madrigal (MAH dree gal) 16 century a capella polyphonic composition
maestoso (my STOH soh) Majestic
maggiore (mah JOR ay) Major scale
magnificat (mag NEE fee kaht) canticle of the Virgin
manual (MAHN you el) keyboard of the organ played by hands, not foot pedals
marcato (mar KAH toh) Well accented
March (MAR ch) A piece in double time in regular phrases for a parade
marchen (MAIR chen) fairytale
marimba (mah RIHM bah) wood block xylophone
mass (m ass) liturgy of the Eucharist set to music
massig (MES ik) German, moderate
mazurka (mah ZOOR kah) Polish national dance
measure (meh zure) unit of musical timing
mediant (me dee ant) third tone of diatonic scale
melisma (mel EEZ mah) plainsong decorative passage
melody (MEL oh dee) rythymic musical phrase
meno (MAY noh) Italian, less
mensural (MEN soo ral) old word for music with note values, opposed to a plainsong
meter (ME ter) accents or group of beats forming a measure
metronome (meh TROH noh m) timing pendulum
mezzo (MEH zoh) moderate or half
mezzo-forte (MEH zoh FOR tay) indication to play somewhat  loud
mezzo-soprano (MEH zoh soh PRAH noh) female voice between soprano and contralto
minim (MEH nim) note value equal to a half a semibreve
minor (MY ner) melondic or harmonic key structure
minuet (MIN yoo et) French triple time dance
modes (MOHDz) early scales of the major and minor system
modulation (mod you LAY shun) movement from one key to another
moll (mahl) German for minor
molto (MOHL toh) Italian, much, very
monody (MAH noh dee) one voice or part confining the melody
monophony (moh NAH fuh nee) single melodic line, no other parts or accompaniment, as in a plainsong or folk melody.
mordent (MOR dent) marking over note to indicate it should be struck twice, rapidly, with an adjacent note between
morendo (MOR en doh) gradual fade out.
mosso (MOH soh) It, Motion
motet (MOH tet) polyphonic vocal composition set to words
motif (moh TEEF) German, figure
motion (moh shun) change of pitch in a melody
movement (MOOv ment) selfcontained part of a larger work
Multiphonics (mul tee FOHN iks) two or more notes sounded together on one instrument
musette (Mee yOO zet) short pastorale piece moking the bagpipe
musicology (MOO she KOH loh gee) music scholarship including theory, style and history of music
mute (Meyoot) device that dampens or softens the sound of an instrument
 

This page has been visited times.