Musical Concepts and Score Vocabulary

English	Italian	French	German	Spanish	Usage note
With the left hand	mano sinistra	main gauche	linke Hand	mano izquierda	Keyboard or instrumental hand indication
High register	registro acuto	registre aigu	hohe Lage	registro agudo	Upper part of an instrument’s range
Low register	registro grave	registre grave	tiefe Lage	registro grave	Lower part of an instrument’s range
Middle register	registro medio	registre médium	mittlere Lage	registro medio	Central part of instrumental range
Ascending	ascendente	ascendant	aufsteigend	ascendente	Moving toward higher pitches
Descending	discendente	descendant	absteigend	descendente	Moving toward lower pitches
Chromatic	cromatico	chromatique	chromatisch	cromático	Movement involving semitone pitches
Diatonic	diatonico	diatonique	diatonisch	diatónico	Belonging to a seven-note diatonic collection
Major key	tonalità maggiore	tonalité majeure	Durtonart	tonalidad mayor	Major tonal center
Minor key	tonalità minore	tonalité mineure	Molltonart	tonalidad menor	Minor tonal center
Time signature	indicazione di misura	indication de mesure	Taktart	indicación de compás	Written metric organization. Italian indicazione di tempo means a tempo marking.
Key signature	armatura di chiave	armure	Vorzeichnung	armadura de clave	Default pitch alterations at beginning of staff
Measure	battuta	mesure	Takt	compás	Metrical segment between barlines
Beat	pulsazione	temps	Schlag	pulso	Underlying recurring pulse
Phrase	frase	phrase	Phrase	frase	Musical unit with expressive contour
Melody	melodia	mélodie	Melodie	melodía	Perceived sequence of pitches
Harmony	armonia	harmonie	Harmonie	armonía	Simultaneous pitch organization
Counterpoint	contrappunto	contrepoint	Kontrapunkt	contrapunto	Interaction of independent lines
Cadence	cadenza	cadence	Kadenz	cadencia	Phrase-ending harmonic or melodic gesture. In Italian, cadenza also means a solo cadenza.
Modulation	modulazione	modulation	Modulation	modulación	Change of tonal center
Transposition	trasposizione	transposition	Transposition	transposición	Shift musical material to new pitch level
Timbre	timbro	timbre	Klangfarbe	timbre	Distinctive sound quality
Resonance	risonanza	résonance	Resonanz	resonancia	Sustained acoustic response
Intonation	intonazione	intonation	Intonation	afinación	Pitch accuracy relative to context
Balance	equilibrio	équilibre	Balance	equilibrio	Relative prominence among parts
Form	forma	forme	Form	forma	Organization of a composition
Theme	tema	thème	Thema	tema	Recognizable principal musical idea
Variation	variazione	variation	Variation	variación	Transformation of an existing idea
Refrain	ritornello	refrain	Refrain	estribillo	Recurring passage; terminology varies by genre
Crescendo then diminuendo	messa di voce	messa di voce	Messa di voce	messa di voce	Vocal dynamic shaping on one sustained tone
Listen	ascoltare	écouter	hören	escuchar	Instruction to attend to sound
Follow conductor	seguire il direttore	suivre le chef	dem Dirigenten folgen	seguir al director	Ensemble cue and coordination
Without accompaniment	senza accompagnamento	sans accompagnement	ohne Begleitung	sin acompañamiento	Unaccompanied performance
With accompaniment	con accompagnamento	avec accompagnement	mit Begleitung	con acompañamiento	Accompanied performance

Other chapters: Tempo and Pacing · Dynamics and Expression · Articulation and Technique · Navigation and Ensemble

Some entries are plain translations used in rehearsal rather than printed markings. Meaning can shift with era and instrument. These are the standard words printed in scores. Usage varies by edition, publisher and period.

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