Multilingual Music Glossary
D
- D.C.
See da capo.
- D.S.
See dal segno.
- D♯ roller An optional feature added to the E♭ key of a flute, facilitating the movements of the little finger.
- da capo
Literally, “from the beginning”. A directive to go back to the beginning of the composition.
- da capo aria
A lyric song in A-B-A form, commonly found in operas, cantatas and oratorios.
- da niente
See dal niente.
- dal niente
Literally, “from nothing”. Out of silence.
- dal segno
A directive to go back to a specific place of a composition, marked by a sign.
- dampen A directive to muffle, deaden or restrain the tone of an instrument.
- dämpfen
See dampen.
- dance Any physical movements done to music.
- danse
See dance.
- danza
See dance.
- dasselbe Zeitmaß
See l'istesso tempo.
- Dauer
See duration.
- dB See decibel.
- dead note See false note.
- decani
In Anglican church music, referring to the half of the choir sitting on the dean's side of the church.
- decay The time that it takes for a note to die away once the musician has stopped producing the sound.
- decibel A logarithmic unit for measuring the intensity of sound, corresponding to the listener's perception of loudness.
- decisivo
See deciso.
- deciso
Decided, bold.
- decr.
See diminuendo.
- decrescendo
See diminuendo.
- deel
See movement.
- degré
See degree.
- degree Any tone of the diatonic scale.
- demi
“Half”.
- demi-ton
See semitone.
- demisemiquaver See thirty-second note.
- descant See treble.
- dessus
See treble.
- détaché
Not slurred.
- determinato
See deciso.
- deux
“Two”.
- devil in music See diabolus in musica.
- di molto
“By much”.
- di sopra
See sopra.
- diabolus in musica
Literally, “the devil in music”. A medieval name for the tritone.
- diatonic Melody or harmony built from the seven tones of a major or minor scale.
- diatonic scale A seven note musical scale, consisting of five whole steps and two half steps.
- diatonico
See diatonic.
- diatoninen
See diatonic.
- diatonique
See diatonic.
- diatonische
See diatonic.
- diatonisk
See diatonic.
- dièse
See sharp.
- diesis
See sharp.
- difference tone A lower tone that is heard when two higher notes are played in such a way that the frequency of the difference tone is the difference of the frequencies of the other two notes.
- digitación
See fingering.
- dim.
See diminuendo.
- dimin.
See diminuendo.
- diminuendo
A directive to smoothly decrease the volume.
- diminution A Renaissance and Baroque ornamentation which consists of the restatement of a melody in which the note values are shortened, usually by half.
- direct See custos.
- direct motion Similar or parallel motion in which two or more parts rise or fall in the same direction simultaneously.
- dirge A generic term used for a composition designed specifically for a funeral or in commemoration of the dead.
- discant See treble.
- discantus
See treble.
- disco Commercial dance music popular in the 1970s, characterized by strong percussion in a quadruple meter.
- discord See dissonance.
- discordant See dissonance.
- disgiunto
See disjunct.
- disjoint
See disjunct.
- disjunct A melodic line that moves by leaps and skips rather than in steps.
- disjunto
See disjunct.
- disonancia
See dissonance.
- dispersed harmony Harmony in which the notes which form the various chords are widely dispersed.
- dissonance Any interval or chord that sounds impure, harsh, or unstable.
- dissonant See dissonance.
- Dissonanz
See dissonance.
- dissonanza
See dissonance.
- distante
See lointain.
- diteggiatura
See fingering.
- divertimento
Instrumental composition intended for entertainment, usually in a number of movements. The term is used particularly in the second half of the 18th century.
- divertissment
A light, entertaining dance and music combination related to the divertimento.
- divisi
Literally, “divided”. A directive in ensemble music that instructs one section to divide into two or more separate sections, each playing a separate part. Often these separate parts are written on the same staff.
- Dixie See Dixieland.
- Dixieland An early style of jazz originating in the early 20th century in New Orleans with a simple, cheerful character.
- do central
See middle C.
- do centrale
See middle C.
- dobbeltkryds
See double sharp.
- dobbeltslag
See turn.
- dobbelttrille
See double trill.
