Music glossary
|  |
M
Madrigal: A contrapuntal song written for at least 3 voices, usually without accompaniment.
Maestoso: Majestic.
Magnificat: Biblical text on the words of the Virgin Mary, sung polyphonically in church from the Renaissance on.
Major: One of the 2 modes of the tonal system. Music written in major keys have a positive affirming character.
Mambo: Modern Cuban popular dance music; an instrumental big band style.
March: A style incorporating characteristics of military music, including strongly accented duple-meter in simple, repetitive rhythmic patterns.
Measure: The unit of measure where the beats on the lines of the staff are divided up into two, three, four beats to a measure.
Medium: Performing forces employed in a certain musical work.
Mento: A style of Jamaican folk music.
Mezzo: The voice between soprano and alto. Also, in sheet music, a direction for the tempo to be played at medium speed.
Micropolyphony: 20th century technique encompassing the complex interweaving of all musical elements.
Minor: One of the 2 modes of the tonal system. The minor mode can be identified by the dark, melancholic mood.
MIDI: Acronym for musical instrument digital interface; technology standard that allows networking of computers with electronic musical instruments.
Modal: In the character of a mode, either a church mode, or of a rhythmic mode.
Modulation: To shift to another key.
Monotone: Repetition of a single tone.
Movement: Complete, self-contained part within a larger musical work.
Music video: Video tape or film that accompanies a recording, usually of a popular or rock song.
Musicology: The study of forms, history, science, and methods of music.
Musique concrète: Music made up of natural sounds and sound effects that are recorded and then manipulated electronically.
|
|
|
Music schools