Glossary Of Musical Terminology

When the voice is focused purely around the nose and nasal area.

A symbol in sheet music that returns a note to its original pitch after it has been augmented or diminished.

Movement in music where the characteristics are crisp and direct.

A musical composition that has a romantic or dreamy character with nocturnal associations.

A type of polyp on the vocal cords that prohibits good singing. When vocal cords get irritated (from fatigue, poor technique, an infection, etc.), they swell. Singing repeatedly with swollen vocal cords causes nodes. The only way to know if you have or are developing nodes is to go to a throat specialist (ENT). If you have frequent hoarseness or a constant sore throat, see one immediately. Treatment is usually rest, although surgery may be required in severe cases. Also known as Nodes.

A composition written for nine instruments.

First developed in the 8th century, methods of writing music.

Symbols to represent sounds or pitches and duration of those sounds.

An opera composed of individual numbers, such as recitative, arias, duets, ensembles, etc. Between the numbers there is often a chance for applause. Most of the operas of Mozart, Rossini and Bellini can be called number operas.