| Term | Definition |
|---|
| etude | study piece |
| string quartet | work, usually in four movements, for two violins, viola, and cello |
| rubato | "robbed" in italian |
| avant-garde | trying something new that hasn't been done before |
| requiem | mass for the dead |
| concerto | instrumental work, usually in three movements, highlighting contrast |
| nocturne | moody, introspective piece, usually for solo piano; night |
| comic opera | light opera, with amusing plots, down-to-earth characters, simpler music, and spoken dialogue |
| opera buffa | light opera, with amusing plots, down-to-earth characters, simpler music, and spoken dialogue; italian for "comic opera" |
| symphony | orchestral work, usually in four movements, the first being moderate in tempo, the second slow, the third a minuet or a scherzo, and the fourth fast |
| leitmotiv | musical phrase or fragment with associations to a character, object, or idea |
| lied | german poetic music from the 19th century |
| libretto | the text for an opera |
| program music | instrumental music that tells a story or describes a picture or a scene |
| absolute music | instrumental music without any meaning or story |
| verismo | literary and operatic style featuring down-to-earth plots and characters |
| opera | large-scale productions; expressive and elaborate; features singers and orchstra |
| homophonic | music that moves by chords |
| monophonic | melody without accompaniment |
| polyphonic | music; when two or more distinct musical lines can be heard at once |
| Passion | similar to the oratorio; an unstaged dramatic sacred work featuring solo singers, choir, and orchestra, and based on one of the Gospel accounts of the last days of Jesus |
| suite | a series of short pieces, usually basd on various Baroque dance forms |
| recitative | music for solo voice and simple accompaniment, designed to reflect the irregularity and naturalness of speech |
| strophic | songs that use the same music for each stanza |
| movement | large, separate section of a musical work |
| baroque | aria (period) |
| renaissance | madrigal (period) |
| medieval | chant (period) |
| medieval | modes (period) |
| baroque | oratorio (period) |
| baroque | opera (period) |
| baroque | basso continuo (period) |
| medieval | troubador song (period) |
| baroque | concerto grosso (period) |
| baroque | sonata (period) |
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