music dictionary : Cho - Cl
 



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Chöa contemplative system of Tibetan Buddhism meaning 'cutting', it involves the yogi or yogini mentally offering his or her own body as a means of severing attachment, literally 'cutting through ego-clinging and the traditional four demons'. The training is based on the tradition of Prajnaparamita (transcendent knowledge), in which the practitioner sees through the illusion of a solid reality by recognizing the insubstantial nature of all things. The religious songs that accompany this tradition have been passed from accomplished masters to worthy students for hundreds of years. Tibetans do not regard this music as folk music, but rather perceive the depth of meaning in these songs as capable of enhancing understanding and transforming ordinary experience
cho.abbreviation for 'chorus' or 'choir'
Choc(French m.) impact, shock (electrical, emotional, medical), crash (collision), clash
Chocalhochocola (English), chocalo, ganzá, caxixi, xique-xique, Schlittelrohr (German n.), tubo (Italian m.)
(Spanish) originally an Angolan shaker made of either many small cymbal like metal pieces or large metal cans filled with rocks, sand or other materials. In Brazil, it is often a home-made instrument and is an important instrument in the samba bateria where it always plays the classic semiquaver (sixteenth note) pattern, with accents on the first and fourth semiquaver of every beat
Chocalo(English, French m.) chocalho
Chocallo(Italian m.) chocalho
Chocatasee chocalho
Chockinga block or wedge placed under something else, such as a wheel, to keep it from moving
Chocolat(French m.) chocolate, drinking chocolate
Chocolat au lait(French m.) milk chocolate
Chocolat chaud(French m.) hot chocolate
Chocolate, elChilean dance from the Quellón region that combines Spanish music and dance forms with aboriginal Chilean music and dance
Chocolaterie(German f., French f.) chocolate factory, a shop that sells quality chocolates
Chocolatier (m.), Chocolatière (f.)(German, French) a word that may be used to describe several different functions. A person who makes chocolates by hand in small batches is called a chocolatier. A chocolatier may be employed to evaluate beans and/or supervise the blending and roasting. In large companies, there may be as many as twenty. Chocolatiers will generally adjust blends, roasting times and other factors to create a final product that is consistent with prior products
(German, French) chocolate industry (in German, the feminine form)
Choctaw Social Dance(Southeast Native Americans) songs and dance performed for 'Ballgame' ceremonies. 'Ballgame' is the forerunner of lacrosse
Chodzonya slow walking dance from Poland that was adapted to produce the polonaise, a dance of the Polish nobility
Choeur (s.), Choeurs (pl.)(French m.) (ancient Greek) chorus, choir
(French m.) course (of strings), jeu (French m.), Saitenchor (German m.), coro (Italian m.), córo (Spanish m.)
(French m.) the group or course of strings on a piano that are tuned to the same note (on a grand piano this would be two or three strings)
see grand choeur
Choeur à voix blanches(French m.) a choir made up only of female voices
Choeur de radio(French m.) radio chorus, radio choir
Choeur de femmes(French m.) women's chorus, women's choir
Choeur d'église(French m.) church choir
Choeur de garçons(French m.) boy's choir
Choeur d'hommes(French m.) male chorus, men's chorus, men's choir
Choeur d'hommes et de femmes réunis(French m.) a mixed voice chorus (that is, made up of both men's and women's voices)
Choeur d'opéra(French m.) radio chorus, radio choir
Choeur mixte(French m.) mixed chorus, mixed choir
Choeur parlé(French m.) choral speaking, when a choir, rather than a solist, delivers a vocal line as sprechgesang, midway between song and speech
Choircoral (Spanish), coro (Italian, Spanish), Chor (German), choeur (French)
(Greek choros, literally 'group of singers and dancers') an ensemble especially of singers, although in sixteenth-century polychoral music any group of performers can be so termed, thus, choir 1, choir 2, and so forth
the term can also be applied to a sub-division of a chorus
the part of a church interior, the eastern part of the nave where those assisting in the service are placed, usually raised and set apart from the rest of the church, reserved for the clergy to pray together, or for choral singing. Since Carolingian times, 'choir' has been the word for the part of the central nave of the church extending over the crossing (the place where nave and transept intersect), and including the apse (a niche in the wall, roofed with a half dome) that often stands at the end of this area
a group of instruments of the same kind; for example, a flute choir
a division of some pipe organs, containing pipes suitable for accompanying a choir
an organized group; for example, a choir of dancers
one of the orders of angels
Choirbooka book containing the different vocal parts written on two contiguous pages. From the sixteenth century, and as choirs became larger, choirbooks gave way to partbooks, where each book containing the music for one individual part
Choir divisiona grouping of organ pipes played from the bottom manual of a 3-manual organ, normally enclosed, and thought of either as subordinate to the other divisions and intended to accompany the choir, or as a locale for solo stops that can thereby be played separately from other divisions
Choirmasterleader of a choir
Choir of stringsthe group of strings, one per key on the keyboard, which are provided for a stop: for example, a harpsichord with two eight foot stops would have two choirs of eight foot strings
Choir organsometimes called 'chair organ' or 'choir division', a portion, or division, of the organ (on modern organs usually the lowest keyboard), consisting of a set of softer, more delicate stops, called thus to distinguish it from the more powerfully-voiced 'Great organ'. The Choir organ is used particularly to accompany singers in solos, duets, etc. In some venues, the Choir organ is in a separate case (usually in front of the main organ) to which the organist will move as and when necessary. The Choir organ has its origins in the 'Portatif' and 'Positif' instruments of the medieval period, which were positioned at the East end of a Church near the choir and the altar. The French still call their 'Choir organ' Positif and the Germans call their 'Choir organ' Positiv. Later, when churches wanted to build larger instruments, they chose to place them at the West end where there was more space. It was these organs that grew into the large 'Great organs' we find today with their multiple ranks of pipes, multiple keyboards and pedals (introduced in Germany between 1300-1500, but later in France and England)
Choir screensee jubé
Choir stallsthe seating for the clergy in the choir of a church
choisi(French) carefully chosen, selected (passage)
choisir(French) to choose, to select
Choix(French m.) choice, selection
Ch'ojokKorean grass flute, made from blades of grass
Cho-kantrumthe most traditional form of Cambodian kantrum
Choke(German m., French m.) bend, pulling or pushing a guitar string to 'alter' or 'bend' its pitch
Choking(English, German n.) (electronic music) when the sequencer receives too much continuous data the tempo slows down and speeds up randomly. This is called 'choking', or 'data input overload'
(English, German n.) (guitar) or dampening, a technique where, shortly after playing the strings, the sound is reduced by pressing the right hand palm against the strings, also called right hand dampening, or relaxing the left hand fingers' pressure on the strings, which is also called left hand dampening
Cholahoa large tube shaker from Brazil, filled with small pellets. Most are made out of metal and some are multiple tubes attached together
Choliambic versealso known as "limping iambs" or "scazons" or "halting iambic", a form of meter in poetry. It is found in both Greek and Latin poetry in the classical period. Choliambic verse is sometimes called scazon, or "lame iambic", because it brings the reader down on the wrong "foot" by reversing the stresses of the last few beats
Cholera(English, German f.) an acute, diarrhoeal illness caused by infection of the intestine with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae
Choléra(French m.) cholera
Choleraepidemie(German f.) cholera epidemic
Choleraopfer(German n.) victim of cholera
Cholerapatient(German m.) cholera patient
Cholericbad-tempered, irritable
Choleriker (m.), Cholerikerin (f.)(German) choleric person, choleric type, Tartar (archaic: violent-tempered person), choleric
cholerisch(German) choleric
cholerisches Temperament(German n.) violent temperament
Cholhyangsee banghyang
C-holesthe soundholes commonly found on members of the viol family
Cholesterin(German n.) cholesterol
Cholesterin senkende Medikamente(German pl.) cholesterol-lowering drugs
cholesterinreduziert(German) cholesterol-reduced
cholesterinsenkend(German) cholesterol-lowering
Cholesterol(English, German n.) a fatty waxy substance synthesised in the liver and also found in some foods. High levels of cholesterol in the blood stream have been demonstrated to be a risk factor for heart disease
Choliambicpertaining to choliamb meter or verse
Choliamba form of meter, that is found in both Greek and Latin poetry in the classical period. Choliambic verse is sometimes called scazon, or "lame iambic", because it brings the reader down on the wrong "foot" by reversing the stresses of the last few beats
Choliambus(German m.) choliamb
Chômage(French m.) unemployment
Chömei(literally, 'guttural') word used by the nomadic tribes of South Siberia to describe one form of 'throat-singing'
chômer(French) to be unemployed, to lie idle
Chômeur (m.), Chômeuse (f.)(French) unemployed person
Chômeurs, les(French) the unemployed
Chomoniesee anenaiki
Chongakin chong-ak, the music for the ruling classes, there are two different, but somewhat related meanings. In the broader sense the term refers to the elegant musical style that was considered "right" for the Korean ruling class in terms of Confucian philosophy, and within this broader meaning it also refers to ensemble music for men of high social status outside of the court. In this category, three important terms are a-ak, tang-ak, and hyang-ak. Chong-ak and a-ak can be used interchangeably, in their broader sense, referring to music for the ruling class, which includes tang-ak, hyang-ak, and Confucian ritual music. In its narrower sense a-ak refers to ritual temple music, of which at the present time only one example remains, Munmyoak. Munmyoak is music performed at Munmyo, the shrine where Confucius and his disciples are honoured. Tang-ak refers to secular music of both the Chinese T'ang and Sung dynasties, which was altered to become court music after its introduction to Korea. Hyang-ak simply means native Korean music, a noted example of which is Sujech'on, a piece of instrumental music often claimed to be at least 1,300 years old, which would predate the first compilation of Gregorian chants. Court music, a subcategory of chong-ak, includes three types: ritual, banquet, and military music. Ritual music includes Confucian music and royal shrine music, while banquet music is of course music for courtly banquets. Sujech'on is one of the most famous pieces of banquet music
see jeong-ak
Chongourisee chonguri
Chongurilong four-stringed fretted lute from Georgia
Choni(German n.) Khoni (a town in the Western Georgian region of Imereti)
Cho'orKyrgyz end blown flute
Cho. Org.abbreviated form of 'choir organ'
Chopin, National Edition of the Works of Fryderykpublished by PWM, the leading Urtext edition of Chopin's musical works. It takes into account all the sources and is prepared using modern and scientific methods
Chope(French f.) tankard
choper(French) to catch
Chopsthe cheeks and lips of a particular wind instrumentalist and his or her embouchure, but also any part of an instrumentalist's body required to play that instrument
in a more colloquial context, a performer's technique when playing riffs, improvisations and melodic lines
on a plucked string instrument, chords that are released the instant after having been picked, producing a sharp and percussive sound
Chop-Schlag(German m.) chop (a chord that is released the instant after having been picked, producing a sharp and percussive sound)
choquer(French) to shock, to shake
Chor.abbreviation of 'choir'
Chor-(German) choral (prefix)
Chor (s.), Chöre (pl.)(German m.) choir, chorus, course (on a stringed instrument)
Choragus(Latin, from the Greek choragos) a sponsor or patron of a play in classical Greece. Often this sponsor was honoured by serving as the leader of the chorus
the name is given to an assistant to the professor of music at the University of Oxford, whose office was founded, with that of the professor, in 1626 by Dr William Heather (c.1563-1627)
Choral(English) pertaining to a choir, thus, choral music meaning the music sung by a choir of voices
Choral-(German) choral (prefix)
Choral (m.), Chorale (f.)(French) choir, choral society
choral (m.), chorale (f.)(French) choral
Choral (s.), Chorale (pl.)(German m., meaning 'choral') a traditional German hymn, with rhymed metrical verses and a simple melody, sung by the congregation during Protestant church services. The term may be applied to either the text or the music to which the text is set
Choral (s.), Choräle (pl.)(German m.) chorale, a psalm or hymn tune
choralartig(German) choraliter (in the style of 'plainsong')
Choralbass(English, German m.) in the organ, a 4' principal stop found in the pedal division
Choralbearbeitung(German f., literally 'choral setting') a term applied widely to choral music based on a pre-existing melody, usually sacred and often plainsong
[entry modified by Michael Zapf]
Choralbuch(German n., modern) antiphonal, hymnbook, book of hymn tunes
[entry provided by Michael Zapf]
Choral-Buch(German n., archaic) antiphonal, hymnbook, book of hymn tunes
[clarification by Michael Zapf]
Choräle(German m. pl.) hymn tunes
Chorale cantataor Choralkantate (German f.), a cantata that is based on a chorale first heard in the opening chorus and quoted in various ways thereafter. The Christmas Oratorio actually is composed of six chorale cantatas
[entry clarified by Michael Zapf]
Chorale concertoor Choralkonzert (German m.), a chorale concerto is a short sacred composition for one or more voices and instruments, principally from the very early German Baroque era. Most examples of the genre were composed between 1600 and 1650
[entry clarified by Michael Zapf]
Chorale fantasiaChoralphantasie (German f.) or Choralfantasie (German f.), in the seventeenth century, a genre originating in Northern Germany, an extensive fantasia-like organ work based around a chorale melody
[entry clarified by Michael Zapf]
a movement which uses a chorale tune in one part, often in long, easy-to-follow notes, while the other parts of the choir and/or orchestra sing and play more complicated, active parts around the tune. One example of this type of piece is the first movement of Bach's Cantata No. 140
Chorale fuguein the seventeenth century, a genre originating in Northern Germany, an organ fugue based around a chorale melody
Chorale massas part of the Lutheran liturgy, a mass that includes settings of the appropriate chorales
Chorale monodyin music, a chorale monody was a type of a sacred composition of the very early German Baroque era. It was for solo voice and accompanying instruments, usually basso continuo, and was closely related to the contemporary Italian style of monody. A chorale monody used the text of a chorale, but rarely if ever used the chorale tune, at least not in a recognizable form
Chorale moteta type of musical composition in mostly Protestant parts of Europe, principally Germany, and mainly during the sixteenth century. It involved setting a chorale melody and text as a motet
Chorale partitasee 'chorale variations'
Chorale preludean instrumental piece, normally for the organ, based around a German hymn tune
Chorale variationsalso called 'choral partita', baroque organ piece in which a chorale is the basis for a set of variations
Choralfantasie(German f.) chorale fantasy, chorale fantasia
Choralfuge(German f.) choral fugue
Choralgottesdienst(German m.) choral service
Choralist(German m.) chorister, choral singer, member of a choir
choraliter(Latin, German) in the style of 'plainsong'
[clarification by Michael Zapf]
Choralkantate(German f.) chorale cantata
Choralkonzert(German n.) chorale concerto
[entry by Michael Zapf]
Choral mandolinoan early very lightly built member of the mandolin family, double strung with five courses
choralmässig(German) in the style of a chorale or plainsong
Choralmesse(German f.) chorale mass
Choralmonodie(German f.) chorale monody
Choralmotette(German f.) choral motet
Choral musicmusic written for a choir
Choralnotation(German f.) Gregorian chant notation, square notation
Choralnote(German f.) choral note, square note
Choral notesthe square notes used for writing plainsong
Choral partparte coral (Spanish), parte corale (Italian), Chorstimme (German), partie de choeur (French)
or chorus part, a type of printed music, no longer commonly available, a choral part is a sheet or booklet showing the music for one single voice of a chorus. It has no other parts, no accompaniment and no cues
Choralpartita(German f.) chorale partita
Choralphantasie(German f.) chorale fantasia
[entry by Michael Zapf]
Choralpräludium (s.), Choralpräludien (pl.)(German n.) chorale prelude
Choral Public Domain Librarya sheet music archive which focuses on choral and vocal music in the public domain
Choralsatz(German m.) four-part harmony
Choral scorefor large choral works, some operas and very rarely for Broadway shows, the 'choral score' has all the choral parts but neither solos nor the accompaniment
Choral servicea church service which includes music from the choir
Choral settingChoralbearbeitung (German f.), a term applied widely to choral music based on a pre-existing melody, usually sacred and often plainsong
Choralsinfonie(German f.) choral symphony
Choral speakingSprechgesang im Chor (German m.), when a choir, rather than a solist, delivers a vocal line as Sprechgesang (German m.), midway between song and speech
[entry extended by Michael Zapf]
Choralsymphonie(German f.) choral symphony
Choral symphonya symphony that includes a chorus, for example, Beethoven's Ninth Symphony
Choraltar(German m., modern) the high, or great altar (where mass might be sung)
[entry by Michael Zapf]
Chor-Altar(German m., archaic) the high, or great altar (where mass might be sung)
[entry clarified by Michael Zapf]
Choralvariation (s.), Choralvariationen (pl.)(German f.) chorale variations
Choralvorspiel(German n.) chorale prelude
Choramt(German n., modern) cathedral service, choral service
[entry by Michael Zapf]
Chor-Amt(German n., archaic) cathedral service, choral service
[entry clarified by Michael Zapf]
Chorapsis(German f.) choir apse
Choraula(Latin, from which the English word carol - originally a ring or circle of stones - probably originates) an aulos (flute) player who accompanied the ancient Greek dramatic chorus
[corrected by Michael Zapf]
Choraules(Greek, from which the English word carol - originally a ring or circle of stones - probably originates) an aulos (flute) player who accompanied the ancient Greek dramatic chorus
[corrected by Michael Zapf]
Chorbuch (s.), Choralbücher (pl.)(German n.) choir book, choirbook
Chordacorde (Spanish), accordo (Italian), Akkord (German), accord (French)
a group of notes, normally two or more, played simultaneously. Some theorists restrict the term so that it may refer only to three notes (triad) or more, played simultaneously, in which case the chord is said to be 'flat' or 'solid', or with the notes spread or arpeggiated, in which case the chord is said to be 'broken'. Individual notes in a chord are referred to as its 'members' or 'identities'. The pitch-distances between 'members' are called 'intervals'
Chorda (s.), Chordae (pl.)(Latin) string
(Latin) note, tone
Chordae essentialis(Latin) the tonic, third and fifth of any mode or diatonic scale
Chordal (harmony)a form of music in which a single melody is accompanied by sets of chords, rather than a competing countermelody
Chordal spacemusic theorists have often used graphs, tilings, and geometrical spaces to represent the relationship between chords. We can describe these spaces as chord spaces or chordal spaces, though the terms are relatively recent in origin
Chordaulodiona large automatic barrel-organ, invented by Kaufmann of Dresden
Chord a vido(Latin) open string of a violin, etc.
