo piano music can imitate many voices.
@071 cantabile (It.) \In a singing style.
@072 cantata (It.)\Generally a vocal composition with instrumental
accompaniment telling a story by means of arias and recitatives. In the 17th
and 18th centuries two types existed: cantata da camera which was secular
and cantata da chiesa which was suitable for church. Writers of this period
included Schutz and J.S. Bach who made the cantata more theatrical with the
use of choruses, chorales and strings. In the 19th century the term described
short narrative choral works accompanied by full-scale orchestra with arias,
recitatives and soloists. Modern writers include Bartok, Stravinsky and
Britten.
@073 cantilena (It. )\A smooth Iyrical melody line.
@074 canzona (It., 'song')\A short, fairly polyphonic instrumental piece popular
in the 16th and 17th centuries. In the 18th century, Canzoni referred to short
arias and similar short Iyrical instrumental pieces.
@075 capriccio (It.), caprice (Fr.)\A short, light and lively pieces. In the 17th
century, the term referred to keyboard works in bright, fugal style. In the l9th
century, it described piano pieces in rhapsodic style (e.g. by Brahms).
@076 cedez (Fr.) \Slow down.
@077 chaconne (Fr.)\A vocal or instrumental composition in slow, stately three-
beat time with a ground bass, and popular in 17th century keyboard music and
opera.
@078 chaleur (Fr.) \Warmth .
@079 chamber music\Instrumental ensemble music with a limited number of
performers and with only one player per part, suitable for a small performing
space (such as in a private home). Chamber music is often performed in small
concert halls.
@080 chamber sonata or sonata da camera (It.)\A type of suite prevalent in the
17th and 18th centuries mainly in the form of dance movements for two or
more stringed instruments with keyboard accompaniment.
@081 chanson (Fr.)\A song or an instrumental composition with a song-like
character.
@082 chorale\A Lutheran metrical hymn tune often used by J.S. Bach.
@083 chorale prelude \An instrumental piece based on a chorale, usually
composed for organ.
@084 chord\The sounding together of two or more notes, usually with harmonic
implication. Chord progressions are a series of chords that logically flow from
one to the other.
@085 chromatic\Music which makes heavy use of notes not belong to the scales
within the composition's key. A chromatic chord, for example, has notes
foreign to the key. J.S. Bach's music is often very chromatic. Chromaticism
commonplace in 19th century music, evolving to the point where the key is
not always obvious.
@086 classical music\A style of music in the late 18th century written by
composers such as Haydn and Mozart, characterized by clarity of texture,
harmony and melody, as well as the refinement of abstract musical forms such
as the sonata, symphony and concerto.
@087 clef\The symbol to determine the relative position of notes on the musical
staff, placed normally at the beginning of each line, or whenever a different
clef temporarily replaces the starting clef (to make notes fit more easily on the
staff). There are many possible clefs (e.g. treble, bass, alto and tenor) chosen
to accomodate the range of various instruments or voices. In piano music, the
double staff (a staff for each hand) uses treble or bass clefs.
@088 close harmony\Harmony in which notes of chords are written closely
together (e.g. in barbershop quartets).
@089 cluster\A 20th century concept of playing a group of adjacent notes
simultaneously on the piano (e.g. with the forearm or a piece of wood. The
usual term is tone cluster or note cluster. Pioneered by Cowell in 1912 and
used by Ives.
@090 coda (It.,'tail')\The concluding section at the end of a movement, not
usually of structural necessity. However, Beethoven's codas have great
significance in his musical design.
@091 codetta (It., 'little tail')\Similar to coda but on a smaller scale, eg. rounding
off a section of a movement as opposed to a whole movement.
@092 coloratura (It.)\Agile and florid style of vocal performance.
@093 common time\Four quarter notes to the bar, written 4/4 or C.
@094 compound time\A type of metre where the beat units are divisible into three
(e.g. 6/8, 9/8, 12/8. Opposite of simple time.
@095 con forza (It.)\With force, vigorously.
@096 con fuoco (It.)\With fire.
@097 con grandezza\with grandeur.
@098 concertante\(1) A work for orchestra or for two or more instruments with
prominent solo parts. (2) The sinfonia-concertante is a work with a form
nearer to a symphony than concerto but employing solo instruments and
orchestra.
@099 concertino\(1) A small and light textured concerto. (2) The soloist group in
the 17thand 18th century concerto grosso. (3) A less formally structured work
than a concerto for one or more solo instruments with orchestra.
@100 concerto\(1) A large-scale work, generally in three movements involving
solo instrument(s) contrasted with orchestra and standardised by Mozart. Also
called solo concerto. (2) An orchestral work in several contrasting movements
with or without solo instruments, often supported by figured bass in the 17th
and 18th centuries.
@101 concord\Pleasing to the ear and sounding harmonically resolved. However,
interpretations of this term vary considerably. The opposite is discord.
@102 conduct\To direct a performance of either singers, players or both with a
baton or hands in order to give precise indications of dynamics, phrasing and
speed.
@103 consecutive intervals\Harmonic intervals of the same kind (e.g. thirds
succeeding one another in the same parts.
@104 conservatoire (Fr.) or conservatory\A school for musical training.
