Sonata for piano, concerto for violin and duo for violin and piano are some of the Italian expressions which have entered the vocabulary of most languages, but what do they mean?
Italian |
English |
| sonata | originally to play a string or wind instrument. Now a piece with three or four movements fro one or two instruments. |
| sonata a due | a sonata for two instruments. A term used in the XVII and XVII centuries |
| sonata a tre | a sonata for three parts or three instruments. A term used in the XVII and XVII centuries. |
| sonata da camera | chamber sonata. A form of sonata prevalent in the XVII and XVIII centuries in which dance forms were used. |
| sonata da chiesa | church sonata. A form of sonata prevalent in the XVII and XVIII centuries in which no dance forms were used. |
| toccata | originally to play a keyboard instrument. A form prevalent in the XVI, XVII and XVIII centuries for keyboard. |
| sinfonia | originally the overture to an opera. Symphony |
| concerto | a work for solo instrument and orchestra |
| concerto grosso | Large concerto. An XVI and XVII musical form for a small group of solo instruments and orchestra |
| preludio | prelude. Something that comes before |
| solo | a musical piece for one instrument or a passage in a larger work for a single instrument |
| duo | a musical piece for two instruments |
| trio | a musical piece for three instruments. |
| trio-sonata | This term is not used in Italy. See sonata a tre |
| minuetto e trio menuetto e trio |
minuet and trio. Also called minuet I and minuet II in the XVII
and early XVIII centuries. the word menuetto does not exist: is an error of Beethoven’s, who derived the word from the German menuett. |
| trio | an alternative name for the second minuet. Used from the XVIII century instead of minuetto II. |
| rondò | from the French rondeau. A musical form with a refrain. |
| intermezzo | Intermediate. An old name for comic opera, when its acts were inserted in between the acts of a serious opera. Now usually a short piano piece. |
| ballata | From ballare/To dance |
| capriccio | Caprice. A piece with no fixed form. |
| fantasia | Fantasy, fancy. A piece with no fixed form. |
| opera buffa opera seria |
work. Used to define a piece similar to a play, where the all
or part of the text, instead of being spoken, is sung. Other
words have been suggested, such as dramma per musica, melodramma,
but
none
of them
has caught
on. buffa/comical seria/serious |
| operetta | a small opera. A light, comical opera |
| oratorio | Oratory, a small chapel. Used because the first works using a sacred were performed originally in these oratori. |
| recitativo secco recitativo accompagato |
From recitare/to recite. A half-sung piece either only accompanied by harpsichord (secco/dry) or by the orchestra (accompagnato/accompanied) |
| arioso | airy. Between a recitative and an aria |
| aria | air. A type of song. |
| aria da capo | A three part aria in ABA form |
| arietta | a short aria |
| cadenza | From cadere/to fall. A passage in a larger piece of music either improvised or imitating an improvisation written for a solo instrument. |
| cavatina | A type of aria |
| cabaletta | A type of aria |
| ritonello | refrain |
| coda | Tail. The final part of a piece of music |
| finale | End. The last movement of a work. |
| variazione | variation |
| tema con variazioni thema con variazioni |
theme and variations thema is not Italian |
| passacaglia | Originally a dance. Now a piece in which a ground base is used throughout. |
| scherzo | Joke. A light-heated fast piece, usually the third movement of a symphony, used from Beethoven onwards in place of the minuet and trio. |
| libretto | The text to which an opera is set |
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