Dictionary: E - F

E

@155 eilen (Ger.)\To hurry. Nicht cilen, do not hurry.

@156 einfach (Ger.)\Simply.

@157 eisteddfod (Welsh, 'assembly')\Music or competitive festival.

@158 elegy\Song or instrumental composition for the dead.

@159 embellishments\Same as ornaments.

@160 embouchure (Fr.)\The correct position of lips to the mouthpiece of an

instrument to produce accurate intonation and good tone.

@161 encha nez (Fr.)\Link together (e.g. go straight on to the next section or

movement without a break).

@162 encore (Fr.)\Again. Refers to an extra selection performed by musicians

after a program in response to audience applause. French term is bis.

@163 enharmonic\Refers to alternate naming or spelling of the same musical note

(e.g. A flat is the same as G sharp)

@164 ensemble (Fr., 'together')\(l) A small group of performers (e.g. a vocal or

instrumental ensemble; (2) In opera, an ensemble is an selection for several

soloists with or without chorus.

@165 entr'acte (Fr.)\(I) Interval during a play or opera. (2) Music to be played

between the acts of a play or opera.

@166 entree (Fr.)\Chiefly a 17th century French music term for (I) an

introductory piece for the entry of characters in ballet or opera; (2) an

independent instrumental piece of similar nature; (3) the equivalent of a scene

or act in ballet or opera.

@167 entry\(I) The entrance of a theme in a fugue occurring not only at the

beginning but also at later stages in the composition. (2) A 17th century term

for a prelude.

@168 episode\(I) In a rondo, this is a contrasting section between episodical form

recurrences of the main theme. (2) In a fugue, it is a section linking (by means

of contrast, modulation or possibly using subject material) one entry and

another. In both contexts, an episode has a subordinate role.

@169 episodical form\Same as rondo form.

@170 equale (Old It., 'equal')\Piece or pieces (equali) for instruments of the same

kind.

@171 espressivo (It.)\With expression.

@172 estampie (Fr.)\A popular dance form in the 13th and 14th centuries

consisting of several sections (puncta) each of which has a first ending

(ouvert) and a second ending (clos).

@173 estinto (It., 'extinct')\Music to be played so that it is barely audible.

@174 etouffez (Fr., 'damp')\Indication to harp or cymbal players, etc. that sound

must be immediately cut short.

@175 etude (Fr., 'study')\An instrumental piece to improve or demonstrate certain

technical points. However, many etudes (such as those by Chopin) have great

artistic merit.

@176 exercise\(I) An instrumental or vocal piece intended to improve aspects of

technique and of no artistic value. (2) The term for a keyboard suite in the

18th century.

@177 exposition\The initial statement of a musical theme or idea upon which a

rnovement or piece is based. In a fugue, the exposition is the initial statement

of the subject by each voice in turn. The exposition is completed when each

voice has been heard for the first time. In sonata form, it is a repeated section

in which the main themes are first stated before moving on to the development

section.

@178 expressionism\A 20th century term borrowed from painting and applied to

other art forms implying a reaction against impressionism (e.g. the works of

composers such as Debussy). Musically it is especially applied to the works

of Schonberg, Berg and some compositions of Hindemith.

@179 expression marks\Indications on the score provided by the composer to aid

accurate performance of a work and consisting of dynamics (e.g. degrees of

loudness and softness), tempo and mood.

@180 extemporisation\Same as improvisation.

F
@181 F\(1) Note of the scale; (2) Abbreviation of forte.

@182 f clef\Another name for bass clef.

@183 facile (Fr. and It.)\Fasy, fluent.

@184 Facilmente\Easily or fluently.

@185 falsetto (It.)\Singing or speech by an adult male voice in a higher register

than normal. It is sometimes used for a comic effect and is used by tenors for

notes above their normal range.

@186 fandango (Sp.)\A lively Spanish dance in 3/4 or 6/8 time accompanied by

guitar, castanets and performers' singing. The fandango includes sudden stops

and speed increases

@187 fanfare\(I) A flourish for trumpets (or other imitating instruments) usually

for an introduction or proclamation; (2) French for brass band.