@105 consonance\Same as concord.
@106 continuo (It.) Abbreviation of basso continuo. Same as figured bass.
@107 contralto\The lower type of female voice having a range from F below
middle C to G above the treble clef.
@108 contrapuntal \Adjective from counterpoint.
@109 corda, corde\String(s)\In piano playing, una corda (one string) indicates the
use of the soft (left) pedal. The term tre corde (three strings) cancels this,
indicating the release of the soft pedal.
@110 counterpoint\The sounding together of two or more separate parts of
rhythmic and melodic independence, in harmony. Invertible counterpoint
occurs when any one melody strand can exchange its position for another (e.g.
the bass becomes treble). Between two parts, this is called double
counterpoint.
@111 courante (Fr.)\A lively dance in triple time popular in the baroque period
and found in the suite.
@112 crescendo (It.)\Getting gradually louder.
@113 csardas (Hung.)\Hungarian dance in contrasting sections (slow and fast).
@114 cycle\(1) A set of works, especially songs, intended to be performed as a
group with thematic connection (e.g. Schubert's song cycle Die Winterreise.
@115 cyclic form\A work in which a theme connects more than one movement.
Beethoven introduced it into symphonic music (e.g. in his Fifth symphony)
and romantic composers developed it further.
@116 cycle of fifths\a chain of perfect fifths which will lead back to the original
note (at a different octave) after working through the other eleven notes of the
chromatic scale. It is useful for learning key signatures.


D
@117 D\Note of the scale; Abbreviation for Deutsch in the cataloguing of works
by Schubert.
@118 Da capo or DC\Repeat from the beginning.
@119 Da capo al fine \Repeat up to the word Fine (the end).
@120 Da capo al segno\Repeat to the sign.
@121 Dal segno\Repeat from the sign.
@122 damping pedal\Piano soft (left) pedal.
@123 decrescendo (It.)\Becoming gradually softer.
@124 degree\Position of note in scale (e.g. D is the second degree of C major
scale).
@125 development\The section of a movement when initial statements of themes
are expanded, developed, modified and broken up.
@126 diatonic\Adjective describing major and minor scales and also modes. The
opposite of chromatic music which introduces notes not in the prevailing key.
Diatonic harmonies, intervals, passages, etc. are made up of notes of the
current key.
@127 diminished triad\A triad in which the perfect fifth is reduced chromatically
by a semitone (e.g. A C and E flat.
@128 diminuendo or dim.(It.)\Gradually becoming softer. See decrescendo.
@129 diminution\The treatment of a melody by shortening the time values of
notes, usually by half (e.g. in fugues and canons).
@130 discord\See concord.
@131 dissonance\Same as discord (see concord).
@132 divertimento (It.)\Usually an 18th century term for an entertaining suite of
movements for chamber ensemble or orchestra. Mozart wrote in this style.
@133 divertissement (Fr., 'amusement')\(I) Entertainment in ballet form,
sometimes with songs, found in operas or plays for contrast (e.g. the operas of
Lully. (2) Same as divertimento. (3) Instrumental piece or fantasia employing
popular tunes.
@134 dodecaphonic music\Same as serial music.
@135 dolce (It.)\Sweet and gentle.
@136 dolcissimo \Very sweetly.
@137 dolente (lt.)\Sorrowful.
@138 dominant\Fifth degree of the major or minor scale, or a triad built on it.
@139 dominant seventh\Dominant triad with the addition of the seventh note
from its root.
@140 Doppio movimento\At double the speed of the preceding sectlon .
@141 double bar\Two bar lines placed closely together to signify the end of a
composition or section.
@142 double counterpoint\Invertible counterpoint in two parts occurring
frequently in fugues.
@143 double flat\A prefix to a note indicating the pitch is to be lowered by two
semitones.
@144 double sharp\Prefix attached to note indicating pitch to be raised by two
semitones.
@145 douce(ment) (Fr.)\Sweet (sweetly), gentle (gently).
@146 downbeat\The downward movement of the conductor' s baton or hand
indicating the first beat of the bar. The term can also mean the first beat of the
bar.
@147 due corde (It.)\Two strings. In piano music this occasionally indicates the
release of the soft pedal (same as Tre Corde).
@148 duet\A composition for two performers sometimes with accompaniment. A
piano duet is for two pianists on one piano.
@149 duettino (It.)\A little duet.
@150 duo\Same as duet but mainly an instrumental composition for two
performers. A piano duo is for two pianists on separate pianos.
@151 duple time\Time in which the number of beats in the bar is divisible by two
or four (e.g. 2/4, 4/4, 2/2).
@152 duplet\A pair of notes occupying time usually taken by three (e.g. 6/8 or
3/8).
@153 dynamics\The degrees of softness or loudness in music indicated by signs
or words on the score.
@154 clatant (Fr.)\(1) Brilliant, bright; (2) Blaring.
 cossaise (Fr.)\Short for danse ecossaise. Although meaning Scottish dance,
the term is apparently not of Scottish origin. A quick dance in 2/4 time, it was
popular in Britain and on the Continent in the late 18th and early 19th
centuries. Cultivated by Beethoven.

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