Chord chartAkkordtabelle (German f.), a fingering chart for chord-playing instruments, for example, the guitar
a song-sheet showing the chords to a popular song which may show the melody line, but rarely the bass line
Chord diagram notationa schematic form of musical notation using vertical and horizontal lines to represent the strings and frets on plucked string-instruments like the guitar that includes the use of numbered dots to show the position of the fingers. Chord diagrams for guitar employ six vertical lines, while those for ukulele or tenor banjo use four
Chorded zithergeneric term for zither-like musical string instruments (for example, the 'Autoharp' and the Volkszither), that have a series of chord bars attached to dampers which, when depressed, mute all the strings other than those that form the desired chord
Chord framechord frame explained
a diagram that contains all the information necessary to play a particular chord on a fretted instrument
Chor-dienst(German m.) choir or choral service
Chordirigent (m.), Chordirigentin (f.)(German) choral director, choirmaster
Chord naming
Chord notesor 'chord tones', the root, third, fifth and seventh of a chord, as opposed to extensions such as ninths, elevens and thirteenths
Chord of naturesensibility, perception, attention - here is another trinity that underlies the harmonious cooperation needed between the members of our primary trinity of composer, performer and listener for a happy artistic result to be achieved. Musicians long sought in a supposed "chord of nature" a basis for the tonal organization of their art. Now, scientists tell us, we must seek within ourselves. It is a matter of partly subconscious choices, conditioned by our own psychology. Thought guides the composer's hands on music-paper, presides at the keyboard over performance, and even listening is a selective mental process. The proponents of the "chord of nature" theory included Jean-Jacques Rameau and, more recently, German music theorist Heinrich Schenker (1867-1935), best known for Der freie Satz
Chordofon(German n.) chordophone
Chordomelodiona large automatic barrel-organ, invented by Kaufmann of Dresden
Chordometer(English, German m.) a device for measuring the gauge of wire strings. It was well-known that in the 18th- and 19th-centuries there was a poor correspondence between the gauges marked by manufacturers on their spools of musical instrument metal strings and the gauges of the strings wound round them. This was partly due to a non-standarisation in the gauge codes used throughout Europe, and well as to wear in the plates through which the wire was being drawn. Indeed, the rapid wear of the draw plates, could mean that even a single spool of wire probably had a thicker diameter at the end than at the beginning (or vice versa, depending on how many times the wire had been wound onto smaller spools after drawing)
Chordophon(German n.) chordophone
[entry corrected by Michael Zapf]
Chordophoneor Chordophon (German n.), a generic term, in the Sachs-Hornbostel hierarchical scheme for classifying musical instruments, used to describe instruments where the sound is produced by a vibrating string, for example, lute, guitar, violin, harp. This class includes stringed instruments in automatic music players where the strings might be hammered, bowed or strummed
Chord progressionAkkordfortschreitung (German f.) or Akkordfortschreibung (German f.); in its most basic definition, chord progression stands as an antonym for retrogression. As its name implies, a chord progression is more popularly considered a series of chords played in some temporal order. Chords often relate to each other in some phenomenological, tonally-coherent way - though this may not always be the case, especially when discussing more complex tonal music after 1840. Chord progressions are central to most modern European-influenced music. Generally speaking, a chord progression will invariably share some notes (assuming equal temperament), which provides linear (i.e., voice leading) continuity to the passage
[entry extended by Michael Zapf]
Chord semanticschords are not just a musicological device, but also add some meaning to a song. On a semantic level, there is a relation between chords and lyrics, at least in popular music. This even applies to the basic chords, which all refer to the stance taken by the song's protagonist - voiced by the singer of the song - as an acting subject. The tonic symbolizes the place, where the singer stands voicing the subject's individual point of view. With the subdominant the song takes a step back as if the singer retreats in an inner world to think things over. The dominant on the other hand can be interpreted as a step forward. Combined with this chord we often find lyrics in which the singer addresses someone else explicitly or shouts his or her point of view out at the outside world. The "inside" here is the world of inner thoughts, the "outside" the world confronted by the song's protagonist with his or her actions. The switch between those positions is mediated by the tonic. In this way the basic chords of respectively subdominant, tonic and dominant represent the three core elements of human agency: reflecting, deciding and declaring
(Tillekens, 1999)
Chords étouffés(French) chords played on the harp, with the right hand, that are muffled by resting the palm of the left hand upon the strings
Chord/Scale chart (jazz)
the chart below lists the most commonly occurring and most important chords in jazz harmony along with the scales normally associated with each:
ChordScale
Cmaj7, Cmaj9, C6, CC major, C lydian, C major bebop, C major pentatonic, G major pentatonic
Cmaj7#11C lydian, B in sen
Cm7, Cm9, Cm11, CmC dorian, C minor bebop, C minor pentatonic, F major pentatonic
Bb major pentatonic, Eb major bebop, C blues, C minor
Cm6, Cm C dorian, C melodic minor, C minor pentatonic, F major pentatonic
Bb major pentatonic, C minor bebop, Eb major bebop, D in sen
Cm-maj7C melodic minor, C harmonic minor, Eb major bebop
Cm7b6C minor, Ab major pentatonic
Cm7b9C phrygian, C phrygian #6
C7, C9, C13, CC mixolydian, C lydian dominant, C dominant bebop, C blues, C major pentatonic
C7sus, Csus, C11, Bb/C, Gm7/CC mixolydian, C suspended pentatonic, F major pentatonic
C7#11, C7C lydian dominant
C7alt, C7#9#5, C7#9 C altered, F harmonic minor, F melodic minor
C7b9b5, C7b9 C HW diminished, F harmonic minor, F melodic minor
C7aug, C7+, C7#5C whole tone
Cm7b5C locrian #2, C locrian
Cdim7C WH diminished
CphrygC phrygian, C phrygian #6, C Spanish phrygian , C in sen
Cmaj7#5C lydian augmented, C major bebop
C7susb9C phrygian #6, C phrygian
Chords on stringed instrumentson the violin you can play two, three or four note chords. Chords can be made up of open strings played together, fingered notes or a mixture of open and stopped strings. A two note chord is called a double stop; three and four note chords are called triple and quadruple stops. In an orchestra, if the double stop is difficult (the left hand span is awkward) a viola section will play this divisi (notes shared out between instruments). A composer can write non div under the chord if they really want the players to play the double stop but this does increase the risk of tuning problems
Chord styleor block style, where the notes of the chord are written or played simultaneously
Chord substitutionthe use of one chord in the place of another in a chord progression. Substituted chords must have some quality in common with the original chords
Chord symbolsalpha-numeric abbreviations for chord names used by players of the guitar, ukulele, tenor banjo, etc. Chord symbols identify the root of the chord in relation to the key centre, as well as its quality. Uppercase letters indicate Major chords, a chord with a lowercase "m" indicates a minor chord, and a "7" indicates that the chord is a seventh chord
Chord tokenor Akkordzusatz (German m.), a symbol placed after the root note (for example, C) that show the quality of a chord
[entry extended by Michael Zapf]
tokendescription
maj (or nothing)major
m, minminor
dim, odiminished
aug., +augmented
7, dom7dominant seventh
6sixth
sus2suspended second
sus4suspended fourth
sus47, 7sus4suspended fourth with seventh
Chord tonessynonymous with chord notes
Chord-zitherso-named because its accompaniment strings are grouped into 4- or 5-string chords, normally has the accompaniment strings (chord strings) situated on the left, and the melody strings on the right, the opposite of the layout on a concert zither. Another difference is that the concert zither has noted melody strings (those on which different notes are produced by manipulations of the hand other than the one used to pluck the strings). Again, the opposite is true of the chord-zither, which has no noted strings. All strings of the chord-zither are played open; each string produces only one note. In fact, this is true of most instruments of this family, with the few exceptions being the tremoloa and several of the more obscure Marx plucked instruments, among them the 'Hawaiian tiple', which have strings meant to be noted by means of a slide bar. Also, the Marxolin and harp-guitar-zither both have strings that can be mechanically manipulated to a variance of a half or full pitch, by the use of features incorporated into the instrument's design
Chöre(German m. pl.) choirs, choruses
Chorea polonica(Latin) Polish dance
Chòreeanother term for trochee
Choregaiwhen a playwright wished to put on a performance of a play he had to apply to the archon (a religious leader) for a chorus, the expense of which would be met by a choregai, a wealthy citizen chosen by the archon as part of his civic or religious duty
Chorégrapher(French m./f.) choreographer
Chorégraphie(French f.) choreography
Choregusin ancient Greek theatre, the leader of the chorus (a group of between 3 and 50 male singers)
Chorempore(German f.) choir, choir loft
choreog(s).abbreviation of 'choreography', 'choreographer(s)', 'choreographed by'
Choreograf (m.), Choreografin (f.)(German) choreographer
Choreografie (s.), Choreografien (pl.)(German f.) choreography
choreografisch(German) choreographic, choreographically
Choreograph (m.), Choreographin (f.)(German m./f.) choreographer
Choreographera person who invents the sequence of steps and movements that make up a ballet or dance, a term that has now replaced 'ballet master', 'dancing master' and le maître à danser
Choreographic poeman orchestral work derived from the music originally written for a ballet, for example, The Firebird Suite by Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971)
Choreographie (s.), Choreographien (pl.)(German f.) choreography
Chorégraphie (1700)short form for Chorégraphie, ou l'art de d'écrire la danse (Paris, 1700) written by Raoul Auger Feuillet (c1653-c1709), a French dance notator, who set out a method of dance notation and established the term chorégraphie for the writing, or notating of dances
choreographieren(German) to choreograph
choreographierend(German) choreographing
choreographiert(German) choreographs, choreographed
choreographierte(German) choreographed
choreographisch(German) choreographic, choreographically
choreographisches Gedicht(German n.) choreographic poem
Choreographyor 'dance composition', the art of arranging the steps and movements for a dance or ballet
Choreologe (m.), Choreologin (f.)(German) choreologist
Choreologie(German f.) choreology, Benesh movement notation, dance script
Choreologistone who records ballet steps, movements, etc. in notation form
Choréologue(French m./f.) choreologist
Choreology(French) the recording of ballet steps, movements, etc. in notation form, a work coined by Rudolf and Joan Benesh
Choreuticsa term used by Rudolf Laban for the complete system of dance known as Laban Movement Analysis, or LMA
Choreutik(German f.) choreutics
Chorfantasie(German f.) choral fantasy
Chorführer(German m.) leader of the chorus
Chorgebet(German n.) Divine Office
Chorgesang(German m.) choral singing
Chorgestühl(German n.) choir stalls
Chorgitter(German n.) choir screen
Chorhemd (s.), Chorhemden (pl.)(German n.) surplice, alb
Chorherr(German m.) canon (person)
Choriamb(English) choriambus
Choriambus(German m., Latin) in English 'choriamb', a metrical foot consisting of two short syllables between two long ones
Choric figureany character in any type of narrative literature that serves the same purpose as a chorus in drama by remaining detached from the main action and commenting upon or explaining this action to the audience
Chorinho instrumentationa Brazilian instrumentation featuring the guitar and the cavaquinho
Chorion(English, German m., from Greek) a hymn in praise of Cybele
chorisch(German) choral, chorally (pertaining to a choir, thus, choral music meaning the music sung by a choir)
chorisches Atmen(German n.) staggered breathing
Chorist (m.), Choristin (German f.)(German, from Greek) choral singer, chorister
chorista Venetosee corista Veneto
Choriste(French m./f.) chorister, member of a chorus (for example, in an opera production), member of a vocal backing group
Choristercorista (Italian, Spanish), Chorist (German), choriste (French)
a member of a choir or chorus
Chorizo(English, German f.) Spanish spicy sausage
Chorknabe(German m.) choir boy, choirboy
Chorleiter (m.), Chorleiterin (f.)(German) choir leader, chorus leader, choir director, choirmaster, choir master
Chorlied(German n.) a song for a choir, usually unaccompanied
chormäßig(German) choraliter (in the style of 'plainsong')
Chormusik(German f.) choral music, music for choir
Choroor chorinho, best described in American terms as 'the New Orleans jazz of Brazil', is a complex popular musical form based on improvisation, and like New Orleans jazz, blues, or ragtime, grew from a formalized musical structure and many worldly influences. But to the people of South America, choro, which appeared during the 1870s, is Brazil. It is life
originally a type of reserved and private music, choro developed out of fado and European salon music. Choro was usually instrumental and improvised, frequently including solos by virtuosos. Originally, a choro band used two guitars and cavaquinho, later including the bandolim, the clarinet and the flute
ChorõesBrazilian street musicians who played the chôro, a type of Brazilian folkloric composition
Chorografie(German f.) chorography
chorografisch(German) chorographic
Chorographie(German f.) chorography
chorographisch(German) chorographic
Chorophobiaan irrational fear of dancing
Chorophobie(German f.) chorophobia
Chororgel(German f.) chair organ, choir organ
Chorosa set of works inspired by the chôros, folkloric music of Brazil, written by the Brazilian composer Heitor Villa Lobos (1887-1959)
series numberscoringdate written
No. 1for guitar1920
No. 2for flute & clarinet1921
No. 3for male chorus & wind instruments1925
No. 4for 3 horns & trombone1926
No. 5Alma Brasileira for piano1926
No. 6for orchestra1926
No. 7for winds, violin & cello1924
No. 8for large orchestra & 2 pianos1925
No. 9for orchestra1929
No. 10Rasga o Coraçao for chorus & orchestra1925
No. 11for piano & orchestra1928
No. 12for orchestra1929
No. 13for 2 orchestras & band1929
No. 14for orchestra, band & chorus1928
Choros bis, for violin & cello1928
Chorpartitur(German f.) a score of a work for voice(s) and instruments, but containing only the vocal line(s)
Chorphantasie(German f.) choral fantasy
Chorprobe(German f.) choir practice
Chorramschahr(German n.) Khorramshahr (a port city in Khuzestan province in southwestern Iran)
Chorraum(German m.) choir, quire (archaic: choir), presbytery
Chor-Regent(German m.) or Chorregent (German m.), leader or director of the choristers
[entry corrected by Michael Zapf]
the term is associated specifically with the leaders of South German Catholic choirs
[note by Michael Zapf]
Chorsänger (m.), Chorsängerin (f.)(German) chorister, choral singer
Chorsatz(German m.) choral movement
Chorschranke(German f.) chancel
Chorschule(German f.) choir school
Chorschüler(German) chorister, specifically a choir school pupil or choir schoolboy
[note by Michael Zapf]
Chorstimme (s.), Chorstimmen (pl.)(German f.) chorus part, choral part
Chorstimmen ohne Instrumentalbegleitung und Soli(German f. pl.) choral score
Chorstuhl(German m.) choir stall
Chorton(German m.) or Chor-ton, also called Cammerton in eighteenth-century northern Germany
a pitch recommended by Muffat and which retained this name in southern Germany and Austria well into the eighteenth century when it denoted a pitch a whole-tone below Cornet-ton (a'=465 Hz), thus about a'=413 Hz, directly analogous to the practice in Italy, where tuono corista was originally a whole-tone below the pitch of the cornetti. Later Chorton came to be associated with most organs, brass instruments and cornetts, pitched at a'= c465 Hz (i.e. the old Cornet-ton). Chorton was also applied to a small number of organs that were built at higher pitch levels, from a'=437 Hz to a'=486Hz
although originally pitches were only related to each other as there was no absolute standard, today we can assess Kammerton pitch, at the time of J. S. Bach's period in Leipzig, as being about a'=415Hz, relative to our modern pitch of a'=440Hz
Bach: pitch nameuserelative pitch/surmised absolute pitch
Chorton(choir pitch, organ pitch) a term applied in Germany and the lands ruled by the Habsburgs to describe a pitch level used in the performance of church musicmajor second higher than Kammerton, i.e. a'=465Hz
Kammerton(chamber pitch) the pitch for domestic instrumental musicminor second higher than Tief Kammerton, i.e. a'=415Hz
Tief Kammerton(low chamber pitch) a pitch level lower than Kammertonapprox. a'=390Hz
Chorumgang(German m.) ambulatory, choir ambulatory, quire aisle
Chorusa fairly large choir, often made up of semi-professional or amateur singers, sometimes associated with an orchestra, with which it will sing, for example, in performances of Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125 by Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) often refered to as the 'Choral Symphony'
a refrain of a song
(English, German m.) in jazz, a single complete performance of a piece from top to bottom
a composition for chorus
in ancient Greece, a festive dance or those who performed it, but later the chorus (a group of singers and dancers, the choreuti) was called upon to comment on the drama in a play (performed by the actors, the hypocrites) normally from a place in front of and below the stage called the 'orchestra'
a bagpipe
(Latin) a crwth
see 'Chorus stops'
Chorus effecta sound processing effect which adds 'body' to a sound by overlapping a number of slightly delayed versions of the original sound
Chorus-Effekt(German m.) chorus effect (sound processing)
Chorus masterchoir master
Chorus partsee 'choral part'
Chorus reedsin the organ, laute Zungen (German f. pl.), reed stops designed to be used in combinations with flue pipes
Chorus toneAnglicized form of Chorton
Choryphée(French m.) the leader of the dramatic chorus
Chorypheusthe leader of the dramatic chorus
Chose(German f., French f.) thing, stuff
Chose jugée(French f.) a thing already decided (and which it is pointless to discuss further)
Chota(Hindi) small
Chota hazri(Hindi) a light breakfast taken early
Chottaesee taegum
Chou (s.), Choux (pl.)(French m.) cabbage, a special paste used for making éclairs
Chou à la crème(French m.) cream puff
Choucas(French m.) jackdaw
Chouchou (m.), Chouchoute (f.)(French) pet, darling
Chouchou du prof.(French m.) teacher's pet
Choucroute(French f.) sauerkraut
Chouette(French f.) owl
chouette(French) super
Chou-fleur (s.), Choux-fleurs (pl.)(French m.) cauliflower
Chouval bwa(Martinique, Creole version of cheval bois, refering to the wooden horses seen on merry-go-rounds) a musical genre that features percussion, bamboo flute, accordion, and wax-paper/comb-type kazoo. The music originated among rural Martinicans
Choux de Bruxelles(French m. pl.) Brussels sprouts
Chowtalsee dhrupad
Chowtal singing(Caribbean) Hindu Phagwa (or Holi) festival songs performed by a chorus and lead singer. They begin slowly and softly and increase in tempo, volume and pitch. The songs often celebrate the deities, Radha and Krishna, and Rama and Sita. They are accompanied by the dholak, jhals and sometimes, the harmonium
see dhrupad
choyer(French) to pamper
Chr.abbreviation of 'Christ', Christus (German m., Latin: Christ)
Chreiaan elementary exercise (progymnasmata) in which the speaker or writer comments briefly on a famous event or saying
Chrestomathya selection of passages, with notes, etc., drawn from different authors, often compiled as an aid in learning a language
Chrétien (m.), Chrétienne (f.)(French) Christian
chrétien (m.), chrétienne (f.)(French) Christian
Chrie(German f.) chreia
Chrisammesse(German f.) Chrism Mass
Chrism Masschrism, also called Myrrh (Myron), Holy anointing oil or 'Consecrated Oil', is a consecrated oil used in the Roman Catholic, Oriental Orthodox and Eastern Orthodox churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Old-Catholic churches, and some Anglican and Lutheran churches in the administration of certain sacraments and ecclesiastical functions. It is consecrated by the bishop of the particular church in the presence of the presbyterium at the Mass of the Chrism (or Chrism Mass), which takes place on Holy Thursday. The oil of catechumens and the oil of the sick are also blessed at this Mass. These holy oils are usually stored in special vessels known as chrismaria and kept in a cabinet known as an ambry. When the oils are distributed to a priest for him to use in his ministy they are kept in a smaller vessel with three compartments, known as an "oil stock". There is also a type of oil stock that is shaped like a ring, to make the anointing easier. The "jewel" of the ring is a container with a removeable lid
  • Chrism from which this extract has been taken
Christ(German m., French m.) Jesus Christ
Christ (s.), Christin (f.), Christen (pl.), Christinnen (f.pl.)(German) Christian
Christbaum(German m.) Christmas tree
Christbaumbeleuchtung(German f.) Christmas tree illuminations
Christbaumkerze(German f.) Christmas tree light
Christbaumkugel(German f.) Christmas ball, Christmas tree ball, Christmas glitter ball
Christbaumschmuck(German m.) Christmas tree decorations, Christmas tree ornaments
Christbaumspitze(German f.) tree topper
Christbaumständer(German m.) Christmas tree stand
Christbaumstern(German m.) Christmas tree star
Christ Church Oxford Partbooks, The(MSS. 979-83 ) the Christ Church Oxford Partbooks were copied between about 1580 and 1600 by John Baldwin, who had a hand in completing the Forrest-Heyther manuscripts and who kept a fascinating musical commonplace-book sometimes known as the Baldwin manuscript. The Christ Church books are beautifully neat, and have been used little if at all; they probably formed a kind of private musical treasury. Today they are the leading source for compositions written in the last years of the Sarum rite (especially for numerous responds and hymns by Sheppard and Tallis), and an important one for Latin works composed under Elizabeth. It is interesting to note that some works by Fayrfax and Taverner are still included, as indeed they are in other late sixteenth century manuscripts
Christcore(English, German m.) hardcore punk and metalcore bands that promote Christian beliefs. How these bands promote Christianity, and to what extent, varies between bands. Christian hardcore bands often openly state their beliefs and employ Christian imagery in their lyrics, and may be considered a part of the Christian pop music (also known as contemporary Christian music) industry
Christe eleison(Greek, literally 'Christ have mercy') a part of the Kyrie which is the first principal portion of a musical setting of the mass
Christenfeinde(German pl.) anti-Christians
christenfeindlich(German) antichristian, anti-Christian
Christengemeinde(German f.) Christian community
Christenheit(German f.) Christianity, Christendom
Christentum(German n.) Christianity, Christendom
christentümlich(German) non-religious but having broadly Christian values
Christenverfolgung(German f.) persecution of Christians
Christenwelt(German f., dated) Christendom
Christfest(German n.) Christmas
Christian alternative musica form of alternative rock music lyrically grounded in a Christian worldview. The degree to which the faith appears in the music varies from artist to artist
Christian chant
there are many types of Christian chant (in alphabetical order):
EnglishItalianGermanFrenchSpanish
Ambrosian or Milanese chant (Italy)canto ambrosiano
canto milanese
Ambrosianischer Gesang
Mailänder Gesang
chant ambrosiencanto ambrosiano
Anglican chantcanto anglicanoAnglikanischer Gesangchant anglicancanto anglicano
Armenian chantcanto armenoArmenischer Gesangchant arméniencanto armenio
Beneventan chantcanto beneventoBeneventanischer Gesangchant bénéventincanto benevento
Byzantine chantcanto bizantinoByzantinischer Gesangchant byzantincanto bizantino
Celtic chant (British Isles)canto celticokeltischer Gesangchant celtiquecanto celtico
Coptic chantcanto copticoKoptischer Gesangchant coptecanto coptico
Ethiopian chantcanto etiopicoÄthiopischer Gesangchant éthiopiencanto etiope
Gallican chant (Gaul)canto gallicanoGallicanischer Gesangchant gallicancanto galicano
Gregorian chant (mainly Carolingian or Frankish chant)canto gregorianoGregorianischer Gesangchant grégoriencanto gregoriano
Mozarabic chant, Spanish chant, Hispanic chant, Old Hispanic chant, Old Spanish chant, Visigothic chantcanto mozarabicoMozarabischer Gesangchant mozarabecanto mozárabe
canto hispánico
Old Roman chant (Italy)canto romano anticoAlter Romanischer Gesangchant vieux-romaincanto viejo romano
Russian chant (Znamenny chant)canto russo
canto znamenny
Znamenny-Gesangchant russecanto ruso
Sarum or English chantcanto anglicanoenglischer Gesangchant de Salisburycanto de Sarum
Syrian chantcanto syrianoSyrischer Gesangchant syriaquecanto sirio
Christian hip hoporiginally 'Gospel rap', but also known as 'Holy hip hop', or 'Christian rap', a form of hip hop music that uses Christian-themed lyrics to express the songwriter's faith
Christian hymnThomas Aquinas, in the introduction to his commentary on the Psalms, defined the Christian hymn thus: Hymnus est laus Dei cum cantico; canticum autem exultatio mentis de aeternis habita, prorumpens in vocem. ("A hymn is the praise of God with song; a song is the exultation of the mind dwelling on eternal things, bursting forth in the voice.)
christianisieren(German) to Christianise
christianisiert(German) Christianised
Christianisierung(German f.) Christianisation
Christianisme(French m.) Christianity
Christian Israelites
[1824-1830]
founded near Warrington, Lancashire, as the headquarters of the Southcottians, or Christian Israelites, under the leadership of John Wroe. An elaborate sanctuary was built for the sect and, convinced that Ashton was to become the New Jerusalem, they proceeded to build four gateways to the town. Wroe lived in a Doric mansion west of County Bridge on the River Tame. Wroe was forced to leave Ashton after a sex scandal went to set up a community in Wakefield. The site of the sanctuary was later the Star Theatre - named after the symbol of the sect. There were Southcottians in Ashton into the 1950s running a co-operative shop called the Israelite Stores.