@188 fantasia (It.), fantaisie (Fr.), fantasie (Ger.), fantasy (Eng.)\This style is

generally associated with the abandoning of set rules for free flights of the

composer's imagination. Specific definitions include: (I) a romantic mood

piece of the 19th century(e.g. by Schumann); (2) a contrapuntal piece, in

several sections for one or many players, current in the 16th and 17th

centuries, of improvisatory nature, with 'fancy' as an alternative name. The title

phantasy was used for the 20th century revival of the form.

@189 fantasiestuck (Ger.)\A short piece similar to capriccio or intermezzo.

@190 farandole (Fr.)\A dance of Provence in 6/8 time accompanied by pipe and

tabor.

@191 fausset (Fr.)\Falsetto.

@192 fermata (It.)\Pause.

@193 ff\Abbreviation of fortissimo meaning very loud

@194 figure\A short musical phrase (not as long as a theme) which is

recognisable through repetition in a composition.

@195 figured bass or basso continuo (It.)\The bass part (played on keyboard or

other chordal instrument) with figures written below the notes indicating the

harmonies to be played above them. This system was used greatly in the

baroque period as an accompaniment for soloists or to enrich the general

texture of a larger composition.

@196 final\The note on which the melody ends in church modes. In authentic

modes, the final is on the tonic. In plagal modes, it falls on the fourth degree

of the scale.

@197 finale (It.)\Final. In English there are two main meanings: (1) the last

movement of a work in several movements; (2) the lengthy concluding section

of an opera, often subdivided into smaller sections with contrasting tempos or

keys. Involves several singers and often a chorus.

@198 fine (It )\End. This term sometimes occurs in the middle of music, often

where there is an instruction to repeat an opening section. The directionfine

indicates the end of a piece.

@199 fino al segno (It.)\As far as the sign.

@200 fioritura (It., 'a flowering')\Decoration of a melody with ornaments which

may be notated or improvised. Evident in 17th and 18th century Italian opera.

@201 first movement form\An alternative name for sonata form.

@202 flamenco or cante flamenco (Sp.)\An Andalusian song performed with

guitar accompaniment and dancing of a mostly sad nature. Various types of

namenco exist and are named after districts (e.g. malaguena and sevillana).

Flamenco-style guitar employs quite different and forceful techniques

compared to classical guitar playing.

@203 flat\A lowering in pitch which may be a semitone, or a description of

someone singing or playing below normal pitch unintentionally. A double flat

indicates a lowering of the pitch by two semitones.

@204 flebile (It.)\Mournful .

@205 fliessend (Ger.)\Flowing.

@206 flourish\(I) Fanfare; (2) Decorative musical figuration notated or

improvlsed .

@207 flutter-tongue\Extremely fast articulation of sound on a wind instrument by

the tongue, like trilling.

@208 forte (It.)\Loud. Abbreviated f.

@209 fortissimo (It.)\Very loud. Abbreviated ff.

@210 forza (It.)\Force.

@211 forzando (It.)\Strongly accented. Abbreviated fz.

@212 foxtrot\Originally an American dance in duple time of which there are two

main typesÄfast and slow. It first became popular in 1912.

@213 frottola (It.)\A popular and light Italian strophic song for several voices,

with the melody on top, flourishing around 1500. Particularly heard in

aristocratic circles.

@214 fuga\(1) (Lat.) A canon in the 15th and 16th centuries. (2) (It.) A fugue.

@215 fugato\Describes a section of a composition in fugal style which is not

actually a fugue.

@216 fuge (Ger.)\Fugue.

@217 fughetta (It.)\Short fugue.

@218 fugue\A contrapuntal composition for two or more voices or parts built

around a theme, which is successively imitated by entries of each voice at the

beginning and developed throughout the piece. The initial entry in the tonic

key is called the subject. The second entry in the dominant is called the

answer. If this answer is exact (e.g. it reproduces the subject note for note in

the dominant) then it is a real answer. If the answer is slightly modified to

preserve tonality, it is called a tonal answer. After having announced the

subject or answer, each voice passes on to another thematic element known as

the countersubject. After each voice has made its initial entry the cxposition

or first section of the fugue is complete. Thereafter, further entries of the

subject appear, separated by contrapuntal episodes and the subject may be

treated by augmentation, diminution, inversion, etc. J.S. Bach was one of the

great masters of the fugue.

@219 full close\Alternative name for perfect cadence.

@220 fundamental\First or lowest note of the harmonic series.

@221 funebre (It.)\Funeral. March funebre, funeral march.

@222 fuoco (It.)\Fire.