cabaletta (kah bah LEH tah) short popular operatic song
cadence (KAY denz) trill or closing section of a work
cadenza (kah DEN zah) improvized flourishes in concerto
camminando = move at a moderate pace
canon (KAH nin) counterpointed melodic lines
cantabile (kahn TAH beh lay) as if it were sung
cantata (kahn TAH tah) choral work based of narrative text
canticle (KAN teh kul) Religious song, chant
cantilena (kan teh LAY nah) smooth flowing melody
cantor (KAN tor) major church singer
canzona (kan ZOH nah) Italian lyric poetry set to lyric music.
Similar to a madrigal but simpler. An instrumental piece
in the style of a song.
canzonet (kan zohn ETT) contrapuntal 17th century song)
capriccio (kah PREE cho) 17th century fancy instrumental
carol (KAH ril) popular christmas song
cassation (kah SAY shun) 18th century divertimento
castanets (kahs TAH netts) Spanish hand-held wooden blocks
castrato (kahs TRAH toh) male singer altered to maintain 
soprano voice
catch (Katch) Amusing round of three or more voices
cavatina (kah vah TEE nah) short simple song
ceder = slow down
celeramente = rapidly
celesta (seh LES tah) keyboard, hammers to steel plates
cembalo (CHEM bah loh) harpsichord
chaconne (shah KOHN) simple instrumental tune
chalumeau (sha loo MOH) low register of clarinet
chanson (shahn sohn) Song for solo voice or vocal group
chant (chant) Religious song. monophonic vocal. Early form 
of choral music.
chanter (chan ter) bagpipe melody pipe
choir (KWY er) church singer
chorale (kor AL) german hymn tune
chord (kord) the sounding of multiple notes
choreography (kory OH grah fee) art of dance arranging 
for ballet
chromatic (kroh MAH tik) outside normal key
cimbalom (SIM bah lohm) Hungarian dulcimer
classical (KLAS eh kuh) term for the period from 1700 to 
1730
clavecin (KLAV seen) harpsichord
clavichord (klah vah kord) old keyboard instrument
clavier (KLAH feer) keyboard instrument
clef (klef) sign of pitch of notes on five line stave
coda (koh dah) tail part of a composition
codetta (koh DET tah) short coda rounding of a movement
colere (avec) = angry
coloratura (KOH lor ah TOO rah) decorative singing
come sta = as written
comique (KOH meek) opera with spoken dialog. Not always 
funny.
comma (KAH mah) small difference in pitch in a note 
obtained through different combinations of octaves, 
perfect fifths or pure thirds
comme = as or like
common time (KAHM in time) 4/4 time i.e. four quarter 
notes to a measure
commosso = moved or excited
comodo (KOHM oh doh) at an easy pace
concert (KON sert) group of old English instruments 
performing together
concertante (kon CHER tahn tay) orchestral piece with
prominant solo part
concertino (kon cher TEE noh) small concerto
concerto (kon CHAIR toh) three movement work for orchestra 
and soloist
console (KON sol) keyboard part of organ
consonance (KON sh nanc) combination of pitches producing 
a pleasing sound. Not dissonant.
consort (KON sort) a chamber goup
con spirito (KON SPER eh toh) instruction to play in a 
lively manner
continuo (kohn TIN oo oh) harpsichord or organ bass line
contralto (kon TRAL toh) deepest female voice
coulant = flowing
counterpoint / contrapuntal or combination of melodic 
lines
counter tenor (KOWN ter TEN er) or male alto
courante (koo RAHNT) triple time dance
couplet (KUP let) Two lines with the same meter
courante (KOOR ahnt) 
crescendo (kreh SHEN doh) gradually getting louder
crook (krook) detachable trumpet joint altering tube and 
pitch
czardas (SHAR dahsh) Hungarian dance slow then excited

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