Christian metala form of heavy metal music with explicitly Christian lyrics and themes
Christian music industrya small part of the larger music industry, that focuses on traditional gospel music, southern gospel music, and Contemporary Christian music
Christian novela novel that focuses on Christianity, evangelism, or conversion stories
Christian punka form of Christian alternative music and a subgenre of punk rock played by bands where the musicians are openly Christian, their lyrics reflect their faith and they see their audience as the general public. The extent that their lyrics are explicitly Christian varies between bands
Christian rocka form of rock music played by bands where the musicians are openly Christian. The extent to which their lyrics are explicitly Christian varies between bands
Christian yearsee 'liturgical year'
Christi Himmelfahrt(German f.) the Ascension, Ascension Day, Ascension of Christ
Christkind(German n.) the infant Jesus, Christ Child, baby Jesus
Christkindlesmarkt(German m. - Austria) Christmas market
Christkindlmarkt(German m. - Southern Germany, Austria) Christmas fair, Christmas market
Christkönigsfest(German n.) Feast of Christ the King
christlich(German) Christian
christliche Beerdigung(German f.) Christian burial
christliche Existenz(German f.) Christian life
christliche Gesellschaftslehre(German f.) Christian social ethics
christliche Kunst(German f.) Christian art
christliche Lehre(German f.) Christian doctrine
christliche Liebe(German f.) agape
christliche Moral(German f.) Christian morality
christlicher Brauch(German m.) Christian practices
christlicher Glaube(German m.) Christianity, Christian faith
christlicher Metal(German m.) Christian metal (musical style)
Christlicher Orient(German m.) Eastern Christianity
christlicher Theologe (m.), christliche Theologin (f.)(German) Christian theologian
Christlicher Verein {Junger Frauen(German m.) Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA)
Christlicher Verein Junger Menschen(German m.) Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA)
christlicher Wissenschaftler(German m.) Christian scientist
christliches Begräbnis(German n.) Christian burial
christliches Kalenderjahr(German n.) Christian year
christliches Kreuz(German n.) Christian cross, Latin cross
christliches Land(German n.) Christian country
Christliche Sozialethik(German f.) Christian social ethics
christliche Soziallehre(German f.) Christian social ethics
Christliche Theologie(German f.) Christian theology
christliche Tugenden(German pl.) Christian virtues
christliche Werte(German pl.) Christian values
christliche Wissenschaft(German f.) Christian Science
christliche Wissenschaft(German f.) Church of Christ Scientist
christliche Zeitrechnung(German f.) Christian era, Common Era
Christlichkeit(German f.) Christianity
Christmasthe feast celebrating the birth of Christ, held on 25th December
Christmas diseasea type of haemophilia that is caused by a deficiency of factor IX (named for Stephen Christmas a twentieth-century sufferer)
Christmas OratorioEnglish abbreviation of J. S. Bach's Weihnachts-Oratorium BWV 248
Christmas songa song which is normally sung during the time period leading up to, and sometimes shortly past, Christmas day, and usually has lyrical content addressing the holiday, the winter season, or both. These songs recognizably fall into several different groupings, depending on both the content and age of the songs
Christmesse(German f.) Christmas matins
Christmette(German f.) Christmas Mass (at midnight), Christmas matins
Christnacht(German f.) Christmas Eve
Christologie(German f.) Christology
christologisch(German) christological
Christologythe theological teachings of Jesus Christ
Christoph(German m.) Christopher, Kit
Christoph Kolumbus(German) Christopher Columbus
Christozentrik(German f.) Christo-centrism, Christ-centredness
christozentrisch(German) Christocentric
Christrose(German f.) Christmas rose (Helleborus niger)
Christstollen(German m.) Christmas stollen
Christtag(German m. - Austria) Christmas Day
Christus(German m.) Christ
Christus am Ölberg(German) Agony in the Garden
christusgleich(German) Christlike
Christus rex(Latin) Christ the King
Christusstatue(German f.) statue of Christ
Christvesper(German f.) Christmas vespers
Christy's Minstrelssometimes referred to as the Christy Minstrels, a blackface group formed by Edwin Pearce Christy in 1843, in Buffalo, New York, USA
Chroai(Greek, literally 'shades' or 'nuances') (in tuning theory) variations of the tuning of the principal genera: diatonic, chromatic and enharmonic
Chrom(German n.) chrome, chromium (a hard brittle multivalent metallic element that is resistant to corrosion and tarnishing)
Chroma
(Greek) the chromatic signs, that is, the sharpsharp signand flatflat signsigns
Chroma(English, German n., from Greek, literally 'colour') (in tuning theory) the genus with a minor third and two semitones. The term neo-chromatic is used to describe the permutation(s) of the intervals which place the minor third in the middle of the tetrachord. Such tetrachords are found in Byzantine liturgical music, some Near Eastern music, and in European music which uses the harmonic minor and gipsy scales
[from John Chalmers, Divisions of the Tetrachord]
(English, German n.) a chromatic semitone
in the Munsell colour system, the aspect of colour by which a sample appears to differ from a gray of the same lightness or brightness and that corresponds to saturation of the perceived colour
Chroma diesisa semi-tone, half tone
[entry corrected by Michael Zapf]
Chroma duplex
double sharp sign(Latin) a double sharp sign, used to show that a note should be raised two semitones in pitch
Chromametera tuning fork
Chroma simplex
sharp sign(Latin) a sharp sign, used to show that a note should be raised one semitone in pitch
Chromaticcromatico (Italian, Spanish), chromatisch (German), chromatique (French)
(from the Greek, chroma meaning 'colour') pertaining to notes that are foreign to a given key, scale or chord, for example, a chromatic scale, notes that, if the key signature reflects the current key, might be marked with accidentals
progressing by semitones, chromatic as opposed to diatonic
when applied to a musical instrument, a term indicating that the instrument is capable of producing the full twelve-note chromatic scale, as opposed to a more restricted diatonic scale in one particular key
as applied to the narrowing or widening of intervals, a chromatic change implies that the name of the altered note does not change, although the inflection does. For example, widening the interval C to F, which is a perfect fourth (interval = 5 semitones/half-steps), by raising the upper note chromatically produces C to F#, which is an augmented fourth (interval = 6 semitones/half-steps), and C to Fx, which is a doubly-augmented fourth (interval = 7 semitones/half-steps). Narrowing chromatically the interval by flattening the upper note produces C to Fb, which is a diminished fourth (interval = 4 semitones/half-steps), and C to Fbb, which is a doubly-diminished fourth (interval = 3 semitones/half-steps) (thanks to Cheryl Wallace for correcting an earlier error)
visually perceived as having a hue, not white, grey or black
Chromatic bass hornChromatisches Basshorn (German n.), invented by Johann Heinrich Gottlieb Streitwolf (1779-1837), the chromatic bass horn became popular in Prussian military bands, and was often used together with the ophicleide, which outclassed it in volume, but could not equal its tonal beauty and purity. Noteworthy characteristics of the chromatic bass horn were the arrangement of the tone holes according to acoustical principles, the keyboard-like arrangement of the four to five key touches for the left hand, and the replacement of the typical bassoon-like butt with a U-bend of metal joining the two tubes. Notable, too, is the bore, which, compared to that of the ophicleide, is much less conical, and therefore very close to the bore of the corresponding bass sarrusophone
Chromatic button accordiona type of button accordion where the melody-side keyboard consists of uniform rows of buttons arranged so that the pitch increases chromatically along diagonals
Chromatic chordsee 'altered chord'
Chromatic genus(in tuning theory) in ancient Greek theory, one of the three basic types of genus. It had a characteristic interval of approximately a 'minor 3rd' at the top of the tetrachord, then 2 successive intervals of approximately a 'semitone' at the bottom, making up the 4/3 interval, the 'perfect 4th'
Chromatic harmonicathe earliest harmonicas were diatonic. The chromatic harmonica, introduced in 1910, allowed for a full chromatic scale through the use of a spring mechanism. The spring was attached to a slide which covered the diatonic set of reeds and exposed the chromatic reeds when pressed with the index finger
Chromatic harmonyharmony that includes chromatic notes and modulations
Chromatic inflectionaccidental
Chromatic intervalintervallo cromatico (Italian), chromatisches Intervall (German), intervalle chromatique (French), intervalo cromático (Spanish)
while diatonic intervals are all those whose notes can both be found in at least one major or harmonic minor scale (example: F and B are both found in C major), all other intervals are chromatic (for example F and B#, since no major or harmonic minor scale includes both of them)
[entry corrected by Dr. Alan Crosier]
Chromaticismcromatismo (Spanish), cromatismo (Italian), chromatisme (French), Chromatismus (German m.), Chromatik (German f.)
[entry corrected by Michael Zapf]
in music, the use of notes foreign to the mode or diatonic scale upon which a composition is based
Chromatic keya key that has flats or sharps in its key signature
Chromatic medianttwo chords or keys, a third apart that have the same quality, i.e. both major or both minor
Chromatic modulationmodulation where a secondary dominant or other chromatically altered chord is used to lead one voice chromatically up or down on the way to the new key
Chromatic movementa semitone (half step) movement that involves only one basic note, e.g. C to C#
Chromatic notationsee 'Ailler-Brennink Chromatic Notation'
Chromatic purityfreedom from dilution with white and hence vividness of hue
Chromatic scaleescala cromática (Spanish), scala cromatica (Italian), gamme chromatique (French), chromatische Tonleiter (German)
the twelve-note scale which divides the octave into its semitones
chromatic scale
Chromatic semitonea semitone (half step) interval where both notes have the same note name, e.g. C to C#
if two notes are a semitone apart and have different letter names, for example, C to D flat, the semitone is said to be 'diatonic'
Chromatic signs
the sharpsharp signand flatflat signsigns
Chromatic stepa progression of a chromatic scale which is by chromatic step
Chromatic transpositionsee 'transposition'
Chromatiek(Dutch) chromatic
chromatieren(German) to chromatise
Chromatik(German f.) chromaticism
[entry corrected by Michael Zapf]
Chromatikon(Greek, literally 'coloured') chromatic
chromatique(French) chromatic
chromatiquement(French) chromatically
chromatisch (m.), chromatische (f.), chromatisches (n.)(German) chromatic
chromatische Aberration(German f.) chromatic aberration
Chromatische Abstraktion(German f.) colour-field painting
chromatische Modulation(German f.) chromatic modulation
chromatische Mundharmonika(German f.) chromatic harmonica
chromatische Note (s.), chromatische Noten (pl.)(German f.) chromatic note(s)
[entry corrected by Michael Zapf]
chromatische Pauke(German f.) chromatic timpano, chormatic timpani
chromatischer Halbton(German m.) chromatic semitone
chromatischer Schritt(German m.) chromatic step
Chromatisches Basshorn(German n.) chromatic bass horn
[entry provided by Michael Zapf]
chromatisches Intervall(German n.) chromatic interval
chromatische Skala(German f.) chromatic scale
chromatisches Klanggeschlecht(German n.) chromatic genus, chromatic mode
chromatische Tonleiter(German f.) chromatic scale
chromatische toonladder(Dutch) chromatic scale
chromatische Transponierung(German f.) chromatic transposition
Chromatise(in music) of, relating to, or based on the chromatic scale
(in music) relating to chords or harmonies based on nonharmonic tones
(generally) relating to colours or colour
Chromatisme(French m.) chromaticism, colourings
Chromatismus(German m.) chromaticism
[entry provided by Michael Zapf]
Chromatizität(German f.) chromaticity
Chromatografie(German f.) chromatography
chromatografisch(German) chromatographic, chromatographical, chromatographically
Chromatogramm(German n.) chromatogram
Chromatographie(German f.) chromatography
chromatographisch(German) chromatographic, chromatographical, chromatographically
Chromatophobiaan irrational fear of colours, resistance to stains (in biology)
Chromatophobie(German f.) chromatophobia
Chrome(French m.) chromium, chrome
chromé(French) chromium-plated
chromfrei(German) free of chromium, chromium-free
chromhaltig(German) containing chromium
Chromolithografie(German f.) chromolithography
Chromolithographie(German f.) chromolithography
Chromolithographylithography is which a series of stones is prepared each for the application of a different colour. By working on each stone in succession a multi-colour print results. The process was very time-consuming and expensive, and while remarkable results were possible in the hands of a fine printer, generally, this method led to a large number of cheap and nasty prints. The process was invented in 1796, but Godefrey Engleman was the first put it into commercial use during the 1830s in France. By the late 19th century some images were being printed in as many as thirty colours to duplicate the effects of paintings. This made them difficult to print since tight registration was needed to create a flawless image. Chromolithographs often suffer from looking dull as light cannot easily pass through all the layers of ink and reflect back off the paper's surface. Chromolithographic prints had immense popularity with the rising middle class
Chromoluminarismsee 'divisionism'
Chromonica ®(English, German f.) a registered trade mark of Hohner, applied to a chromatic harmonica manufactured by Hohner
Chromonika(German f.) an alternative for Chromonica ®, a chromatic harmonica manufactured by Hohner
Chromophobiaan irrational fear of colours, resistance to stains (in biology)
Chromophobie(German f.) chromophobia
Chromosom (s.), Chromosomen (pl.)(German n.) chromosome
Chromosome(English, French m.) threadlike structure, usually found in the cell nucleus of animals and plants, carrying genes
chromosomal(English, German) of, or pertaining to, chromosomes
(German) chromosomally
Chromoxylographyan early method of color printing in which three separate wood engraved blocks would be inked in red, blue, and yellow, and when printed together would yield a single colour image. Although labour intensive, this method was not usually used for quality illustrations
Chronicleany systematic account or narration of events that makes minimal attempt to interpret, question, or analyze that history. Because of this, chronicles often contain large amounts of folklore or other word-of-mouth legends the writer has heard
Chronik (s.), Chroniken (pl.)(German f.) chronicle
[entry provided by Michael Zapf]
Chronique(French f.) column (of text), news, chronicle
chronique(French) chronic
Chronique scandaleuse (s.), Chroniques scandaleuses (pl.)(French f.) memoirs relating the gossip of the day - originally a references to a life of Louis XI of France attributed to Jean de Troyes (fl.1460-1483)
Chroniqueur(French m.) columnist, chronicler (historian)
chronisch(German) chronic, chronically, confirmed
chronische Angst(German f.) chronic anxiety
chronische Beschwerde(German f.) chronic complaint
chronische Bronchitis(German f.) chronic bronchitis
chronische Erkrankung(German f.) chronic disease, chronic ailment, chronic (health) condition
chronische Gefühle von Leere(German pl.) chronic feelings of emptiness
chronische Inflammation(German f.) chronic inflammation
chronische Krankheit(German f.) confirmed disease
chronische Müdigkeit(German f.) chronic fatigue
chronische Quecksilbervergiftung(German f.) mercurialism, mercury poisoning
chronischer Fall(German m.) chronic case
chronischer nichtproduktiver Husten(German m.) chronic non-productive cough
chronischer Schmerz(German m.) chronic pain
chronischer Trinker(German m.) chronic drinker
chronische Rückenschmerzen(German pl.) chronic back pain
chronischer Zustand(German m.) chronic condition, chronicity
chronische Schmerzen(German pl.) chronic pain
chronisches Erschöpfungssyndrom(German n.) chronic fatigue syndrome
chronisches Rheuma(German n.) chronic rheumatism
chronische Störung(German f.) chronic disorder
chronisch krank(German) chronically ill
chronisch unterernährt(German) chronically undernourished
Chronist (m.), Chronistin (f.), Chronisten (pl.)(German) annalist, chronicler
Chronograf(German m.) chronograph
Chronografenuhr(German f.) chronograph
Chronografie(German f.) chronography
chronografisch(German) chronographic
Chronogramm(German n.) chronogram
Chronograph(English, German m.) a timepiece or watch with both timekeeping and independent stopwatch functions. Pocket watch chronographs were produced as early as the 18th-century but did not become popular until the 1820s
Chronographie(German f.) chronography
chronographisch(German) chronographic
Chronologe(German m.) chronologer, chronologist
Chronologie (s.), Chronologien (German pl.)(French f., German f.) chronology
[entry amended by Michael Zapf]
Chronologie der Leipziger Vokalwerke(German f.) a standard reference to determine the chronology of J. S. Bach's vocal works composed in Leipzig produced by the musicologist Alfred Dürr (1976)
chronologique(French) chronological
chronologisch(German) chronologic, chronological, chronologically
chronologische Anordnung(German f.) chronological classification
chronologische Aufstellung(German f.) chronological table
chronologische Ordnung(German f.) chronological order
chronologische Reihenfolge(German f.) chronological order, chronological sequence
Chronologist(English, German m.) chronologist
Chronology(Greek, literally, 'logic of time') the order in which events happen, especially when emphasizing a cause-effect relationship in history or in a narrative
Chronology of Music Theory Treatises
Chronometer(German n.) timepiece
(German m./n.) chronometer
Chronomètre(French m.) timepiece, chronometer
chronométrer(French) to time (with a stop-watch, etc.)
