Musical Glossary

Maestro is an Italian term for a distinguished conductor or performer of classical music.

Principal (player) is the leader - and usually the most skilled player - in an orchestra section.

Op. is the short form for the word Opus, which means 'work' in Latin. It is a term used in the listing of a composer's works.

Symphony is a type of musical composition that is large and elaborate, written for a full orchestra, and usually has 4 movements - 1. Fast (Allegro) 2. Slow (Adagio/Andante) 3. Dance (Scherzo) 4. Finale (Presto)

• Allegro is the Italian term for 'lively', indicating a quick and energetic tempo.
• Adagio is the Italian term for 'slow', indicating a slow, graceful tempo.
• Andante is the Italian term for 'at walking pace', indicating a moderately slow, relaxed tempo. Andante sits between Allegro and Adagio.
• A scherzo is often a fast, lively and playful piece or movement in a symphony. Typically in triple time (3/4), the word scherzo means "joke" or "jest" in Italian.
• Presto is the Italian word for 'quick', indicating a fast tempo in a section. It is one of the fastest standard tempos.

A movement is a section within a larger work (such as a symphony, concerto, or sonata) that has its own distinct structure and styling.

Concerto is an Italian term for a classical work featuring a soloist accompanied by an orchestra. It usually has 3 contrasting movements.

Sonata refers to a work for a solo instrument or a duo (solo instrument with accompaniment. It usually has 3 or 4 movements.

Overture is an orchestral introduction to a larger work. Usually found in operas, suites or plays to give listeners a sketch of the full work.

Suite is a musical composition consisting of a collection of individual pieces that are connected by a theme and performed as one entire work.

Étude, 'study' in French, is an instrumental musical composition designed to provide practice material in a particular skill of a solo instrument.

Nocturne, 'nocturnal' in French, is a slow, lyrical, and dreamy musical composition, usually for piano, inspired by the quiet, romantic, or melancholy atmosphere of the night.

A cadenza refers to a portion of a concerto where the orchestra stops playing, leaving the soloist to improvise alone in free time without strict, regular pulse.

Recital is a type of concert that is shorter and only features a single performer or a small group of musicians, such as a string quartet.

Motif is an important short musical idea or phrase. A recurring motif means that it will keep appearing throughout the music.

A reprise refers to a musical repetition of a section, melody or theme that has previously been heard earlier in the composition.

Aria is a piece for solo voice, usually accompanied by orchestra. In opera, arias mostly appear during a pause in dramatic action when a character is reflecting on their emotions.

Tessitura refers to the ideal range of pitches of a voice or an instrument within a piece of music that are most comfortable and natural for a performer.

Baritone refers to a male singing voice in the middle range.