Special Sub-Topic: Musical Terminology Authored by: polpetta2 Sub-topic of: Spelling Bee

A method of playing an orchestral string instrument. Instead of using the bow, the performer plucks the desired string with a finger.

Pizzicato. Example: The "Pizzicato" Polka by Johann Strauss.

An indication that the tempo of a piece of music should gradually be increased.

Accelerando. Example: the accelerando at the end of the second movement in Brahms' Second Piano Concerto.

Slow. An indication of tempo used as a playing direction in music.

Adagio. Example: Albinoni's Adagio (used on the soundtrack for the film 'Gallipoli' starring Mel Gibson).

The notes of a chord played one after another, usually from the bottom upwards.

Arpeggio. An arpeggio of a C major chord would consist of: CEGC (an octave up from the starting "C"). More advanced arpeggios, especially in jazz and blues formats, are apt to consist of notes not usually found in traditional chords, eg, sixths, sevenths.

A "little book" that contains the complete text of an opera, oratorio, and so forth.

Libretto. Plural form: libretti. Libretti are not regularly published any more, now that audio recordings of operas come with complete texts and supertitles are provided in most opera houses.

A short 'return' or repetition; a concluding symphony to an air, often consisting of the burden of the song.

Ritornello. Example: the opening ritornello of Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 25.

Literally means "joke." A piece in a lively tempo.

Scherzo. Beethoven and many of the composers who came after him put scherzos in their symphonies instead of minuets; often fast with a variety of style ranging from light and playful to sinister and macabre. Scherzo means "joke," but the character of a scherzo movement is often ironic, turbulent, dark, or fierce.

In musical notation, it indicates that notes are sounded in a detached and distinctly separate manner with their lengths shortened.

Staccato. Notes identified as staccato should be played or sung abruptly and short. They are usually notated by a dot over the head of the note when the stem is downward, or by a dot below the head of the note when the stem is upward.

Dynamic marking meaning “very soft”.

Pianissimo. To indicate even more extreme degrees of intensity, more ps are added as required. 'ppp' is found in sheet music quite frequently. No standard name for 'ppp' exists, but musicians have invented a variety of neologisms for these designations, including pianississimo, pianissimento, piano pianissimo, and simply triple piano.

A technically extremely accomplished performer/musician.

Virtuoso. A virtuoso was, originally, a highly accomplished musician, but by the nineteenth century the term had become restricted to performers, both vocal and instrumental, whose technical accomplishments were so pronounced as to dazzle the public.