Chronometrie(German f.) chronometry
chronometrisch(German) chronometric, chronometrically, chronometrical
Chronophobiaan irrational fear of the passing of time, or more generally of time itself
Chronophobie(German f.) chronophobia
Chronotopethe intrinsic connectedness of temporal and spatial relationships that are artistically expressed in literature
Chronotopos(German m.) chronotope
chronotrop(German) chronotropic
Chronozyklograf(German m.) chronocyclograph
Chronozyklograph(English, German m.) photograph used for the analysis of complex cyclic movements
Chrota(German f., French f.) Crotta (German f., Italian f.), crwth
[entry amended by Michael Zapf]
Chrotta(German f., French f.) Crotta (German f., Italian f.), crwth
[entry amended by Michael Zapf]
ChrutiIndian bagpipe
Chrysalisinvented and built by Cris Forster, the Chrysalis was his first concert-sized instrument. The instrument's design was inspired by a huge, round, stone-hewn Aztec calendar. Cris thought to himself, "What if there were a musical instrument in the shape of a wheel? And what if this wheel had strings for spokes, could spin, and when played, would sound like the wind?" Thus, the basic idea of the Chrysalis was born. Built in 1975-76, the Chrysalis has two sides, or two circular soundboards, and 82 strings on each side. The wheel, which sits on the crest of a wave-like stand, may be freely spun in either direction
  • Chrysalis from which this extract has been taken
Chrysantheme(German f.) chrysanthemum
Chrysanthème(French m.) chrysanthemum
Chrysanthementhron(German m.) Chrysanthemum Throne (Japanese Imperial Throne)
Chrysiasis(English, German f.) a dermatological condition caused by the prolonged ingestion of gold
Chrysipp(German m.) Chrysippus
Chrysippusin Greek mythology, Chrysippus was a divine hero of Elis in the Peloponnesus, a young boy, the bastard son of Pelops and the nymph Axioche
Chrysoberylused as a gemstone, a rare hard yellow green mineral consisting of beryllium aluminate in crystal form
Chrysoberyll(German m.) chrysoberyl
Chrysoglott(English, German n.) a theatre organ stop
(English, German n.) see 'celesta'
Chrysopras(German m.) chrysoprase
Chrysoprasea green variety of chalcedony valued as a gemstone
Chrysose(German f.) chrysiasis
Chrysostomosliturgie(German f.) Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom
Chthonicof to pertaining to the dead, the grave, the underworld, or the fertility of the earth
Chthonic deitiesalthough the word 'chthonic' often has evil or 'dark' connotations, it originates from the Greek khthonios, meaning 'in or under the earth'. Chthonic deities are distinguished from Olympian ones in several key ways: Chthonic deities generally had low altars where offerings are made into the earth (rather than the air), dwell beneath the surface of the Earth and are concerned with matters of basic living - fertility, childbirth, crops, fate and death. Hades, Persphone and the Eumenides are generally considered as chthonic deities. Several Greek deities (Hermes, Hekate, Demeter, Zeus and Gaia) had both Olympian and Chthonic aspects, and the epithet Chthonia is used to designate the latter role
chthonisch(German) chthonic
chthonische Gottheiten(German pl.) chthonic deities
chtonisch(German) chthonian
ChuBurmese jingle
Chubasco(Spanish m.) squall, heavy showe, bad patch (figurative)
Chubasquero(Spanish m.) raincoat, anorak
Chucheria(Spanish f.) trinket, sweet (culinary)
Chuchotement(French m.) whisper, whispering
chuchoter(French) to whisper
Chucka holding device consisting of adjustable jaws that center a workpiece in a lathe or centre a tool in a drill
Chu-daikogeneral term for a medium sized Japanese drum
Chüeh-huChinese bowed lute with a fingerboard
Chufa(Spanish f.) tiger nut
Chuflasa flamenco term describing when the foot lifts up behind or to the side and then strikes the floor with a golpe while the other foot simultaneously slides along the floor
a song and dance form which is humourous and carefree in style, somewhat similar to tanguillos
Chuida yue(Chinese) or guchui, an ensemble of wind instruments and percussion, including the suona, sheng mouth organs, gongs, drums that perform at wedding and funeral processions, particularly in Northern China
Chuiji'erChinese whistle
chuinter(French) to hiss
Chukpia sound-making device used to give directions to priests in Buddhist temples. The handle is held with the right hand, and the middle of the board is struck upon the palm of the left hand to make a sound
  • Chukpi from which this extract has been taken
Chuleta(French f.) chop
ChulluchullosBolivian percussion instrument made from dozens of flattened tin can covers
Chullussee chác-chás
Chulo(Spanish m.) ruffian, pimp
chulo(Spanish) insolent, showy
Chumbaone of the many forms of music and dance associated with the Garifuna, a people of mixed Carib and African ancestry living along the Caribbean coast of Honduras, Guatemala, Belize, and Nicaragua
Chumbo(Spanish m.) prickly pear, bump (familair)
Chumbo higo(Spanish m.) prickly pear
Chum nhaca small Vietnamese modern bell tree used to produce percussion effects
ChunggoKorean drum
Chunggummedium-sized Korean bamboo flute
Chungking(German n.) Chongqing (a city in south-central China on the Chang Jiang, a an important commercial centre for western China)
Chungkingborsten(German pl.) Chungking bristles
Chungking bristles(for paint brushes) probably the most frequently used natural hair for brushes, it is springy and has a forked or flagged tip. These features make it ideal for oil and acrylic
ChunguanChinese clarinet
Chunkingsight reading depends on familiarity with the musical idiom being performed; this permits the reader to recognize and process frequently occurring patterns of notes as a single unit, rather than individual notes, thus achieving greater efficiency. This phenomenon, which also applies to the reading of language, is referred to as chunking
Chupacabra (s.), Chupacabras (pl.)(English, Spanish, German m.) a shot served with Tequila and Tabasco sauce
(English, Spanish, German m.) a monster said to suck the blood from goats in Puerto Rico and Mexico
Chupada(Spanish f.) suck, puff (of a cigarette)
chupado(Spanish) skinny, very easy (familiar)
chupar(Spanish) to suck, to lick, to puff at (a cigarette), to absorb
chuparse(Spanish) to lose weight
Chupete(Spanish m.) dummy (for a baby), pacifier (US)
Churchiglesia (Spanish), chiesa (Italian), Kirche (German), église (French)
Church cadencesee 'plagal cadence'
Church cantataKirchensonate (German f.), a cantata written on a sacred theme which is to be played in a religious setting
[entry amended by Michael Zapf]
Church keycan opener that has a triangular pointed end that pierces the tops of cans
Church modemodo eclesiástico (Spanish), modo ecclesiastico (Italian), mode ecclésiastique (French), Kirchentonart (German)
any of the eight modes (sometimes called ecclesiastical modes to distinguish them from the rhythmic modes) that were defined through a combination of range and final (the final is the note on which a melody ends). If melodies were consistently above the final, they were in an authentic mode; if they ranged both above and below the final, they were in a plagal mode. In medieval theory, there were only four appropriate final pitches: D, E, F, and G. In the Renaissance, theorists added modes on A and C
Church services, musical instruments in
Church sonatasonata da chiesa (Italian), Kirchensonate (German f.), Kirchen-Sonate (German f.)
[entry amended by Michael Zapf]
see chiesa
churrigueresk(German) Churrigueresque, churrigueresco
Churrigueresque(French) or churrigueresco (Italian), of Spanish baroque style, relating to or conforming to the Spanish baroque architectural style of the late 17th- and early 18th-centuries
Churingaor tjurunga, an object of religious significance to Central Australian Indigenous Australian people of the Arrernte (Aranda, Arunta) groups. These objects include bull-roarers and sacred chants
Churro(Spanish m.) fritter, mess (familiar)
chusco(Spanish) funny
Chusma(Spanish f.) riff-raff
chut(French) shush
chutar(Spanish) to shoot
Chute(French f.) fall (theatre curtain, temperature, pressure, etc.), loss (of hair), collapse (empire), downfall (king), failure (theatrical production), off-cut (wood, paper), clipping (paper, nail), scrap (small piece of paper), cadence (poem)
Chûte(French f.) in French baroque music, an ornament in which a single auxiliary note (usually slurred to the preceding principal note) descends to the pitch of the following principal note
Chute (d'eau)(French f.) waterfall
Chute du jour(French f.) nightfall
Chute de pluie(French f.) rainfall
Chute des cheveux, la(French f.) hair loss
chuter(French) to fall
Chut-kai-panga fusion of Trinidad's traditional Christmas music, parang, which is sung in Spanish with Venezuelan rhythms, and calypso and 'chutney'
Chutney(German m.) chutney (music)
Chutney musicmass migration of Indians to the Caribbean, beginning in 1845, brought folk music, primarily from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, which added to the native mix, resulted in chutney music. It is up-tempo, rhythmic song, accompanied by the dholak, the harmonium and the dhantal. Originally, 'chutney' songs made reference to deities and were offensive to religious leaders. Within recent times, the 'chutney' has become extremely popular and new compositions are being written. Some of these contain calypso and soca rhythms. There is also some extemporaneous composition and accompaniment (especially in the growing number of competitions) may be provided by bands which include Indian, Western and African instruments
Chutney-socaChutney music mixed with elements from calypso and soca
Chuzpe(German f.) impudence, chutzpah
Chwago(Korea) a drum suspended by a cord which is placed over the player's shoulder and tied to a gold ring attached to the body of the drum. The upper drumhead is struck with one or two mallets
  • Yonggo from which this extract has been taken
ChwitaKorean military music
Chylandyktype of Tuvan throat-singing (xoomii or khöömei), a mixture of sygyt and kargyraa, that sounds like the chirping of crickets
Chypre(French f.) Cyprus
(French) an exotic perfume named for an extract from the Cyprus of Kypros, a tree on Cyprus whose leaves produce the perfume called Chypre when cooked in oil
-ci(French) this, these (when placed after a noun preceded by ce, cette, etc.; for example cet homme-ci, 'this man')
ci-(French) here (for example ci-dessus, 'above')
Cia kind of lyric Chinese poetry. Beginning in the Liang Dynasty, the ci followed the tradition of the Shi Jing and the yue fu: they were lyrics which developed from anonymous popular songs (some of Central Asian origin) into a sophisticated literary genre
  • Ci from which this extract has been taken
CIA agentan agent of the Central Intelligence Agency of the United States of America
CIA-Agent (m.), CIA-Agentin (f.)(German) CIA agent
Ciaccona(Italian) or ciacona, ciacconne, chaconne. Guitar books from the early sixteenth century maintain a harmonic distinction between the passacaglia and the ciaconna; there was a tendency to favour the minor mode for the passacaglia as a contrast to the major mode of the ciaccona
Ciacconnesee ciaccona
Ciaconasee ciaccona
Cialamedda(Corsica) also cialamella/cialambella, the Corsican ciaramella
Ciao!(Italian) Goodbye!
Ciaramella(Italian f.) or cennamella (Italian f.), Schalmei (German f.), Hirtenpfeife (German f.), pipeau (French m.), chalumeau (French m.), a double-reed instrument, a shawm, that comes with 7 to 8 holes. In Italy it is usually played along with the Neapolitan zampogna (bagpipe)
Piru, Piru is a children's Christmas song from the village of San Gersole, near Florence, whose title imitates the sound of the ciaramella
Ciarlatanocharlatan (English, French m.), cerretano (Italian), saltimbanco (Italian), Scharlatan (German m.), curandero (Spanish m.), curandera (Spanish f.), person falsely claiming knowledge or skill (particularly a fake doctor), an unfinished or superficial performer
[German translation provided by Michael Zapf]
Cibel(French f.) target
Cibell(English, German f.) see 'cebell'
Cibi(Fiji, Pacific Islands) a male death-dance in which the men use spears and clubs
Ciblonsee 'kendang batangan'
cibophob(German) cibophobic
Cibophobiaan abnormal aversion to food
Cibophobie(German f.) cibophobia
Ciborium (s.), Ciboria (pl.)(Latin) Ziborium (German n.), a vessel, in the form of a chalice with a lid, reserved for the Eucharist
[entry amended by Michael Zapf]
Ciboulette(French f.) chives
Cicada (s.), Cicadae (pl.)(Latin) the tree-cricket
it is the male tree-cricket that emits a continuous shrill chirping sound so evocative of the tropics and of sub-tropical areas
Cicatrice(French f.) scar
Cicerone(English, German) Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43 BC), a Roman statesman and orator remembered for his mastery of Latin prose
(English, German m., Italian m.) an expert or eloquent guide
a linear unit (4.520184 millimetres, or roughly 1/6 inch), the continental counterpart to the British and America typographical unit, the pica, which is used in France and other continental European countries and was invented in saround 1780 by François Ambroise Didot (1730-1804)
CIC-Gehörgangsgerät(German n.) completely-in-the-canal hearing instrument
CIC-Gerät(German n.) completely-in-the-canal hearing instrument
Cicilianoold name for siciliana
Cicisbeo (s.), Cicisbei (pl.)(Italian) a recognized lover of a married woman
Ciclo de canciones(Spanish m.) song cycle
CICMATCICMAT (Centro de Investigaziones en Communication Massiva, Artes y Technologia / Center for Studies in Mass Communication, Art and Technology) was established in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and remained operational through the 1970s. Centro Cultural Ciudad, later renamed Centro Cultural Recoleta, directed in turn by José Maranzano and Francisco Kröpfl, was founded in the early 1980s
Cicutrenna(Italian) musical pipe
ci-devant(French) former, that used to be, previous, of times gone by
after the French Revolution, ci-devant was used as a noun to refer to a former aristocrat
Cidre(German m., French m.) cider (in German, particularly cider from Normandy or Brittany, France)
Cieabbreviation of Compagnie (French: Co., company)
Ciel (s.), Cieux (pl.), Ciels (pl.)(French m.) sky, heaven
cien, ciento(Spanish) hundred
Cierge(French m.) candle
Cierrea rhythmic break, either an arranged ensemble passage or only played by the percussion in either arranged or improvised fashion, usually played as a transition between sections of a piece
cierren la puerta al salir(Spanish) close the door on leaving
Cieux(French m. pl.) heaven (in a religious sense)
Cifra(Spanish f., also known, collectively, as Castilian or Catalan cifras) in Spain, Juan Carlos Amat introduced a chord notation system for guitar in his 1596 book, Guitarra española de cinco ordenes .... It was similar to alfabeto but used numbers (cifras), not letters, to represent specific chords. There is no evidence that this system was known or used in Italy; nor is there any that the Italian alfabeto system was known or used in Spain before the late seventeenth century
the word cifra has an interesting history. The ancient Indian word for 'zero' was sunya, which means 'empty'. The Arabs, who grasped the significance of using 'zero' in their number system, turned this into sifr. As Western scholars began translating Arabic mathematical texts some transcribed the Arabic word into zephirus, which is the root of our 'zero', while others transcribed it into cifra, which was further altered to give 'cipher'. In time, all numbers were called 'ciphers' or, for the French chiffres and for the Spanish cifra
Cifrado(Spanish m.) chord symbol or chord name (for example, G7, Gmin7, Gmaj7, F/G)
cifrado(Spanish, from cifra, 'figure') figured
Cifrado americano(Spanish m.) American chord symbol or chord name
Cifrado anglosajón(Spanish m.) Anglo-Saxon chord symbol or chord name
Cifra indicadora de compás(Spanish f., cifra, 'figure' or 'number') time signature
Cifra stronómica(Spanish f.) astronomical amount (very large sum)
cifrato(Italian, from cifra, 'figure') figured
ÇifteTurkish double reed pipe. In some regions, the çifte is also known as the argun, argul, kargin and zambir
Çiftelia large lute-like instrument with a pear-shaped sound bowl that is carved out of a single piece of wood. It has two strings tuned in fourths, and is fretted in a diatonic scale with partial flats that produce an Albanian "natural" scale: do-re-mi (partial flat)-fa-sol-la (partial flat)-ti (flat)-do
solo çifteli players may use very complex techniques. When played in an ensemble with multiple instruments, the playing technique is more simplified, for example, one string used as a drone, with the other used to play a melody
Çifte nagaraTurkish kettle drums
Çiftetellithe lively part of the dancing that forms part of traditional Turkish wedding folk music
Cigale(French f.) cicada
Ciganos(Portuguese) the Romanies in Portugal are known as ciganos, and their presence goes back to the second half of the 15th century
CigányHungarian gipsy music played by bands formed of strings, clarinet and dulcimer
Cigányzenea term used to describe almost any form of nineteenth-century Hungarian folk music. It translates literally as 'Gypsy music'
Cigarbox-Gitarre(German f.) cigar box guitar
Cigar box guitarusing a cigar box as the resonator, to which a neck, strings and peg box are attached, instruments of this kind have been made when money was scarce but the passion for music was overflowing
Cigar-box violina simple folk-violin with a rectangular sound box, the shape and size of a cigar box
Cigare(French m.) cigar
Cigarette(English, French f.) a small roll of finely cut tobacco for smoking, enclosed in a wrapper of thin paper
Cigarette pantsvery narrow fitting trousers that taper towards the ankle
Cigarette papera strong unsized tissue paper that burns evenly and is sufficiently porous to control the burning of the tobacco in a cigarette; also used by wind-instrument players to check the adjustment of their keywork
Çigirtmawind instrument made from the bone of an eagle's wing. It is mainly used by shepherds. It has seven holes, six on the top and one on the bottom, and is about 15-30 cm. long
ci-gît(French) here lies (followed by a proper name), an epitaph
Cigogne(French f.) stork
Cikârâsee chikara
Cil(French m.) (eye)lash
Ciliar-(German) ciliary (prefix)
Ciliarmuskel(German m.) ciliary muscle (eye)
Ciliary musclea muscle in the eye that controls the eye's accommodation for viewing objects at varying distances
Cilindro(Italian m.) player roll
Cilindro rotativo(Italian m.) rotary valve (on a brass instrument), válvula rotatoria (Spanish f.), válvula rotativa (Spanish f.), Drehventil (German n.), Zylinderventil (German n.), cylindre à rotation (French m.)
ciller(French) to blink
Cimbabbreviation of Cimbal (German n.: Cimbalon - cymbalum (French))
Cimbalsee cimbalom
Cimbal (s.), Cimbali (pl.)(Italian m.) antique cymbal
Cimbale(Slovenia) cimbalom
(German) or cimbel, a high pitched mixture stop, in an organ
Cimbalero(Spanish m.) one who plays the cymbals, cymbalista (Italian), cymbalier (French)
Cimballes(French) cymbals
Cimbali(Italian m. pl.) cymbals
Cimbali antichi(Italian m. pl.) antique cymbals
Cimbalini(Italian m. pl.) finger cymbals, crotales
Cimbalo(Italian m., Spanish m.) a cymbal, a tambourine
synonymous with cimbalom
synonymous with cembalo
Cimbalom(English, Italian m., German n.) also cimbal, cimbelom, cymbalum, cymbalom, tambal, tsymbaly, tsimbl or santouri, a hammer-dulcimer or box zither that has forty-eight strings, which are stretched over a large sounding board. It originated in thirteenth-century Persia and became known in Hungary by the sixteenth century. It is used for dance music together with a violin and clarinet. The small cymbalom without pedals was made by craftsmen primarily for gypsy musicians. It was later replaced by a larger cymbalom which had four legs and pedals. Both instruments are trapezoidal. The sound-box is made of pine, the wrest plank of maple. The metal strings are struck with long carved sticks. The curved tips can be bare or wrapped with cotton for a different sound. A pedal-cymbalom was designed by Jozsef V. Schunda, a musical instrument manufacturer in Budapest, sometime in the 1870s
Cimbassothe term cimbasso emerged in Italy at the beginning of the nineteenth century and is probably an abbreviation of corno in basso (bass horn). Although the term was in everyday use among musicians, composers, conductors, publishers and instrument makers throughout the century, the meaning of cimbasso was clear only to the extent that it described nothing more or less than the voice below the trombones, the deepest brass voice in fact. This voice description was used consistently throughout the nineteenth century in Italy and is found in operatic scores from Bellini to Verdi and Puccini. However, the instruments that played this part differed over the course of time and from region to region. This led to the birth in 1881 of the modern cimbasso. Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901) inspired the Milanese instrument maker Pelitti to make a valved contrabass trombone with a bell facing forward. Although Verdi only ever wrote two scores specifically for this instrument after 1881 (Othello in 1887 and Falstaff in 1893) it nevertheless became traditional to perform the deepest brass part, including the 4th trombone in Verdi's earlier operas, on the "new cimbasso". In fact, this tradition has now spread to encompass other Italian operas such as those by Gaetano Donizetti (1797-1848) and Vincenzo Bellini (1801-1835)
  • Cimbasso from which this extract has been taken
Cimbela high pitched mixture stop, in an organ
Cimbelomsee cimbalom
Cimbelstern(German m.) Cimbel-Stern
Cimbel-Stern(German m.) or Cimbelstern (German m.), an organ stop consisting of five bells so tuned that when set into motion, by a foot pedal, the five bells sound successively but close upon one another so as to produce a chordal effect
[entry corrected by Michael Zapf]
Cime(French f.) peak, tip
Ciment(French m.) cement
cimenter(French) to cement
Ciment fondu(French m.) an exceptionally strong cement used in the construction of buildings and also in the casting of statues, reliefs, etc. used to decorate buildings
Cimetière(French m.) cemetery
Cimetière de voitures(French m.) breaker's yard
Cimmerianin Greek mythology, one of a mythical people described by Homer as inhabiting a land of perpetual darkness
very dark or gloomy
cimmerisch(German) Cimmerian
Cimpoia Romanian bagpipe, usually with a single drone
cinc(Catalan) five
Cinco(Spanish m.) five
Cinconaany of several trees and shrubs of the genus Cinchona, native chiefly to the Andes and cultivated for bark that yields the medicinal alkaloids quinine and quinidine, which are used to treat malaria
Cincturea belt or sash, especially one worn with an ecclesiastical vestment or the habit of a monk or nun
a thing that encircles, for example, a band of material around the waist that strengthens a skirt or trousers
the act of encircling or encompassing
Cincuenta(Spanish m.) fifty
Cînd ciobanu si a pierdut oile(Romania) or când ciobanu si-a pierdut oile, one piece entitled When the shepherd has lost his sheep from the shepherd's flute genre that consists of long suites played on the caval
Cinderella musicalduring the 1920s, a musical in which the heroine usually starts poor and ends up rich and famous
Cineast(German m.) cineaste, cinéaste (French m./f.), movie buff
Cineastea film or movie enthusiast, a person involved in filmmaking
Cinéaste(French m./f.) film-producer, a collaborator (usually technical) in the making of a film, movie buff
Ciné-club(French m.) film society
Cinelle (s.), Cinelli (Italian pl.), Cinellen (German pl.)(German f., Italian f., abbreviated form of bacinelle, 'little basins') cymbals
[entry amended by Michael Zapf]
Cinellen(German pl.) synonymous with cimballes
[entry amended by Michael Zapf]
Cinéma(French m.) cinema
Cinéma-vérité(French m.) realism in film making
cinématographique(French) cinema
Cinemathek(German f.) film library (or archive)
Cinémathèque(French f.) film library, film theatre (room)
Cinematografie(German f.) cinematography
Cinematographie(German f.) cinematography
Cinematographyfilming, the act of making a film
Cinema veriteanglicised form of cinéma vérité (French m.)
Cinéma vérité(French m.) a style of documentary filmmaking, combining naturalistic techniques with stylised cinematic devices of editing and camerawork
Cinéma-Vérité(German f.) cinéma vérité (French m.)