- doble bemol
See double flat.
- doble redonda
See double whole note.
- doble sostenido
See double sharp.
- dodecaphony Ensuring that all 12 notes of the chromatic scale are sounded as often as one another in a piece of music while preventing the emphasis of any.
- doigté
See fingering.
- dol.
See dolce.
- dolce
Sweet, soft, with tender emotion.
- dolcissimo
Very sweet, very soft.
- dolente
Sorrowful.
- doloroso
Sorrowful, painful.
- dominant The fifth degree of a diatonic scale.
- donna
Literally, “woman”, or “lady”. In opera, each of the principal female singers.
- dopo
“After”.
- doppel
“Double”.
- Doppel-B
See double flat.
- Doppelganze
See double whole note.
- Doppelganzenote
See double whole note.
- Doppelkreuz
See double sharp.
- Doppelschlag
See turn.
- Doppeltriller
See double trill.
- doppio
“Double”.
- doppio bemolle
See double flat.
- doppio diesis
See double sharp.
- doppio trillo
See double trill.
- dorian A mode used in Gregorian chant based upon the second tone of the major scale. In the key of C, the Dorian mode would be based on D, and would include D, E, F, G, A, B, C, D.
- dosillo
See duplet.
- dotted note A note that has a dot placed to the right of the notehead, indicating that the duration of the note should be increased by half again its original duration.
- double
During the Baroque period, a repetition or variation of an air or a dance that adds extra notes and/or ornaments.
- double bémol
See double flat.
- double croche
See sixteenth note.
- double dièse
See double sharp.
- double exposition In a concerto, a twofold statement of the theme, once by the orchestra and once by the soloist.
- double flat An accidental sign consisting of two flat symbols, that lowers a note by two semitones.
- double note See double whole note.
- double ronde
See double whole note.
- double sharp An accidental sign (‛x’) that raises a note by two semitones.
- double tonguing A technique used in playing the flute and brass instruments which allows notes to be played in rapid succession. It is achieved by rapidly forming the consonants “T” and “K” in quick succession.
- double trill A simultaneous trill on two notes, usually in the distance of a third.
- double whole note A note twice as long as a whole note. Mainly used in pre-1650 music.
- douce
See dolce.
- doucement
Softly.
- downbeat The first beat of a measure, the strongest in any meter.
- dramatic soprano A soprano voice type with a heavier tone color and more power throughout her range.
- dramma giocoso
A kind of comic opera originating around 1750, with sentimental or pathetic plots bordering on tragedy rather than the traditional lighthearted comic plots.
- Dreiklang
See triad.
- driedelige maatsoort
See triple meter.
- drone A harmonic or monophonic effect or accompaniment where a note or chord is continuously sounded throughout much or all of a piece, sustained or repeated.
- dry recitative See recitativo secco.
- dubbelbe
See double flat.
- dubbeldrill
See double trill.
- dubbele triller
See double trill.
- dubbelkors
See double sharp.
- dubbelkruis
See double sharp.
- dubbelmol
See double flat.
- dubbelslag
See turn.
- dubbelslag
See turn.
- duct flute A type of flute, whose pitch is produced by an air column moving through a channel, or duct, and directed to strike a sharp edge or lip causing the air column to split and vibrate. Several types of duct flutes include recorder, flageolet, penny whistle, whistle flute and slide whistle.
- duet A composition for two performers.
- duetto
See duet.
- duina
See duplet.
- dump A slow, melancholic old English dance, usually in 4/4 time.
- dumpe See dump.
- duo
See duet.
- duol
See duplet.
- Duole
See duplet.
- duolet
See duplet.
- duoli
See duplet.
- duool
See duplet.
- duple meter A rhythmic pattern with the the number of beats per measure being divisible by two.
- duplet A group of two notes played in the time usually taken to play three.
- Dur
See major.
- dur
Literally, “hard”. With a harsh or ungraceful tone.
- durata
See duration.
- duration The length of time that a note is sounded or a rest (silence) is observed.
- Durchkomponiert
See through-composed.
- durée
See duration.
- duur
See duration.
- duuri
See major.
- dwarsfluit
See flute.
- dynamics The softness or loudness of a sound or note.