Descriptionary

celesta a small, keyboardlike instrument in which keys depress hammers that strike tuned steel bars, creating a haunting bell-like sound; invented in 1886 and used in T chaikovsky's "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy."

clavichord a stringed keyboard set in a rectangular box and producing soft sounds, popular from the 16th to the 18th centuries.

concert grand the largest size of piano, usually about 9 feet in length.

concertina a simple accordion with buttons in place of a keyboard.

damper any device that mutes or stops the sound vibrations of an instrument, as in the small pieces of felt-covered wood used in a piano.

damper pedal on a piano, the right-hand pedal that raises all dampers, allowing all of the strings to vibrate freely.

harpsichord a pianolike instrument having strings that are plucked instead of being struck by hammers; popular from the 16th to the 18 th centuries and still in use.

hydraulos a type of pipe organ invented by the Greeks, notable for its regulation of air pressure by the displacement of water in special chambers.

key any of the individual levers on a keyboard.

manual a keyboard played by the hands as opposed to one played by the feet, as an organ pedalboard.

pedal any one of the two or three foot pedals con­trolling volume and tone on a piano.

pedal organ the section of organ pipes, often of low pitch, operated by an organ's pedal board.

piano keyboard in which keys activate hammers that strike tuned strings.

player piano a mechanical piano that plays tunes automatically by means of air pressure and special perforated music roles.

soundboard the resonant board over which strings are strung in a piano or harpsichord.

spinet a small harpsichord, popular from the 16th to the 18th centuries.

stop in organs, a lever or knob that stops air to a particular set of pipes; the set of pipes so affected is also called a stop.

synthesizer a modern keyboard instrument capable of producing or reproducing hundreds of different sounds through electronic means.

virginal a small, rectangular harpsichord popular from the 15th to the 17th centuries.

wind chest the air chamber in some organs.

MuSIC DIRECTIvES

(tempos, volume, etc.)

accelerando accelerating gradually.

adagietto a slow tempo, slightly faster than adagio.

adagio a slow tempo, faster than largo, slower than andante, specifically from 98 to 125 quarter notes per minute.

adagissimo extremely slow tempo.

ad libitum ad-libbing tempo, rhythm, accents, notes, and so on.

affettuoso with tenderness.

affrettando in a rushed manner.

agilmente lightly and nimbly.

agitato in an agitated, restless manner.

allargando slowing down and increasing in volume.

allegramante brightly.

allegretto a fast tempo; faster than andante but slower than allegro.

allegro a fast and lively tempo.

allentando slowing down.

altra volta encore.

ancora repeat.

andante a moderate tempo between adagio and allegro.

angstlich a German directive to perform in a fear­ful, tense manner.

animato spirited.

appassionato with passion.

attaca attack. A direction to begin the next move­ment quickly without a break.

Aufschwung German term for "soaring," "lofty."

ballo in dance tempo.

bocca chiusa to be hummed.

bouche fermee to be hummed.

bravura a directive to sing or play confidently a passage requiring a high degree of skill.

brusco in a brusque manner.

burlesco in a comical manner.

calando lowering, softening.

calcando gradually quickening.

calmando in a quiet and calm manner.

cedez French directive to slow down.

commodo a relaxed, leisurely manner.

crescendo with increasing volume.

da capo a directive to repeat from the beginning until you reach the word "fine" (end). Often written as D.C.

decrescendo decreasing in volume; growing softer. delicato delicately.

delirio deliriously, in a frenzied manner.

diminuendo decrescendo.

dolce softly and sweetly.

dolente slowly and with sorrow.

doppio movimento double the previous speed.

dramatico dramatically.

eilend German directive to perform in a hurried manner.

elargissant French directive to slow down and broaden the music.

elegante with grace and refinement.

encore French directive to repeat.

facile fluently.

fastoso in a dignified manner.

festoso in a joyful, festive manner.

feurig German directive to perform in a fiery manner.

fiero boldly.

forte loudly.

fortissimo very loudly.

frettoloso in a rushed manner.

funerale mournfully.

furioso wildly and furiously.