Cinéphile(French m./f.) film lover
cinétique(French) kinetic
cinglant (m.), cinglante (f.)(French) biting
cinglé(French) crazy
cingler(French) to lash
Cink(German m., synonymous with Zink (German m.)) a small reed stop in an organ
Cinq(French m.) five, fifth part in a quintet
cinq(French) five
Cinq-à-sept(French) a visit to a mistress or to a brothel
Cinq pas(French m., literally 'five steps') or cinque pas, a basic step pattern in Elizabethan dances such as the galliard (with which it was most commonly synonymous), the tourdion and the saltarello
Cinq positions des piedssee 'position'
Cinquain(English, German n.) a five-line stanza with varied meter and rhyme scheme, possibly of medieval origin but definitely influenced after 1909 by Japanese poetic forms such as the tanka
Cinquanta(Italian m., Catalan) fifty
cinquantaine (de) , une(French f.) about fifty
Cinquante(French m.) fifty
cinquante(French) fifty
Cinquantième(French m./f.) fiftieth
cinquantième(French) fiftieth
Cinque(Italian m.) five, fifth part in a quintet
Cinquecento(German n., Italian m. short for millecinquecento) the sixteenth century (i.e. the fifteen hundreds), designations such as Cinquecento (1500s, High Renaissance), Quattrocento (1400s, Early Renaissance) and the earlier Trecento (1300s, the interval falling between the Gothic and Renaissance periods) are useful in suggesting the changing intellectual and cultural outlooks of late- and post-medieval Italy. The Cinquecento delimits a period of intense and violent changes in the whole fabric of Italian culture. It refers to the century of the Protestant Reformation, of Spanish and Habsburg political domination, and of the uneasy transition to Mannerism in the visual arts
Cinque passee cinq pas
Cinque passi(Italian m. pl., 'five steps') see cinq pas
Cinque Ports(English, German pl.) five southern British sea-ports: Hastings, Romney, Hythe, Dover und Sandwich
Cinquet(Catalan m.) quintuplet
Cinquième(French m./f.) fifth
cinquième(French) fifth
Cinquillo(Spanish m.) quintuplet (group of notes), quintolet (French), quintina (Italian)
Cinquillo (cubano)a five note pattern (consisting of a quaver (eighth note), a semiquaver (sixteenth note), a quaver (eighth note), a semiquaver (sixteenth note), and a quaver (eighth note), placed in a 2/4 bar (measure)) derived from the Cuban contradanza and also found in another contradanza-derivative, Argentine tango
a five note group of notes derived from the son clave pattern that is both a part of the baqueteo (the timbale accompaniment to the danzón) as well as a common rhythmic articulation in both arranged and improvised performance. The term also describes the interpretive performance, or "stretching," of the five notes of the clave pattern. This interpretation can also be applied to the tresillo
Cinta(Spanish f.) tape (recording, etc.), film (photographic), band (head), ribbon, braid, edging
Cinta adhesiva(Spanish f.) adhesive tape
Cinta aislante(Spanish f.) insulating tape
Cinta magnética(Spanish f.) magnetic tape
Cinta magnetofónica(Spanish f.) magnetic recording tape
Cinta métrica(Spanish f.) tape measure, measuring tape
Cîntec batrînesc(Romania, 'old-fashioned song') or cântec batrânesc, epic ballad
Cîntec ca din tulnic(Romania) a unique type of doina in which the melody imitates a type of bugle called the tulnic
Cîntec ca pe lunca(Romania) a regional style of doina found along the southern Danube
Cîntec ciobanul(Romania) the shepherd's doina
Cîntec de codru(Romania, codru, 'forest') a regional style of doina
Cîntec de dragoste(Romanian, literally 'song of love') a song in free rhythm with a high degree of ornamentation, like the doina, that comes from the region of the country in which Gypsy musicians particularly dominate in providing music and consequently influencing local popular styles. It is unusualy in that it is usually accompanied by an instrumental ensemble and its accompaniment is set in a fixed regular rhythm, in spite of the fact that the melodic line itself, that is, the vocal or instrumental setting of the melody, remains in the free rhythmic style of the doina
Cîntec de jale(Romanian, jale, 'grief') a mellow, mournful doina
Cintec de leagan(Romanian, leagan, 'cradle') lullaby
Cîntec de pahar(Romanian, 'songs of the drinking glass') one of the names given to an urban Gypsy style of song, one which exhibits melodic types closely akin to the makam system of Turkey. As with the cîntec de dragoste, the accompanying ensemble supports the free, lyric melody with the fixed and regular quadruple pattern of the Gypsy style hora
Cîntec de petrecere(Romanian, 'songs of pleasure') one of the names given to an urban Gypsy style of song
Cîntec de mahala(Romanian, 'songs of the Gypsy enclaves') one of the names given to an urban Gypsy style of song
many Gypsies migrated to the larger Romanian cities and settled in small enclaves surrounding the cites known collectively as mahale
Cîntec foaie verde(Romanian, foaie verde, 'green leaves') the classical doina form
Cîntec haiducesti(Romanian, haiduc, 'thief' or 'brigand') a regional style of doina
Cîntec lung(Romania, literally 'long song') a song form, also called hora lunga or horea lunga (hora here is derived from the Romanian word meaning 'oration') which comes from Maramures, a region of Northern Transylvania that bears a strong similarity to the doina
Cîntec oltului(Romanian) a regional style of doina found along the River Olt
Cîntec tiganeste(Romanian) the genre of Gypsy songs
Cintre(French m.) coat-hanger, curve (architecture)
cintré(French) fitted (garment)
Cinyra(English, German f.) obsolete name for the harp
cioà(Italian) that is
CipherHänger (German f.), on the organ, a note that through some failure in the action, persists in sounding
[extended by Michael Zapf]
basing a musical theme on a group of letters of the alphabet, as for example, with the name B-A-C-H, which using the German convention, gives the notes B flat-A-C-B natural
Ciphered bassfigured bass
Cipher notationin many cultures, including Chinese (gongche), Indonesian and Indian (sargam), the 'sheet music' consists primarily of the numbers, letters or native characters representing notes in order
Cipollata(Italian) any food strongly flavoured with onion
Cipollino(Italian) an Italian marble veined with streaks of white and pale green
Cipus (s.), Cippi (pl.)(Italian) a low monumental column bearing an inscription
Cirage(French m.) (wax) polish
Cirandaslow Afro-Brazilian rhythm and dance from Pernambuco, inspired by the sea, and performed by hundreds of people under a full moon sat the beaches in Recife
Circa(English, German, from Latin) abbreviated c. or ca, a Latin preposition meaning 'about' in the sense of 'approximately', found in music (and elsewhere) associated with dates (of birth or death, of composition), 'metronome marks' and so on
circadiane Rhythmik(German f.) circadian rhythm
circadianer Rhythmus(German m.) circadian rhythm
Circadian rhythma naturally observed rhythm that seems to be set by a 'biological clock', probably associated by recurring daylight and darkness
Circle canonalso called a 'round', a canon in which each singer returns from the conclusion of the melody to its beginning, repeating it ad libitum. The canon either closes with a coda, or, as each voice finishes, commences anew, thus forming a perpetual fugue or round. It is the strictest form of imitation
Circle dancethe most common name for a style of dance usually performed in a circle without partners to musical accompaniment
see 'Sacred circle dance'
Circle of fifthsalternatively 'Heinichen's circle of fifths' or 'cycle of fifths', a chain of rising intervals. each interval a fifth. that after passing through every note of the scale returns to a note several octaves higher than that from which the chain began, at least if equal temperament is used. If the fifths are pure, i.e. the ratio of succeeding frequencies is 3:2, the final note is never exactly the original note displaced by several octaves because no power of 3/2 can equal a power of 2
see 'diatonic circle of fifths'
see 'non-diatonic circle of fifths'
Circle of fourthsa chain of falling fourths, that after passing through every note of the scale returns to a note several octaves lower than that from which the chain started at least if equal temperament is used. If the fourths are pure, i.e. the ratio of succeeding frequencies is 3:4, the final note is never exactly the original note displaced by several octaves because no power of 3/4 can equal a power of 1/2
Circle pita large and usually roughly circular clearing in the audience of a music concert about two to ten metres from the front of the stage. Inside this circle, people can 'mosh' and 'skank', with 'moshing' usually being the device that created the pit to begin with. The main focus, though, is to pretty much run in a circle and have fun
Circleta circular band worn as an ornament on the finger, arm, neck or head
Circle waltzusually slow and dignified, in sharp contrast to the reel and polka, Scandinavian circle waltzes date back to late rococo period. It is normally danced by four couples, in often highly stylized and incorporates the deep bows and curtsies so essential to the social dances of that era
circolando(Italian) circulating
Circolo della quinta(Italian m.), circle of fifths
Circoncision(French f.) circumcision
Circonférence(French f.) circumference
circonflexe(French) circumflex (ˆ)
Circonlucozione(Italian f.) giro di parole (Italian m.) circumlocution, Weitschweifigkeit (German f.), Umschreibung (German f.), circonlocution (French f.), circunloquio (Spanish m.)
Circonlocution(French f.) circonlucozione (Italian f.), giro di parole (Italian m.) circumlocution, Weitschweifigkeit (German f.), Umschreibung (German f.), circunloquio (Spanish m.)
Circonscription(French f.) district
Circonscription (électorale)(French f.) constituency
circonscrire(French) to confine, to define (subject)
circonspect(French) circumspect
Circonstance(French f.) circumstance, occasion
Circonstances atténuantes(French f. pl.) mitigating circumstances
circonstancié(French) detailed
circonvenir(French) to circumvent
Circuit(French m.) circuit, tour, trip
Circulaire(French f.) circular
circulaire(French) circular
Circular breathinga technique used to produce a continuous sound on a woodwind or brass instrument, where the player breathes in through the nose while the cheeks push air out into the instrument. In this way, the musician is able to produce an unbroken stream of air, and hold a note indefinitely, since there is no need to pause and breathe
Circular canonearly sources suggest that a circular canon was expected to have an element of modulation in it. Current usage implies that the term circular canon has come to be applied more generally to what is known as a round
Circular canon per tonosa canon so constructed that each repetition appears a second, third or fourth, etc., higher or lower. The original key must be reached after a certain number of repetitions so completing the circle
Circular harp
Circular structurea type of artistic structure in which a sense of completeness or closure does not originate in coming to a "conclusion" that breaks with the earlier story; instead, the sense of closure originates in the way the end of a piece returns to subject-matter, wording, or phrasing found at the beginning of the narrative, play, or poem
Circulating temperamentsee 'temperament'
Circulation(French f.) circulation, traffic (of vehicles)
circuler(French) to circulate, to travel (train, etc.), to walk
Circulus virtuosus(German m.) virtuous circle
Circulus vitiosus(German m.) vicious circle
Circumflexa diacritical mark (ˆ) placed above a vowel in some languages to indicate a special phonetic quality
Circumpolar culture
in the context of song, it is interesting to find that the Nenets people, like the Sami, have three traditional songmodes:
songmodeNenet songmodecorresponding Sami songmode
the narrative songssyudbabts, yárabtsvuelie
the owned (or lyric) songshinabts, syo, yábe syo, ngatsyeki syo / nyukubtslaavloe
the shamanistic songssámbadabtsjoik
Circunloquio(Spanish m.) circonlucozione (Italian f.), giro di parole (Italian m.) circumlocution, Weitschweifigkeit (German f.), Umschreibung (German f.), Circonlocution (French f.)
Circus(Latin) originally an oblong or oval arena surrounded by tiers of seats for the celebration of games or the production of spectacles, now a term used for any acrobatic display or for a circular space at the intersection of several streets (for example, Oxford Circus, Piccadilly Circus, etc.)
Circus musicmusic associated with band made up of fiddles, drums and later brass and timpani, where the repertoire is determined by the acts performing
Cire(French f.) wax
Ciré(German m., French m.) oilskin, waterproof
(French, literally 'waxed') the term is used also for any fabric with a smooth shiny surface (for example, silk)
Cire perdue(German f., French f.) a method, called the lost-wax process, used in the casting of bronze, brass, etc.
Cire-perdue-Gusstechnik(German f.) lost wax process (a casting technique)
cirer(French) to polish, to wax
Cireuse(French f.) floor-polisher (equipment)
Cirkut cameraone of many types of rotating panoramic cameras. These cameras first made their appearance in 1857 but the most popular was the Cirkut camera made by the Century Camera Co. of Rochester, N.Y. in 1907. It was designed to take shots of large groups of people, for the rotation of the camera allowed it to be moved close in to the subject and still capture the entire scene
Cirque(French m.) circus, amphitheatre, chaos (figurative)
the term is used also for a deep rounded depression with steep sides that might be suitable as a natural amphitheatre
Cirrampala(Colombia) a wooden stick with a rope tied to it. The mouth is used as the resonance box - the rope is set into vibration with the fingers
Cirrhose(French f.) cirrhosis
Cis, cis
C sharp
(German n., Dutch) the note 'C sharp'
Cisaille(s)(French f. (pl.)) shears
Cis-cis
C double sharp
(German n.) formerly, the note 'C double sharp', although today the correct name is Cisis)
Cis-Dur
key of C sharp major(German n.) the key of 'C sharp major'
Ciseau (s.), Ciseaux (pl.)(French m.) chisel
Ciseaux(French m. pl.) scissors
in dance, a jump in which the legs open in second position in the air, resembling a pair of scissors
ciselé(French) chiselled
a term for a laboriously worked style of literary writing
ciseler(French) to chisel
Cisis, cisis
C double sharp
(German n.) the note 'C double sharp'
Cisleithaniathe Austrian part of Austria-Hungary (1867-1918)
Cisleithanien(German n.) Cisleithania
cisleithanisch(German) Cisleithanian
cis-Moll
key of C sharp minor(German n.) the key of 'C sharp minor'
Cistellaa type of dulcimer
Cister(German f.) cittern, cetra (Italian), cetera (Italian), cistre (French)
Cistercianmonastic order derived from the Benedictine, founded as reformed order from the French monastery of Citeaux in the 12th century
Cistre(French m.) cittern, cetra (Italian), cetera (Italian), Cister (German)
Cistrumcittern
CistroSpanish cittern
cit.abbreviation of 'citation', 'cited'
citaat(Dutch) quote
Citação(Portuguese) citation, quotation
Citadela stronghold in which people could shelter during a battle
Citadelle(French f.) citadel
Citadin (m.), Citadine (f.)(French) city dweller
citadin (m.), citadine (f.)(French) city
Citara(Spanish f.) Spanish and Latvian zither, cittern
Citarista(Italian m./f.) a minstrel, a player upon the cittern
citarizzare(Italian) to play upon the cittern
Citation(French f.) quote, summons (legal)
an entry in a bibliography or catalogue referring to a specific work (book, chapter, journal article or thesis etc...) that contains enough detail to make the work clearly identifiable; usually the author, title, place and year of publication, publisher and details of the edition (if published). If it is an article within a larger work, further details such as the title, editor and page numbers, volume number etc. are usually also included
Citation indexan index in the form of a list of documents, usually arranged by author, with a list against each entry of other documents that have cited the item represented by the entry. It is based on the principle that if the searcher is aware of a document that is relevant, then any document published at a later date that cites the original is also likely to be relevant
Cité(French f.) city
Cité-dortoir (s.), Cités-dortoirs (pl.)(French f. dormitory town
Cité ouvrière(French f.) (workers') housing estate
citer(French) to quote, to cite, to summon (legal)
Citerathe Hungarian zither
there are three basic forms:
through zithermade of a single piece of poplar or bass-wood, with metal pegs driven into one end, to hold the steel strings, and tuning pegs screwed into the other end. The players used a hammer, sharpened quill or a piece of horn to pluck the strings
small headed zitheralso called horse-, child- or side-headed zithers, made of separate pieces of soft and hard wood were common on the Hungarian Great Plain and seem to be a Hungarian speciality
bulging zitherare of Western influence and were used mainly in Transdanubia
Citere(Old English, literally 'lyre') these have been found in England at royal burials such as Taplow and Sutton Hoo as well as at less grandoise burials such as Bergh Apton, Morning Thorpe and Abingdon. They are also known from Cologne, Oberflacht and Kerch, and Hedeby in Germany as well as on numerous contemporary manuscript illustrations. Bridges for the instrument have also been found at places as far apart as York and Sweden. The lyre seems to have always been six stringed, but how it was played and tuned is a mystery. It is possible that each string was tuned to a different note and then just plucked, although the tunes would be severely limited with less than an octave range, or it may have been that a number of strings were used for chords and drones, whilst others had their note changed by applying pressure to the back of the string and then plucking for the melody. However it was played, there seems to be a peculiarly English convention of reinforcing the top tenon joints with a decorative plaque, usually of bronze, riveted through the joint. This served not only to strengthen the joint but also to decorate the lyre. The instrument itself was made of wood, with gut or horsehair strings. The pegs, bridge and tail-piece may have been of wood or bone
Citerna(Italian) cittern
Citerne(French f.) tank
CITESConvention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora
Cité universitaire(French f.) (university) halls of residence
Citharasee kithara
Cithara bijuga(Latin) or cithera bijuga, a double-necked cither (although some sources suggest it is a double-necked theorbo lute)
Cithara hispanica(Spanish) Spanish guitar
Cithare(French f.) Zither (English, German), cetra da tavolo (Italian)
Cithare d'amateur(French f.) autoharp
Citharodia(Greek) the art of singing to the lyre
Citheralso called 'cithera', 'cithern', 'cythorn', or 'cittern', and not to be confused with the gittern, the cithera, or many other terms for medieval instruments. It is a wire-strung plucked stringed instrument, like a lute, but with a pear-shaped body flat back, commonly used during the 16th-, 17th- and 18th-centuries. It has a high pitched string set among the bass strings, although it is the same length, i.e. re-entrant tuning
Cithera bijugasee cithara bijuga
Cithernsee 'cither'
Cither-violsee 'zither-viol'
Citizen comedysee 'city comedy'
Citolesome suggest this is a 'cither' while others suggest in is a type of 'dulcimer'
Citoyen (m.), Citoyenne (f.)(French) citizen
Citoyenneté(French f.) citizenship
Cittern(English, German f.) see 'cither'
Citrin(German m.) citrine
Citrinesemiprecious yellow quartz resembling topaz
Citron(French m.) lemon
Citronnade(French f.) lemon squash, lemon drink, (still) lemonade
Citron vert(French f.) lime
Citrouille(French f.) pumpkin
City(English, German f.) colloquial term for the centre of a city, i.e. the city centre or, in the US, downtown
City bluessee 'classic blues'
City comedyor 'citizen comedy', in the early seventeenth century, an English dramatic genre, a play characterized by a contemporary London setting, recognizable character types from the social milieux between manual labourers and prosperous merchants, colloquial diction, and predominantly satirical tone and the realistic use of contemporary English music. It must also be considered the first English dramatic genre to make regular use of musical parody, over a century before the ballad opera emerged. The music in these plays is a mixture of original compositions, popular existing songs, and their parodies, all of which help to show the city and its people in many moods. Songs selected for parody were drawn from the contents of published books of songs and ayres, from the popular ballad repertory, and from other plays. All songs were sung as unaccompanied monodies, regardless of the texture of the original. Musical parody in the city comedies can be divided into three distinct types, in which respectively (1) a song text is altered to fit the specific circumstances under which it is to be sung on stage; (2) the circumstances surrounding the origin of the song are imitated (often through the treatment of a broadside ballad); and (3) a song or musical scenario from another play is imitated as part of a reference to, or a parody of, that other drama
Civet(French m.) a brown stew of game, usually hare
Civet de lapin(French m.) jugged rabbit
Civet de lièvre(French m.) jugged hare
civettando(Italian) coquetting
Civette(French f.) chive(s) (culinary)
Civetteria(Italian f.) coquetry, flirtatiousness, in a coquettish manner
civettescamente(Italian) coquettishly
civettuola(Italian) coquettish
Civière(French f.) stretcher
Civil(French m.) civilian
civil(French) civil, civilian
Civilisation(French f.) civilization
civiliser(French) to civilize
Civink(Slovenia) an instrument formed by placing a blade of grass or a leaf between the performers thumbs, and blowing across it
civique(French) civic
Civisme(French m.) civic sense
C-klav
C clef(Swedish) a clef sign which marks the position of the note C on the staff, for example, the alto clef
c.l.abbreviated form of col legno
Cl., clabbreviation of 'clarinet'
Cla.abbreviated form of 'clarinet' and clarino
Claasagh(Manx Gaelic) see cláirseach
Clackamorea simple percussion instrument invented by Wayland Harman, formed of two parts, a spatula-shaped strip of wood, which is placed between the teeth, to which is attached a small wooden hammer. The hammer, which is at one end of a slightly flexible rod, is operated by the players fingers to strike one end of the wooden strip. The resultant sound is modulated by the oral cavity, rather as with a Jew's harp
Clacson(Italian m.) car horn
Cladersticca(Old English, literally 'rattle-sticks') it is unclear whether this word refers to percussion instruments, or whether they are perhaps just a baby's rattle
Cladisticsa classification system based on order of evolutionary branching rather than on present similarities and differences
CLAEMfounded in 1963 at the Instituto Di Tella, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, CLAEM (Centro Latinoamericano de Altos Estudios Musicales / Latin American Center for Advanced Musical Studies) was a meeting point for Latin American students, composers, and engineers. Directed in turn by Alberto Ginastera and Francisco Kröpfl, CLAEM remained operational until 1971
clair(French) clear, light (colour), bright, thin (liquid), clearly
Clairaudiencethe supposed power to perceive auditory stimuli beyond the realm of normal hearing
Clair de lune(French m.) moonlight
(French) a kind of bluish glass with an opalescent lustre
Clair-de-Lune-Glasur(German f.) clair-de-lune glaze
Claire, Caisse(French) side drum
clairement(French) clearly
Claire Obscure(German n.) chiaroscuro
claire-voie (à)(French) with slits to let the light through
Clairière(French f.) clearing
Clair-obscur(German n.) chiaroscuro (in painting)
Clairon(French m.) bugle, trumpet, clarino, a reed stop in an organ
claironner(French) to trumpet (forth)
Cláirseachor clársach, a popular instrument for many hundreds of years, and still in use today in Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England, this small Celtic folk harp encompasses several octaves but is not chromatic like its orchestral equivalent
clairsemé(French) sparse
Clairvoyant (m.), Clairvoyante (f.)(French) one who is clear-sighted, one gifted with a clearness of insight or mental perception
clairvoyant (m.), clairvoyante (f.)(French) clear-sighted, a clearness of insight or mental perception
clamer(French) to utter aloud
Clameur(French f.) clamour
Clan(English, German m., French m.) a group of poeple with a common ancestor or strong common interest
a clan or family is a legally recognised group in Scotland, which has a corporate identity in the same way that a company, club or partnership has a corporate identity in law. A clan or family is a "noble incorporation" because it has an officially recognised chief or head who being a nobleman of Scotland confers his noble status on the clan or family, thus making it a legally and statutorily recognised noble corporation often called "the Honourable Clan ..." A name group, which does not have a chief, has no official position in the law of Scotland. The chiefs Seal of Arms, incorporated by the Lord Lyon's letters Patent, is the seal of the corporation, like a company seal, but only the chief is empowered by law to seal important documents on behalf of his clan. A clan as a noble incorporation is recognised as the chief's heritable property - he owns it in law and is responsible for its administration and development.
