Senior High Vocabulary
by Carol Braun
September 07, 2010
| Senior High Choir 2010-11 | |
| decrescendo | gradually get softer |
| crescendo | gradually get louder |
| unison | everyone sings the same part at the same time |
| tempo | speed of music |
| range of a song | distance from the highest to the lowest note in a song |
| dynamics | louds and softs in music |
| ritard or rit. | gradually slow down |
| accelerando or accel. | gradually get faster |
| sacred text | religious words in a song |
| secular music | non-religious music |
| soft palate | roof of the mouth |
| diction | clarity of enunciation of speech in a song, consonants and vowels |
| choreography | planned movement |
| melody | main idea or theme in music |
| harmony | secondary idea or theme in music |
| ensemble | groups of people playing or singing music together |
| spiritual | song from the African-American culture |
| libretto | printed words of a poem or story set to music |
| chromatic scale movement | moving up and down the scal ein half steps |
| balance | equal voices |
| rubato | flexible tempo |
| legato style | smooth and connected |
| marcato style | detached and separated |
| articulators | the lips, the teeth, the tip of the tongue |
| expressive music | meaningful, emotional |
| forte (f) | loud |
| piano (p) | soft |
| mezzo | medium |
| fortissimo (ff) | very loud |
| pianissimo (pp) | very soft |
| repertoire | list of music a person is capable of performing |
| mask | facial area where the tone sits and feeling of tone originates |
| larynx | voice box behind the Adam's apple |
| scat singing | using nonsense syllables instead of words to sing an improvised melody |
| interval | distance between two notes |
| poco a poco | little by little |
| moderato | medium speed |
| D.c. al Fine | go back to the beginning and sing until you reach the Fine (end) |
| A Tempo" | return to original speed |
| Tutti | everyone plays or sings |
| grave | deathly slow speed |
| mezzo forte(mf) | medium loud |
| mezzo piano(mp) | medium soft |
| allegro | quick and lively speed |
| meticulous | plan every detail carefully |
| tenacious | don't give up |
| acapella | unaccompanied voices |
| amateur | lacks the skill of a professional; performs an activity for pleasure, not for money |
| banner | flag |
| ramparts | baricade of stone,brush, or lumber |