Clanchef(German m.) clan chief
Clan chiefSir George MacKenzie of Rosehaugh, the Lord Advocate (Attorney General) writing in 1680 said "By the term 'chief' we call the representative of the family from the word chef or head and in the Irish (Gaelic) with us the chief of the family is called the head of the clan". The Lyon Court usually describes the chief of a clan or family as either the "Chief of the Name and Arms" or as "Chief of the Honourable Clan - -"
clandestin (m.), clandestine (f.)(French) secret, surreptitious, underground (newpaper, etc.)
Clang(from the German, Klang) the fundamental note with its harmonics, loud and resonant metallic sound
Clang associationa semantic change caused because one word sounds similar to another. For instance, the word fruition in Middle English meant "enjoyment." In Modern English, its meaning has changed to "completion" because it sounds like the word fruit
Clang-colour(from the German, Klang) or clang-tint, tone color, timbre
Clangoror, in British English, clangour, prolonged clanging
(entry corrected by Michael Zapf)
(Latin) the tone of a trumpet when blown strongly
Clangorouscontaining partials that are not part of the natural harmonic series. Clangorous tones often sound bell-like
Clangor tubarum(Latin) a military trumpt used by the ancient Romans, consisting of a large tube of bronze, surrounded by seven smaller pipes, terminating at a single point
Clangoursee 'clangor'
Clang-tintsee 'clang-colour'
Clanksound as of metal on metal, cause to make such a sound
Clan marchesmarches with a strong accent and marked rhythm composed for the Scottish bagpipe
Clanmitglied(German n.) clansman
Clan songsIndigenous Australian music that a particular clan may share, songs about the clan or about family history
Clansystem(German n.) clan system
Clapstrike the palms of one's hands together, repeatedly as applause, or singly to draw the attention of others
Clapet(French m.) valve
Clapier(French m.) (rabbit) hutch
clapoter(French) to lap
Clapotis(French m.) lapping
Clapperthe tongue or beater inside a bell, usually consisting of a shaft with a solid metal sphere at the end
orchestral instruments where two objects are brought together percussively, for example, claves and cymbals
Clapper drumalso 'monkey drum', bang'gu, garapung, damaru or Rasseltrommel (German f.)
[German term provided by Michael Zapf]
although the exact form of the drum varies from culture to culture, a 'monkey drum' is a two-headed drum on a stick. Two corded bead beaters strike the heads when the drum is spun
Clapper opera(Hebei bang zi), a general term for operas from the provinces of Shanxi, Shenxi, Henan, Hebei and Shandong in China. Hebei clapper opera came into being in the early nineteenth century and at its most popular, was performed on the same stage with Peking Opera, thus adopting also the repertoire of Peking Opera apart from the more traditional Shanxi and Shenxi clapper opera repertoire. The classification of roles is more or less similar to that of the Peking Opera, only that Hebei clapper opera requires the actor to incorporate the art and skill of the role of jing, the role symbolizing strength and power in fighting, thinking or scheming, and sbeng, the role of scholar, statesman and the like
Clapstick, Clapsticks(English, German only plural form) a percussion instrument, formed of a pair of sticks, that traditionally accompanies the didgeridoo
Claquage(French m.) strained muscle
Claque(Spanish f., from the French, literally meaning 'smack' or 'clap') members of an audience, hired by a performer or the management of the opera house, usually to respond rapturously and loudly during the performance including calling for frequent encores, although occasionally by rivals to ensure a negative audience response
Claque(French f.) slap
Claqué(Spanish m.) tap-dancing
Claquebois(French) like harmonica de bois and échelettes, an old name for xylophone
(French) Strohfiedel, gigelira
Claquement(French m.) banging, slam, slamming, snap, snapping
claquer(French) to bang, to slam, to snap, to crack, to conk out, to snuff it, to blow (gave a), to tire out
claquer des dents(French) to let one's teeth chatter
claquer des doigts(French) to snap one's fingers
claquer des mains(French) to clap one's hands
Claquettes(French f. pl.) step dancing, tap dancing
Claqueur (m.), Claqueuse (French f.)(French, German m.) a member of a claque
Clar.abbreviated form of 'clarinet' and clarino
as a marking in clarinet music, to cancel the marking Chal. (abbreviation for chalumeau) (see Chal. for more information)
Clarabellaor Claribel flute, an 8 ft. organ stop, invented by J.S. Bishop, producing a thick, powerfully, flute-like sound, the pipes being made of wood and not stopped. Its octave above, at 4 ft. pitch, is called the 'claribel flute'
Clara voce(Latin) clear, loud voice
Clarenused in Vivaldi's oratorio Juditha triumphans and concerto RV 556, a clarinet in C
Claribel flutea 4 ft. clarabella
Clarichordsynonymous with clavichord
Claricorde(French) synonymous with clavichord
Clarificationmaking something clear
Clarified honey(in medieval cookery) honey whose impurities have been forced to the top by boiling and removed by skimming. Many medieval recipes recommend clarifying honey by combining it with wine
clarifier(French) carify
Clarin(German) or clarino, a 4 ft. reed stop in German organs
Clarín(Spanish m.) the chanter pipe of a gaita de boto, the Aragonese bagpipe
(Spanish m.) bugle
Clarina(English, German f.) also Klarina (German f.) or Heckelklarina (German f.), an instrument designed by W. Heckel, and first used in 1891 to replace the Holztrompete in Wagner's Tristan and Isolde; the clarina is a cross between an oboe and a clarinet
Clarinblasen(German n.) soft notes upon a trumpet, a technique associated with the baroque trumpet and its high clarino register, an art that depends to a great extent on the typical shallow-cupped mouthpiece of that period
[entry extended by Michael Zapf]
Clarín de eco(s)(Spanish m.) echo trumpet
Clarine(French) cowbell
Clarinetclarinete (Spanish), clarinetto (Italian), Klarinette (German), clarinette (French), clarionet (archaic)
the clarinet is a cylindrical-bore pipe with a mouthpiece that resembles a beak and uses a single cane reed. The lower end flares out into a bell. The clarinet is a very popular woodwind that originated in Islamic and Asian countries at least 700 years ago. Modern clarinets are made of ebony and have 20 or more side holes to produce different pitches. With a clarinet, you can play as softly as a whisper, but also loudly enough to be heard above an entire orchestra. Because it has a range of more than three octaves, it can produce both very low and very high notes
clarinets were first introduced in Europe as folk instruments, but by the late 1600s, they were manufactured by such renowned instrument builders as Johann Christoph Denner of Nuremberg. Within 40 years, they were regularly featured in works by Baroque composers Gluck, Telemann and Rameau. The flexibility of the clarinet and its extraordinary ability to blend with other instruments appealed to many European orchestral and chamber music composers, especially during the late nineteenth century. The last innovator in the history of the clarinet was Hyacinthe Klose. In 1839 he invented what has since become known as the 'Boehm System' clarinet. The system is named after Theobald Boehm who invented a system for the flute by placing holes in the proper acoustical positions. He also invented a series of ring keys by which a finger can close a ring when covering a whole, and by doing so operate another key to cover a different hole of some distance. Auguste Buffet's needle springs were soon added to the clarinet in 1840, finishing the basic elements of the modern clarinet system
instruments of the clarinet family include:
Ab (sopranino, piccolo or high) clarinetvery rare, largely confined to military bands
Eb (sopranino, piccolo or high) clarinetSonatina in F major for Piccolo Clarinet, Op. 38 by Easley Blackwood, Hector Berlioz' Symphonie Fantastique
D (sopranino, piccolo or high) clarinetMolter Concerti, Richard Strauss' Till Eulenspiegel
C (soprano) clarinetFranz Liszt' choral symphony, Faust, Richard Stauss' Der Rosenkavalier
Bb (soprano) clarinetmost widely used clarinet in classical, jazz and contemporary music. Swiss folk musicians usually play with a button accordion tuned in Bb, and so they too use the clarinet in Bb
A (soprano) clarinetSonata in A minor for Clarinet and Piano by Easley Blackwood
Basset clarinet in Bb
similar to the clarinet in Bb but offering a low C
fragmentary Clarinet Quintet Movement in B flat K.516c ['90-91, Vienna]
Basset clarinet in A
similar to the clarinet in A but offering a low C
Quintet for Clarinet & Strings in A K.581 ['89.9.29, Vienna], Rondo Movement for Clarinet Quintet in A (Fragment) K.581a ['90?, Vienna]
Basset clarinet in Falso called the 'Basset horn', a tenor clarinet, used in Mozart's Requiem and works by Strauss and Massenet
Eb (alto) clarinetused in chamber music
Bb (bass) clarinetdeveloped by Desfontenelles in 1802, but Adolphe Sax's instrument was decidedly better; used in jazz and contemporary music
Eb (contra-alto) clarinetused in clarinet choirs
Bb (contra-bass) clarinetbecoming more widely used by contemporary composers, also in clarinet choirs
Eb (contra-bass) clarinetsometimes used in clarinet choirs
subcontrabass clarineta term applied to any clarinet with range lower than that of the contrabass clarinet. There are two instruments that fall into this category: octocontra-alto clarinet (also known as octo contra alto, sub contra alto, or octocontralto) and the octocontrabass clarinet (also known as octo contrabass clarinet, octo contra bass clarinet, or subcontra bass clarinet)
Heckelclarina or Heckelclarinettein 1891 W. Heckel's clarina, an instrument partaking of the nature of both oboe and clarinet, replaced the Holztrompete in Wagner's Tristan und Isolde and has done so ever since
Holztrompeteused in pre-1891 performances of Richard Wagner Tristan und Isolde
Saxonettea woodwind musical instrument and a member of the clarinet family. A saxonette is a soprano clarinet in C, A, or Bb that has both a curved barrel and an upturned bell, both usually made of metal. It has the approximate overall shape of a saxophone, but unlike that instrument it has a cylindrical bore and is therefore categorized as a clarinet. The instrument is also known as the Claribel and Clariphon. Other than the barrel and bell, there is no difference between a saxonette and a soprano clarinet (of the same fingering system). In fact, some manufacturers sold instruments having both clarinet- and saxonette-style barrels and bells
Clarineta-baixo(Portuguese) bass clarinet
Clarinet choira standard ensemble made up of entirely clarinets
part no.instrument
1Eb clarinet, doubling Bb
21st Bb clarinet
32nd Bb clarinet
43rd Bb clarinet
5Eb Alto clarinet, doubling as Bb clarinet - alternative transpositions of parts needed since we may not have an Alto available
6Bb Bass clarinet
7Bb Contra Bass clarinet
Clarinete(Spanish m., Portuguese m.) clarinet, clarinetto (Italian m.), Klarinette (German f.), clarinette (French f.)
Clarinete alto(Spanish m.) alto clarinet, clarinetto contralto (Italian m.), Altklarinette (German f.), clarinette alto (French f.)
Clarinete baixo(Portuguese m.) bass clarinet, clarinetto basso (Italian m.), clarinette basse (French f.), Bassklarinette (German f.), clarinete bajo (Spanish m.)
Clarinete bajo(Spanish m.) bass clarinet, clarinetto basso (Italian m.), clarinette basse (French f.), Bassklarinette (German f.), clarinete baixo (Portuguese m.)
Clarinet in Ba term used sometimes for the clarinet in B flat
B in German pitch notation in B flat in English pitch notation
Clarinetistor 'clarinettist', one who plays the clarinet
Clarinetista(Spanish m./f.) one who plays the clarinet
Clarinet pipealso clarinette (French), clarionette (French), a reed pipe, with a cylindrical open resonator, imitative of the orchestral instrument bearing the same name
Clarinet reedancia del clarinetto (Italian f.), Klarinettenblatt (German n.), anche de clarinette (French f.), lenguëta de clarinete (Spanish f.)
Clarinet stopan organ stop imitating a clarinet
Clarinet systema term used to describe the disposition of closed and open keys and holes on a clarinet, which, by extension, leads to a particular fingering system that is determined by that disposition. On the clarinmet, the four best known systems are the Albert or simple system (developed by Eugène Albert (1816-1890)), the Boehm system for the clarinet (developed between 1839 and 1843 by Hyacinthe Klosé and Auguste Buffet jeune. The name is somewhat deceptive; the system was inspired by Theobald Boehm's system for the flute, but differs from it particularly because the clarinet overblows at the twelfth rather than the flute's octave, and Boehm himself was not involved in its development), the Mazzeo system (invented by Rosario Mazzeo in the 1950s, and which is a modification of the Boehm system) and the Öhler system (developed by Oskar Öhler and based on the Müller system clarinet, this system adds tone holes to correct intonation and acoustic deficiencies, notably of the forked notes (Bb and F). The system has more keys than the Boehm system and is used mostly in Germany and Vienna. Major developments include the patent C#, low E-F correction, fork-F/Bb correction and fork Bb correction)
Clarinette(French f.) clarinet, clarinetto (Italian), Klarinette (German f.), clarinete (Spanish m.)
the name of an organ stop (see clarionet
Clarinette alto(French f.) alto clarinet, clarinetto contralto (Italian m.), Altklarinette (German f.), clarinete alto (Spanish m.)
Clarinette basse(French f.) bass clarinet, clarinetto basso (Italian m.), Bassklarinette (German f.), clarinete bajo (Spanish m.)
Clarinette contrebasse(French f.) double bass clarinet, clarinetto contrabbasso (Italian m.), Kontrabassklarinette (German f.), clarinete contrabajo (Spanish m.)
Clarinette d'amour(French f.) a member of the clarinet family, which in comparison with the Bb and A soprano clarinets, had a similar shape and construction, but was larger, usually pitched in G although examples are known also in Ab and F
Clarinette in La(Italian m.) clarinet in A, an A clarinet
Clarinette in Si b(Italian m.) clarinet in B flat, a B flat clarinet
Clarinette métallique(French f.) the use of metal for clarinet bodies goes back to 1817 when the French instrument maker Halari built a brass clarinet metallique. High grade metal clarinets possess a specific mellowness and retain the true clarinet tone, their principal characteristic is clarity. The overtones are exceptionally well defined, the high notes are perfectly in tune and especially easy to play
Clarinette sourdinea French name formerly given to the cor de bassette (French: basset horn)
Clarinetti(Italian m.pl.) clarinets
Clarinettistor 'clarinetist', one who plays the clarinet
Clarinettista(Italian m./f.) a clarinettist
Clarinettiste(French m./f.) a clarinettist
Clarinetto (s.), Clarinetti (pl.)(Italian m.) clarinet, Klarinette (German f.), clarinette (French f.), clarinete (Spanish m.)
Clarinetto alto(Italian m.) alto clarinet, clarinetto contralto (Italian m.), Altklarinette (German f.), clarinete alto (Spanish m.)
Clarinetto basso(Italian m.) bass clarinet, clarinette basse (French f.), Bassklarinette (German f.), clarinete bajo (Spanish m.)
Clarinetto contrabbasso(Italian m.) double bass clarinet, clarinette contrebasse (French f.), Kontrabassklarinette (German f.), clarinete contrabajo (Spanish m.)
Clarinetto contralto(Italian m.) alto clarinet, clarinette alto (French m.), Altklarinette (German f.), clarinete alto (Spanish m.)
Clarinetto piccolo(Italian m.) soprano clarinet, kleine Klarinette (German f.), petite clarinette (French f.), clarinete soprano (Spanish m.)
Clarinoin English 'clarion', a small piccolo trumpet
a virtuoso style of trumpet playing involving the higher harmonics (those from c'' to c''' and above) on a baroque (valveless) trumpet, including melodic fanfares based on primary triads, diatonic melodic figures, a high tessitura (from the 9th partial upward) and improvised embellishments
(from the Latin clarus, literally 'bright' or 'clear') the highest register of the trumpet
(Greek) a clarinet
(English, German n.) a reed-stop on the organ, usually at 4 ft. pitch
Clariona medieval trumpet with a clear shrill sound
(French) bugle
in the organ, a metal reed trumpet stop, usually at 4 ft. pitch, with a brillian tone. Sometimes the upper octave is composed of open flue pipes
Clarionetsee 'clarinet'
an soft-toned organ reed stop of 8 ft. scale
Clarionet-flutean organ stop similar to a stopped diapason with a warm reedy quality
Clarion harmonique(French) a reed stop in an organ
Claroabbreviated form of clarino
Clarone(Portuguese) bass clarinet
Clarsach(German m.) cláirseach (Irish), clársach (Gaelic), the celtic harp
Clársach(Scottish Gaelic) see cláirseach
Clarté(French f.) light, brightness, clarity
Clarté de voix(French f.) clearness of voice
Clarttoabbreviated form of clarinetto
Clary(in medieval cookery) a plant of the sage family which cuts the grease of fatty meats and fish
Clase(Spanish f.) class, classroom, lecture hall (university), kind, sort
Clase alta(Spanish f.) upper class
Clase de conducir(Spanish f.) driving lesson
Clase dirigente(Spanish f.) ruling class
Clase media(Spanish f.) middle class
Clase obrera(Spanish f.) working class
Clase particular(Spanish f.) private lesson
Clases nocturnas(Spanish f. pl.) night classes
Clases pasivas(Spanish f. pl.) pensioners
Clash cymbals
a pair of identical crash cymbals held in either hand by leather thongs passing through holes in their bells are called clash cymbals, and are a standard part of an orchestral percussion section. Three 'strengths' are normally used by major orchestras:
Vienneselight
Germanheavier than the Viennese
Frenchlighter than the Viennese
Clasicismo(Spanish m.) classical period, classical style
clasicismo(Spanish) classical
Clasicista(Spanish m./f.) classicist
Clásicas(Spanish f. pl.) the classics
Clásico(Spanish m.) classic
clásico (m.), clásica (f.)(Spanish) classical, classic, typical
Clasificación(Spanish f.) classification, forting, sorting out
Clasificador(Spanish m.) filing cabinet
Clasificador (m.), Clasificadora (f.)(Spanish) classifier
clasificador (m.), clasificadora (f.)(Spanish) to classify
clasificar(Spanish) to classify, to class, to sort, to sort out
clasificarse(Spanish) to qualify, to come (first, second, etc.)
Classmodern music theory, particularly as it can be applied to 'post-tonal' music, has introduced the idea of class as a means of classifying pitch and interval, free of the language of pre-twentieth-century theory with its underlying tonal ethos. So, notes are named independently of their octave by their 'pitch-class' and intervals are named independently of tonal concepts such as major, minor, etc, by their 'interval-class'
see 'pitch class', 'interval-class'
class.abbreviation of 'classical' (of ancient Greek or Roman literature or art, or, when used about a language, having the form used by ancient standard writers)
Classe(French f.) class (social, etc.), class(-room)
Classe de altura(Portuguese) pitch class
Classement(French m.) classification, grading, filing, place (rank), grade, placing (position), stacking
Classe moyenne(French f.) middle class
Classe ouvrière(French f.) working class
classer(French) to classify, to grade (by merit), to file (papers), to close (deal, matter, business, case)
Classe terminale(French f.) the sixth form (in British schools)
Classeur(French m.) filing cabinet, file (folder)
Classical (music)see 'classical period'
the term 'classical music' refers to a number of different, but related, genres. Without any qualification, the usual meaning of 'classical music' in the English language is 'European classical music' (an older usage describes specifically the Western art music of the Classical Music Era). It can also refer to the classical (or art) music of non-Western cultures such as Indian classical music or Chinese classical music
Classical age (antiquity)(Latin, antiquus, literally 'old') the classical age of Greece and Rome began with the Greek migrations of the 2nd millennium BC, and ended in the West in 476 AD with the deposition of the Roman emperor Romulus Augustulus (c.475 AD); in the East it ended in 529 AD when the Platonic Academy was closed by Justinian (482-565 AD), The classical world played a profoundly important role in the Renaissance, with Italian scholars, writers, and artists seeing their own period as the rebirth (the "renaissance") of classical values after the Middle Ages. The classical world was considered the golden age for the arts, literature, philosophy, and politics. Concepts of the classical, however, changed greatly from one period to the next. Roman literature provided the starting point in the fourteenth century, scholars patiently finding, editing and translating a wide range of texts. In the fifteenth century, Greek literature, philosophy and art - together with the close study of the remains of Roman buildings and sculptures-expanded the concept of the classical and ensured it remained a vital source of ideas and inspiration
Classical balletthe traditional ballet technique
a ballet from the second half of the nineteenth century that displays traditional techniques
Classical guitarsee 'guitar'
Classical guitar notationthis is written using a treble clef, but actually sounds an octave lower than notated. This type of notation is standard for classical guitar. It can be complex to read, especially when writing both melody and accompaniment on one single staff. Lead guitar lines are best notated this way
Classical guitar techniquea fingerstyle technique used by classical guitarists to play classical guitar music
Classical heikuanother term for the hokku, the predecessor of the modern haiku
Classical musicclassical music is a broad, somewhat imprecise term, referring to music produced in, or rooted in the traditions of, European art, ecclesiastical and concert music, encompassing a broad period from roughly 1000 to the present day. The central norms of this tradition, according to one school of thought, developed between 1550 and 1820, focusing on what is known as the common practice period. The term classical music did not appear until the early nineteenth century, in an attempt to "canonize" the period from Bach to Beethoven as an era in music parallel to the golden age of sculpture, architecture and art of classical antiquity (from which no music has directly survived). The earliest reference to "classical music" recorded by the Oxford English Dictionary is from about 1836. Since that time the term has come in common parlance to mean the opposite of popular music
Classical music bloopers
Classical period Classical period in Western music occurred from about 1730 through 1820, despite considerable overlap at both ends with preceding and following periods, as is true for all musical eras. Although the term classical music is used as a blanket term meaning all kinds of music in this tradition, it can also occasionally mean this particular era within that tradition. The Classical period falls between the Baroque and the Romantic periods. Probably the best known composers from this period are Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Joseph Haydn, and Ludwig van Beethoven, though other notable names include Muzio Clementi, Johann Ladislaus Dussek, Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, and Christoph Willibald Gluck. Beethoven is also regarded either as a Romantic composer or a composer who was part of the transition to the Romantic; Franz Schubert is also something of a transitional figure. The period is sometimes referred to as Viennese Classic, since Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, and Schubert all worked at some time in Vienna
Classical ragtimesee 'classic rag'
Classical suitesee 'baroque suite'
Classic blues(also called 'city blues') as black vaudeville singers came in contact with country singers, they eventually learned to sing the blues. Vaudeville singers brought a professional quality to it and constructed the foundation for 'classic blues' which became popular among newly arrived African Americans in cities such as Chicago, Detroit, and New York. Freed of its 'religious' connotations it began to be perform in theatres, clubs, dance halls, and vaudeville shows
Classic cabaretalso called 'American cabaret', a form of Turkish belly dancing performed in the United States
Classicismgeneral aesthetic ideals (including balance, symmetry, clarity, reverence for ancient cultures, etc.) of Baroque or Classical composers, and those efforts by more recent composers to integrate such aesthetics (as opposed to those of the Romantic Period) into their musical compositions, then termed 'neo-classicism'
Classic metala subgenre of 'heavy metal' music that is characterized by thumping fast basslines, fast, but less heavy riffs, extended lead guitar solos, high pitched vocals and anthemic choruses. Its peak period was the early to mid 1980s
Clássico(Portuguese) classical, as in 'classical' music
Classic of Poetrysee 'Shi Jing'
Classic ragor 'classical ragtime', the name used to describe the Missouri-style ragtime popularized by Scott Joplin and Tom Turpin
Classic Rock(German m.) classic rock
Classic rocka concept originally conceived as a radio station programming format which evolved from the album oriented rock (AOR) format in the mid-1980s. In the United States, this rock music format now features a limited playlist of songs ranging from late 1960s through today with more emphasis on the earlier hits by artists associated with the loosely-defined "classic rock era"
Classicsliterary works created during the Greco-Roman period (1000-410 BC)
Classification(English, French f.) grading, categorization
Classification of the Arts
Classification schemean orderly arrangement of terms or classes - a class being any group of entities sharing the same characteristic(s). The major universal classification schemes are: Bliss, Colon, Dewey Decimal, Library of Congress, and Universal Decimal
classifier(French) to classify
Classique(French m.) Classical, classical author
classique(French) classical, classic (quality)
Classi vocali(Italian f. pl.) voice type
Classroom instrumentsinstruments typically used in the general music classroom which may include recorders, autoharps, mallet instruments, pitched and unpitched percussion instruments, keyboard, and electronic instruments. Many of these instrument have a place outside the classroom too and this classification tells us more about how music is taught in the classroom than about the instruments themselves
clatant(French) brilliant, bright or blaring (a reference to tone quality)
clau de do
C clef(Catalan f.) a clef sign which marks the position of the note C on the staff, for example, the alto clef
clau de do en tercera línia
alto C clef(Catalan f.) alto clef, one of the 'so-called' C-clefs
clau de fa
F clef(Catalan f.) a clef sign that shows the position of F on the staff, for example, the bass clef
Claude-Glas(German n.) Claude glass
Claude glassa device for viewing landscapes, etc., formed of a hinged case containing a convex piece of glass, about 10 centimetres in diameter, placed over black foil to form a mirror. Viewers turned their backs on the landscape they wanted to admire and viewed it instead in the mirror. The glass softened the detail in the landscape, evened out the colours, and thus transformed the view into one more closely resembling that of the neoclassical painter Claude Lorrain. Some models included additional glasses with different coloured foil backings which would be chosen to simulate seasonal variations as well as those of different times of day or night, for example, in moonlight
clau de sol
G clef(Catalan f.) a clef sign that shows the position of G on the staff, for example, the treble clef
Clause de réserve de propriété(French f.) retention of title clause (in terms of sale)
claus, les(Catalan) clefs
Clause(English, French f.) any word-construction that includes a subject and a predicate
(English) a statement (in a treaty, law , contract, etc.)
Claustration(French f.) confinement
Claustro(Spanish m.) cloister, monastic life (figurative), staff (in an educational institution), staff meeting, senate (university)
Claustrofobia(Spanish f.) claustrophobia
Claustrophobie(French f.) claustrophobia
Clausula (s.), Clausulae (pl.)(Latin, literally 'conclusion') a short clause forming the conclusion of a period in Latin prose
a cadence, but in the Medieval 'melodic', not the later 'harmonic', sense of the word
short medieval composition in descant style, the text consisting of one or two words or a single syllable based on a fragment of Gregorian chant, and which developed into the thirteenth-century motet
although generally considered to be two directly opposed forms, the conductus and the clausula have many interrelations. One unifying feature is that the upper voices in both forms are written in the same style. Both forms employ melismas, albeit to different extents. Sometimes features from the two genres blend together in one piece. In the three-part conductus Si membrana esset celum, the melisma is based entirely on plainsong. This would be done in the same manner in a clausula. On the other hand, entire sections of clausulae are sometimes inserted directly into the fabric of conducti suggesting these two genres have more in common than was originally believed
Cláusula(Spanish f.) clause
Clausula affinalis(Latin) a cadence in a key nearly related to the original key of the piece
Clausula dissecta(Latin) a half-cadence
Clausula dominans(Latin) a cadence on the dominant
Clausula falsa(Latin) a false or deceptive cadence
Clausula ficta(Latin) an interrupted cadence
Clausula finalis(Latin) a final cadence in the original key
Clausula improprio(Latin) an uncommon or deviating cadence
Clausula medians(Latin) or clausula tertiaria, a cadence on the third, in a piece in a minor mode
Clausula peregrina(Latin) a cadence in a distant, extraneous key
Clausula primaria(Latin) a final cadence in the original key
Clausula principalis(Latin) a final cadence in the original key
Clausula propria(Latin) a proper or natural cadence
Clausula pura(Latin) a proper or natural cadence
Clausula secundaria(Latin) a cadence on the dominant
Clausula tertiaria(Latin) or clausula medians, a cadence on the third, in a piece in a minor mode
Clausura(Spanish f.) closure, closing, enclosure (of an enclosed nun)
Clausura(Latin) that part of a monastery or convent from which visitors are excluded
clausurar(Spanish) to close (a conference, etc.), to end (a debate), to conclude (a concert)
clavado (m.), clavada (f.)(Spanish) nail-studded, nailed, firmly fixed
clavar(Spanish) to nail, to bang in, to hammer in, to sting, to fleece
clavarse(Spanish) to get
clavarse una astilla(Spanish) to get a splinter in one's finger
clavarse una espina(Spanish) to prick oneself on a thorn
Clave(Spanish m.) or clavicémbalo, harpsichord, harpsichord family
(Latin) key, clef
(Spanish f., Portuguese f.) key, clef (sign), a clue, a cipher, a keystone (architecture)
in Spanish do not confuse clave (musical key, for example, B flat major, etc.) with llave (key on an instrument, for example, bottom C key on a tenor recorder)
Clave (rhythm), Claven (German pl.)(English, German f.) the clave beat, which lies at the heart of so much popular music around the world today, was brought in various forms from West Africa, including the area now known as Nigeria, preserving an ancient musical foundation. Clave is fundamental to one of the best-preserved, ancient musical genres of Africa, that of the batá drums. The five-note, two-bar rhythmic pattern which generates rhythmic measurement, is the foundation and backbone of salsa and all Afro-Cuban based music. The clave rhythm pattern (la clave in Spanish) is therefore embedded in all parts of a piece, from vocals to violins, whether the instrument called claves is actually played or not (in the latter case termed 'implied clave')
[additional information by Michael Zapf]
there are a number of standard rhythms:
rumba clave3-2 rumba claveprevalent today in rumba and, in Cuba, also in Mozambique
2-3 rumba clave
son clave3-2 son claveprevalent in salsa and in the slow rumba style called yambu in Santiago de Cuba. Often remembered by the catch phrase 'shave-and-a-haircut, six-bits'
2-3 son clave
6/8 (or 'Afro') clave3-2 6/8 clavean adaptation of the well-documented West African 6/8 two bar pattern (which in the Cuban tradition would be written as a single bar in 12/8). Often played on a cowbell, the pattern is played mainly in the rumba colombia, abaquá and other older styles
2-3 6/8 clave
Brazilian claveBrazilian clavealthough superficially resembling the son clave, the Brazilian clave, which is prevalent in the bossa nova, is actually a distinct form, Portuguese not Spanish, and driven not by the clave but by the surdo drum
gaga clavegaga claveoriginating from Haiti, this rhythm is used in baion
as dance timing, the clave rhythm is used by most musically connected, authentic, or culturally/traditionally trained dancers as a focus or 'metronome' in salsa music helping them to stay in time with the foundation and 'soul' of the music, allowing for the proper natural appearance of the dancing and a freedom of expression beyond the music's own rhythm
clave(Spanish) important
Clavecembalista(Italian m./f.) harpsichordist
Clavecimbelpedalsee 'pedal harpsichord'
Clavecin(French m.) harpsichord
Clavecín(Spanish m.) harpsichord
Clavecin à maillets(French m.) hammer-harpsichord or keyboard dulcimer, about which two makers laid claim to its invention, the Parisian Jean Marius (1716) and the Saxon Gottlieb Schröter (1717). Experiments with tangent- and hammer-action instruments go back as far as Henri Arnaut de Zwolle's treatise of c. 1440 (though there is no suggestion of continuity between the early designs and those of the late 17th and the 18th centuries)
Clavecin brisé(French m.) cembalo piegatorio (Italian), folding harpsichord
Clavecin chromatique(French m.) a species of harpsichord produced in France c.1782 in which there were 21 keys for each octave, seven naturals, seven flats and seven sharps allowing distinctions to be made between enharmonic pairs (so where on a modern keyboard B flat and A sharp are played with the same key on the clavecin chromatique B flat and A sharp are played with different keys and may be tuned differently)
Clavecin d'amour(French m.) a species of harpsichord
Claveciniste(French m./f.) harpsichordist
Clavecymbala(Italian f.) harpsichord
Clave de baixo
F clef(Portuguese f.) bass clef, a sign that shows the position of F on the staff
Clave de contralto
alto clef (Portuguese f., Spanish f.) the alto clef, viola clef, counter-tenor clef, chiave di Do3 (Italian f.), chiave di contralto (Italian f.), Altschlüssel (German m.), Bratschenschlüssel (German m.), clef alto (French f.), clef d'ut (French f.), clé d'ut (French f.), clef d'ut troisième ligne (French f.), clef d'ut 3me (French f.), clé d'ut troisième ligne, (French f.), clé d'ut 3me (French f.), clave de do (Spanish f.), clave de do en tercera (Spanish f.)
Clave de do
C clef (Spanish f.) a clef sign which marks the position of the note C on the staff, for example, the alto clef, viola clef, counter-tenor clef, chiave di Do3 (Italian f.), chiave di contralto (Italian f.), Altschlüssel (German m.), Bratschenschlüssel (German m.), clef alto (French f.), clef d'ut (French f.), clé d'ut (French f.), clef d'ut troisième ligne, (French f.), clé d'ut troisième ligne, (French f.), clave de do en tercera (Spanish f.), clave de contralto (Spanish f.)
Clave de dó
C clef (Portuguese f.) a clef sign which marks the position of the note C on the staff, for example, the alto clef
Clave de do en primera
alto clef (Spanish f.) soprano clef, chiave di soprano (Italian f.), Sopranschlüssel (German m.), Diskantschlüssel (German m.), clé d'ut 1re (French f.), clé d'ut première ligne (French f.), clef d'ut 1re (French f.), clef d'ut première ligne (French f.), clave de soprano (Spanish f.)
Clave de do en tercera
alto clef (Spanish f.) the alto clef (a clef sign that marks the position of the note C on the staff), viola clef, counter-tenor clef, chiave di Do3 (Italian f.), chiave di contralto (Italian f.), Altschlüssel (German m.), Bratschenschlüssel (German m.), clef alto (French f.), clef d'ut (French f.), clé d'ut (French f.), clef d'ut troisième ligne, (French f.), clé d'ut troisième ligne, (French f.), clef d'ut 3me, (French f.), clé d'ut 3me, (French f.), clave de do (Spanish f.), clave de contralto (Spanish f.)
Clave de dó na 3ª linha
alto clef (Portuguese f.) the alto clef, a clef sign that marks the position of the note C on the staff
Clave de fa
F clef(Spanish f.) a clef sign that shows the position of F on the staff, for example, the bass clef, chiave di Fa2 (Italian f.), Bassschlüssel (German m.), F-Schlüssel (German m.), clef de fa (French f.), clé de fa (French f.), clé de fa quatrième ligne (French f.), clef de fa quatrième ligne (French f.), clave de fa en cuarta (Spanish f.)
Clave de fá
F clef(Portuguese f.) a clef sign that shows the position of F on the staff, for example, the bass clef
Clave de fa en cuarta
bass clef(Spanish f.) bass clef (a sign that shows the position of F on the staff), chiave di Fa2 (Italian f.), Bassschlüssel (German m.), F-Schlüssel (German m.), clef de fa (French f.), clé de fa (French f.), clé de fa quatrième ligne (French f.), clef de fa quatrième ligne (French f.), clé de fa 4me (French f.), clef de fa 4me (French f.), clave de fa (Spanish f.)
Clave de fa en tercera(Spanish f.) baritone clef
Clave de sol
G clef(Spanish f., Portuguese f.) G clef, treble clef, violin clef, chiave di violino (Italian f.), chiave di Sol3 (Italian f.), Violinschlüssel (German m.), G-Schlüssel (German m.), clef de sol (French f.), clé de sol (French f.), clef de violon (French f.), clé de violon (French f.)
Clave de soprano
alto clef (Spanish f.) soprano clef, chiave di soprano (Italian f.), Sopranschlüssel (German m.), Diskantschlüssel (German m.), clé d'ut 1re (French f.), clef d'ut 1re (French f.), clé d'ut première ligne (French f.), clef d'ut première ligne (French f.), clave de do en primera (Spanish f.)
Clave de transposiciones de octava(Spanish f.) octave clef
Clave para guitarra(Spanish f.) TAB, tablature notation for guitar, etc.
Clave para percusión
neutral, indefinite or percussion clefneutral, indefinite or percussion clef
(Spanish f.) neutral, indefinite pitch, rhythm or percussion clefs
Claves(Italian f. pl., English, French f. pl., German pl. - German singular is Clave (f.)) (from clavija, literally 'wooden peg') a pair of round sticks, about 7" long, made of hard wood (rosewood is popular), beaten together and used in Cuban music. The larger of the two sticks is called the hembra and the smaller macho. One clave is cupped loosely in the hand and is struck with the other. The clave are used widely in Latin America, and are most popular in Cuba. The usual rhythm played on the claves is called clave
[additional information by Michael Zapf]
Clave soprano(Spanish f.) soprano clef
Claves signata(Latin) coloured lines used by Guido d'Arezzo to signify the pitch of notes, and which continued in use until the invention of clefs
clavetear(Spanish) to stud with nails
Claviarium(Latin) the keyboard of an organ, clavichord, harmonium, etc.
Claviatur(German f.) the keyboard of an organ, clavichord, harmonium, etc.
Clavicembalo(Italian m., literally 'keyed dulcimer') cembalo, harpsichord
Clavicembalo(German n., Italian m.) harpsichord
Clavicémbalo(Spanish m.) harpsichord
Clavicémbal(Catalan m.) or claveci, harpsichord
Clavicembalum(Latin) harpsichord
Clavichord(English, German n.) a soft-sounding rectangular keyboard instrument in which the depression of a key brings a tangent into contact with the string (or, if double-strung, pairs of strings tuned to the same note) initiating standing waves between the tangent and the bridge which continue until the key is released
Clavichord-guslia nineteenth-century stringed instrument, related to the lap harp, but which stood on a stand or had legs
Clavichordium(Latin) clavichord
Clavichordspieler (m.), Clavichordspielerin (f.)(German) clavichordist, clavichord player
Claviclecollar-bone
Clavicorde(French m.) clavichord
Clavicordi(Catalan m.) clavichord
Clavicordio(Spanish m.) clavichord
Clavicordo (s.), Clavicordi (p.)(Italian m.) clavichord
Clavicordio doble(Spanish m., literally 'double-manual clavichord') in this sense, the term clavicordio is being used to mean harpsichord (Spanish: clavecín), so the correct transaltion would be double-manual harpsichord
Clavicula(German f.) clavicle, collar-bone
Clavicular breathinginhaling by means of the muscles which normally move the shoulders, but which does not provide adequate control over exhalation
Clavicule(French f.) clavicle, collar-bone
Clavicylindera keyboard instrument with a series of tuned wooden bars and a revolving glass cylinder, invented by Chladni in 1799. The Clavicylinder was a redesign of Robert Hookes 'musical cylinder' or 'string phone'. In July 1664 Hooke produced an experiment to determine the number of vibrations a stretched string made in a determinate time, for a given note. He found that "a Wire making two hundred seventy two vibrations in one second of time sounded G Sol Re Vt. in the Scale of all Musick". Hooke had shown that middle C had 272 beats a second
Clavicylindrea glass harmonica
Clavicymbalum(Latin) harpsichord, spinet
Clavicymbalum mirabiledescribed by Kircher in 1650, a Geigenwerk organisé comprising a three-register harpsichord
Clavicymbel(German n.) harpsichord
[corrected by Michael Zapf]
Clavicytherium (s.), Clavicytheria (pl.)(English, German n.) the oldest surviving stringed keyboard, dating from the fifteenth century and currently housed at the Royal College of Music in London, is an upright harpsichord, or clavicytherium. The term, which was first used by Sebastian Virdung in his 1511 Musica Getutscht, actually refers to a range of upright harpsichords. Most of the surviving clavicytheria come from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Although the instrument was built in various places in Europe, its use was never widespread, and no standard method of building the instrument developed that would parallel those established by Ruckers or Taskins. Nevertheless, van deer Meer distinguished two main traditions of clavicytherium building: the upright harpsichord, as described by Praetorius (1619), Bonanni (1723), Adlung (1768), and others; and the upright keyed harp, as described by Virdung (1511). The latter, with its smaller soundboard and softer sound, was particularly popular in Italy, although it was also mentioned in theoretical writings by Mersenne (1636) and Kircher (1650)
Clavier(French m.) keyboard (on an organ, either manuals or pedals)
(French m.) a general term for an keyboard instrument, although more usually the clavichord
(German n.) in the nineteenth century, a term applied mainly to the square piano, although also used for any keyboard instrument
a console of wooden levers and pedals, the means of playing the bells of a carillon
the correct term specifically for the 'keyboard' on a piano
"In 1781, Johann Nicolaus Forkel commented upon the exclusive use of Clavier in musical editions: "The mere use of the word Clavier does not suggest anything and it is indeed careless and odd that a composer so often writes: Sonatas for Clavier, without indicating at the same time to which species they really belong. Because it makes a difference whether I compose for harpsichord [Flügel], fortepiano or clavichord; each composition for each of these instruments must have its different character."
[Tilman Skowroneck, Beethoven and the Clavichord. In Essays in Honor of Christopher Hogwood: The Maestro's Direction, ed. Thomas Donahue. Lanham, Md.: Scarecrow Press, p. 203]
Clavier à lumieres(French m.) also tastiéra per luce (Italian) or 'light organ (English), a planned-for musical instrument invented by Scriabin for use in his work Prometheus: Poem of Fire, but never built during his lifetime. The instrument was supposed to be a keyboard, with notes corresponding to colours as given by Scriabin's synaesthetic system. Scriabin spontaneously recognized red, yellow, and blue, and derived the rest of his system from mapping the visible colour spectrum onto the circle of fifths
Clavierauszug(German m.) a piano reduction of a full score
(German m.) a score of a vocal work or instrumental concerto with orchestra, in which the latter has been reduced to a piano accompaniment, generally used during rehearsal
Clavierbüchlein (s./pl.)(German n., literally 'little keyboard book') three well-known manuscripts from the Bach family are customarily referred to by this word, although the original title was Clavier-Büchlein (German n.): one for Wilhelm Friedemann Bach and two for J.S. Bach's second wife, Anna Magdalena
[entry corrected by Michael Zapf]
Clavier-Büchlein(German n.) see Clavierbüchlein
[entry by Michael Zapf]
Clavier de couronne(French m.) the French equivalent of Kronwerk (German)
Clavier de l'orgue(French m.) organ keyboard
Clavier de poitrine(French m.) the French equivalent of Brustwerk (German)
Clavier de récit(French m.) swell manual
Clavier des pédales(French m.) pedal keyboard
Clavier-drath(German) wire, for a piano, harpsichord, etc.
Clavier électronique (s.), Claviers électroniques (pl.)(French m.) electronic keyboard
Clavieren(German pl.) the keys on a keyboard instrument
Clavier Melodique(French m., literally 'melodious keyboard') made by Pichenot Jeune (c.1831) in Paris, one of the first accordions capable of playing a melody
Clavier principal(French m.) the French equivalent of Oberwerk (German)
Clavierstück(German m.) a piece for the pianoforte
Clavier Übung
(German f., literally 'keyboard practice') Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) wrote four cycles by that name during his time in Leipzig:
vol. 1(1731, although published in installments in 1726-1731) contains six suites, called Partitas, in which sets of highly stylized dances are preceded by different kinds of introductory movements (variously entitled Praeludium, Praembulum, Sinfonia, Fantasia, Overture and Toccata)
vol. 2(1735) has two compositions, each modeled on a different orchestral genre: the 'Italian Concerto' transfers the forms and styles of a Vivaldi-like concerto to harpsichord, while the 'Overture in French Style' is an imitation of the typical orchestral suite popular in Germany during the late Baroque
vol. 3the so-called "Organ Mass" because it consists of a series of chorale preludes on texts pertaining to the Lutheran Mass and Catechism
vol. 4(1741-1742), the so-called 'Goldberg Variations', has an aria (binary theme section in sarabande style) with thirty variations. Every third variation is a canon, with the interval of imitation progressing from a unison (first canon) to the ninth (last canon); other variations explore a wealth of keyboard figurations and forms (e.g., virtuoso two-art writing, fughetto, lament, French overture, etc.)
Clavietta (s.), Claviettas (English pl.), Claviette (German pl.)(English, German f.) a member of the melodica family that has a keyboard like that of a piano or organ
Clavija (s.), Clavijas (pl.)(Spanish f.) peg (for example, the peg of a stringed instrument), tuning pin, wrest pin (on a keyboard instrument), pirolo caviglia (Italian m.), bischero (Italian m.), Wirbel (German m. - peg), Stimmnagel (German m. - tuning pin, wrest pin), cheville (French f.)
(Spanish f.) plug (electrical)
Clavijero(Spanish m.) pegbox, cavigliera (Italian f.), cassa dei bischeri (Italian f.), cassetta dei piroli (Italian f.), Wirbelkasten (German m.), chevillier (French m.)
Clavineta keyboard instrument, manufactured by the Hohner company. It is essentially an electronically amplified clavichord, analogous to an electric guitar. Its distinctive bright staccato sound has appeared particularly in funk and rock songs, for example, Stevie Wonder's original recording of Superstition
  • Clavinet from which the extract above has been taken
Claviolinea simple electronic organ which replaced one or more ranks of solo organ pipes in post-1940 dance organs
Claviorgana combination of a positive organ, a regal and a spinet. The flue pipes, reed pipes, and plucked strings as well as other possibilities permitted all the different sounds of a complete Renaissance instrumental ensemble to be realised on a single instrument
Claviorganum (s.), Claviorgana (pl.)a combination of organ and harpsichord. Two instruments survive from the eighteenth century, one by John Crang (which bears the inscription: This Organ and Harpsichord were a Present from Beeston Long, Esq; to his Sister Mrs. Drake) and the other by Kirkman
Clavis(Latin) a key, a note, a clef
Claviste(French m./f.) keyboardist
Clavi-tubea keyed-trumpet produced in 1817 by the Paris instrument maker Jean-Hilaire Asté (1775-1840) (also known as Halary)
Clavo(Spanish m.) nail, stud, clove (spice)
Clawhammera class of fingerpicking technique used by banjo and, rarely, guitar players. Although 'clawhammer' and 'frailing' are both terms that are widely used by players, the difference between the two is not clear and there have been many debates over the precise meanings of each term
  • Clawhammer from which the extract above has been taken
Claya kind of earth that is soft when it is wet and hard when it is dry
Clay brush(in gilding) a soft flat wash brush, with a bevelled edge or soft , thin, long bristled brush carefully chosen to aid the gilder in the best possible clay layer applications. Clean with water and mild soap. Paint stirrers can be used to liquify clay in a separate container before brushing
c.l.b.or clb, abbreviation of col legno battuto (Italian: 'the string to be struck with the back of the bow')
[entry provided by Janine Riveire]
Claxon (s.), Cláxones (pl.)(Spanish m.) horn (car), hooter
Clé(French f.) or clef (French), clef
(French f.) key (of a musical instrument), chiave (Italian f.), Klappe (German f.), llave (Spanish f.)
(French f.) spanner
clé(French) key
Clé-anglaise(French f.) (monkey-)wrench
clean werden(German) to kick a drug habit (colloquial)
Clear(as in distinct) or clearly (distinctly), distinto (Spanish), distinto (Italian), deutlich (German), distinctement (French)
Clear-flutean organ stop of 4 ft. scale, with a firm, clear, full tone invented by the firm of Kirtland and Jardine of Manchester, England
Cleavagethe cleft created by the partial exposure of a woman's breasts, especially when exposed by low-cut clothing. The neckline of a garment that exposes cleavage is known as décolletage (or décolleté in current French)
Clé d'eau(French f.) water key, chiave dell'acqua (Italian f.), Wasserklappe (German f.), llave de agua (Spanish f.)
Clé de contact(French f.) ignition key
Clé de fa
F clef(French f.) a clef sign that shows the position of F on the staff, for example, the bass clef, chiave di Fa2 (Italian f.), Bassschlüssel (German m.), F-Schlüssel (German m.), clef de fa (French f.), clé de fa quatrième ligne (French f.), clef de fa quatrième ligne (French f.), clave de fa (Spanish f.), clave de fa en cuarta (Spanish f.)
Clé de fa 4me
bass clef(French f.) bass clef (a sign that shows the position of F on the staff), chiave di Fa2 (Italian f.), Bassschlüssel (German m.), F-Schlüssel (German m.), clé de fa quatrième ligne (French f.), clef de fa quatrième ligne (French f.), clef de fa 4me (French f.), clave de fa en cuarta (Spanish f.)
Clé de fa quatrième ligne
bass clef(French f.) bass clef (a sign that shows the position of F on the staff), chiave di Fa2 (Italian f.), Bassschlüssel (German m.), F-Schlüssel (German m.), clé de fa 4me (French f.), clef de fa quatrième ligne (French f.), clef de fa 4me (French f.), clave de fa en cuarta (Spanish f.)
Clé de sol
G clef(French f.) G clef, treble clef, violin clef, chiave di violino (Italian f.), chiave di Sol3 (Italian f.), Violinschlüssel (German m.), G-Schlüssel (German m.), clef de sol (French f.), clef de violon (French f.), clé de violon (French f.), clave de sol (Spanish f.)
Clé de ténor(French f.) tenor clef
Clé de violon
G clef (French f.) G clef, treble clef, violin clef, chiave di violino (Italian f.), chiave di Sol3 (Italian f.), Violinschlüssel (German m.), G-Schlüssel (German m.), clef de sol (French f.), clef de violon (French f.), clé de sol (French f.), clave de sol (Spanish f.)
Clé de voûte(French f.) keystone (in an arch)
Clé d'ut
C clef(French f.) a clef sign that shows the position of C on the staff, for example, the alto clef, viola clef, counter-tenor clef, chiave di Do3 (Italian f.), chiave di contralto (Italian f.), Altschlüssel (German m.), Bratschenschlüssel (German m.), clef alto (French f.), clef d'ut (French f.), clef d'ut troisième ligne, (French f.), clé d'ut troisième ligne, (French f.), clave de do (Spanish f.), clave de do en tercera (Spanish f.), clave de contralto (Spanish f.)
Clé d'ut 1re
alto clef (French f.) soprano clef, chiave di soprano (Italian f.), Sopranschlüssel (German m.), Diskantschlüssel (German m.), clé d'ut première ligne (French f.), clef d'ut 1re (French f.), clave de do en primera (Spanish f.), clave de soprano (Spanish f.)
Clé d'ut 3me
alto clef(French f.) alto clef, viola clef, counter-tenor clef, chiave di Do3 (Italian f.), chiave di contralto (Italian f.), Altschlüssel (German m.), Bratschenschlüssel (German m.), clé d'ut troisième ligne (French f.), clef alto (French f.), clef d'ut troisième ligne, (French f.), clef d'ut 3me (French f.), clave de do en tercera (Spanish f.), clave de contralto (Spanish f.)
Clé d'ut cinquième ligne(French f.) baritone clef
Clé d'ut première ligne
alto clef (French f.) soprano clef, chiave di soprano (Italian f.), Sopranschlüssel (German m.), Diskantschlüssel (German m.), clé d'ut 1re (French f.), clef d'ut 1re (French f.), clef d'ut première ligne (French f.), clave de do en primera (Spanish f.), clave de soprano (Spanish f.)
Clé d'ut troisième ligne
alto clef(French f.) alto clef, viola clef, counter-tenor clef, chiave di Do3 (Italian f.), chiave di contralto (Italian f.), Altschlüssel (German m.), Bratschenschlüssel (German m.), clef alto (French f.), clé d'ut 3me (French f.), clef d'ut 3me (French f.), clef d'ut troisième ligne (French f.), clave de do (Spanish f.), clave de do en tercera (Spanish f.), clave de contralto (Spanish f.)
Clef(English, French f., German f., from the Latin clavis, 'key') or 'clef signature', clave (Spanish f.), chiave (Italian f.), Schlüssel (German m.), Notenschlüssel (German m.), clé (French f.)
(French f.) clef
clef sign or clef signature, a graphical symbol placed on the left of the stave which establishes the relationship between particular note names and their position on the staff lines and spaces. The treble clef, represented by a stylized letter G, shows the position of G a fifth above middle C (for which reason it is said to be a G clef); the bass clef, represented by a stylized letter F, the position of F a fifth below middle C (for which reason it is said to be an F clef); and, the alto clef, represented by a stylized letter C, the position of middle C (for which reason it is said to be a C clef). The percussion clef does not indicate pitch - rather each line and space on the staff indicates a different percussion instrument. The clef sign always appears at the beginning of every staff line and in the first bar (measure) if a change of clef occurs. Change of clef signs are usually written smaller than normal clefs
an alternative naming system for various clef signs describes the clef type (defining G, F or C) and the particular line that the clef defines; thus:
G2G clef on the second line of the stafftreble clef, chiave di violino (Italian f.), chiave di Sol3 (Italian f.), Violinschlüssel (German m.), G-Schlüssel (German m.), clef de sol (French f.), clé de sol (French f.), clef de sol deuxième ligne (French f.), clé de sol deuxième ligne (French f.), clef de sol 2me (French f.), clé de sol 2me (French f.), clef de violon (French f.), clé de violon (French f.), clave de sol (Spanish f.), clave de sol en segunda (Spanish f.)
G1G clef on the first line of the staffFrench violin or French clef, chiave di violino francese (Italian f.), französische Violinschlüssel (German m.), clé de sol 1re (French f.), clef de sol 1re (French f.), clé de sol première ligne (French f.), clef de sol première ligne (French f.), clave de sol en primera (Spanish f.), clave de violín francés (Spanish f.)
F5F clef on the fifth line of the staffsubbass or contrabass clef, chiave di basso profondo (Italian f.), Subbassschlüssel (German m.), clé de fa 5me, (French f.), clef de fa 5me (French f.), clé de fa cinquième ligne (French f.), clef de fa cinquième (French f.), clave de fa en quinta (Spanish f.)
F4F clef on the fourth line of the staffbass clef, chiave di Fa2 (Italian f.), Bassschlüssel (German m.), F-Schlüssel (German m.), clef de fa (French f.), clé de fa (French f.), clé de fa quatrième ligne (French f.), clef de fa quatrième ligne (French f.), clé de fa 4me (French f.), clef de fa 4me (French f.), clave de fa (Spanish f.), clave de fa en cuarta (Spanish f.)
F3F clef on the third line of the staffbaritone F clef, chiave di baritono (Italian f.), Baritonschlüssel (German m.), clé de fa troisième ligne (French f.), clef de fa troisième ligne (French f.), clé de fa 3me (French f.), clef de fa 3me (French f.), clave de fa en tercera (Spanish f.), clave de barítono (Spanish f.)
C1C clef on the first line of the staffsoprano clef, chiave di soprano (Italian f.), Sopranschlüssel (German m.), Diskantschlüssel (German m.), clé d'ut 1re (French f.), clef d'ut 1re (French f.), clave de do en primera (Spanish f.), clave de soprano (Spanish f.)
C2C clef on the second line of the staffmezzo-soprano or mezzosoprano clef, chiave di mezzosoprano (Italian f.), Mezzosopranschlüssel (German m.), clé d'ut 2me (French f.), clef d'ut 2me (French f.), clé d'ut deuxième ligne (French f.), clef d'ut deuxième ligne (French f.), clé de mezzo-soprano (French f.), clef de mezzo-soprano (French f.), clave de do en segunda (Spanish f.), clave de mezzosoprano (Spanish f.)
C3C clef on the third line of the staffalto, viola or counter-tenor clef, chiave di Do3 (Italian f.), chiave di contralto (Italian f.), Altschlüssel (German m.), Bratschenschlüssel (German m.), clef alto (French f.), clef d'ut (French f.), clé d'ut (French f.), clef d'ut troisième ligne (French f.), clé d'ut troisième ligne (French f.), clef d'ut 3me (French f.), clé d'ut 3me (French f.), clave de do (Spanish f.), clave de do en tercera (Spanish f.), clave de contralto (Spanish f.)
C4C clef on the fourth line of the stafftenor clef, chiave di tenore (Italian f.), Tenorschlüssel (German m.), clé de ténor (French f.), clef de ténor (French f.), clé d'ut 4me (French f.), clef d'ut 4me (French f.), clé d'ut quatrième ligne (French f.), clef d'ut quatrième ligne (French f.), clave de do en cuarta (Spanish f.), clave de tenor (Spanish f.)
C5C clef on the fifth line of the staffbaritone C clef, chiave di baritono (Italian f.), Baritonschlüssel (German m.), clé d'ut cinquième ligne (French f.), clef d'ut cinquième ligne (French f.), clé d'ut 5e (French f.), clef d'ut 5e (French f.), clave de do en quinta (Spanish f.), clave de barítono (Spanish f.)
in Gregorian or chant notation, the usual clefs are the doh clef (a C clef) and the fah clef (an F clef). Doh and fah are notes of the solfège scale (doh, re, me, fah, sol, la, ti, doh). The staff line marked with the doh clef establishes which line is doh, and similarly when a fah clef is used. Modern music, by contrast, uses the C, F, and G clefs, which have a similar purpose in setting the relative pitch of the rest of the staff lines
doh clef on a four-line staffdoh clef
fah clef on a three-line stafffah clef
Clef alto(French f.) alto clef, viola clef, counter-tenor clef, chiave di Do3 (Italian f.), chiave di contralto (Italian f.), Altschlüssel (German m.), Bratschenschlüssel (German m.), clef d'ut (French f.), clé d'ut (French f.), clef d'ut troisième ligne, (French f.), clé d'ut troisième ligne, (French f.), clave de do (Spanish f.), clave de do en tercera (Spanish f.), clave de contralto (Spanish f.)
Clef de basse(French f.) bass clef
Clef de fa
F clef(French f.) a clef sign that shows the position of F on the staff, for example, the bass clef, chiave di Fa2 (Italian f.), Bassschlüssel (German m.), F-Schlüssel (German m.), clé de fa (French f.), clé de fa quatrième ligne (French f.), clef de fa quatrième ligne (French f.), clave de fa (Spanish f.), clave de fa en cuarta (Spanish f.)
Clef de fa 4me
bass clef(French f.) bass clef (a sign that shows the position of F on the staff), chiave di Fa2 (Italian f.), Bassschlüssel (German m.), F-Schlüssel (German m.), clé de fa quatrième ligne (French f.), clef de fa quatrième ligne (French f.), clé de fa 4me (French f.), clave de fa en cuarta (Spanish f.)
Cléf de fa quatrième ligne
F clef(French f.) bass clef, a sign that shows the position of F on the staff, chiave di Fa2 (Italian f.), Bassschlüssel (German m.), F-Schlüssel (German m.), clé de fa quatrième ligne (French f.), clef de fa 4me (French f.), clé de fa 4me (French f.), clave de fa en cuarta (Spanish f.)
Clef de sol
G clef(French f.) G clef, treble clef, violin clef, chiave di violino (Italian f.), chiave di Sol3 (Italian f.), Violinschlüssel (German m.), G-Schlüssel (German m.), clé de sol (French f.), clef de violon (French f.), clé de violon (French f.), clave de sol (Spanish f.)
Clef de ténor(French f.) tenor clef
Clef de violon
G clef(French f.) G clef, treble clef, violin clef, chiave di violino (Italian f.), chiave di Sol3 (Italian f.), Violinschlüssel (German m.), G-Schlüssel (German m.), clé de sol (French f.), clef de sol (French f.), clé de violon (French f.), clave de sol (Spanish f.)
Clef de voûte(French, literally 'keystone') a person or thing that is considered indispensable
Clef d'ut
C clef(French f.) a clef sign that shows the position of C on the staff, for example, the alto clef, viola clef, counter-tenor clef, chiave di Do3 (Italian f.), chiave di contralto (Italian f.), Altschlüssel (German m.), Bratschenschlüssel (German m.), clef alto (French f.), clé d'ut (French f.), clef d'ut troisième ligne, (French f.), clé d'ut troisième ligne, (French f.), clave de do (Spanish f.), clave de do en tercera (Spanish f.), clave de contralto (Spanish f.)
Clef d'ut 1re
alto clef (French f.) soprano clef, chiave di soprano (Italian f.), Sopranschlüssel (German m.), Diskantschlüssel (German m.), clé d'ut première ligne (French f.), clef d'ut 1re (French f.), clef d'ut première ligne (French f.), clave de do en primera (Spanish f.), clave de soprano (Spanish f.)
Clef d'ut cinquième ligne(French f.) baritone clef
Clef d'ut première ligne
alto clef (French f.) soprano clef, chiave di soprano (Italian f.), Sopranschlüssel (German m.), Diskantschlüssel (German m.), clé d'ut 1re (French f.), clé d'ut première ligne (French f.), clef d'ut 1re (French f.), clave de do en primera (Spanish f.), clave de soprano (Spanish f.)
Clef d'ut troisième ligne
alto clef(French f.) alto clef, viola clef, counter-tenor clef, chiave di Do3 (Italian f.), chiave di contralto (Italian f.), Altschlüssel (German m.), Bratschenschlüssel (German m.), clef alto (French f.), clé d'ut 3me (French f.), clé d'ut troisième ligne (French f.), clef d'ut 3me (French f.), clave de do (Spanish f.), clave de do en tercera (Spanish f.), clave de contralto (Spanish f.)
Cleffera songwriter
Cleflessalso called 'open key', a clefless staff may be used to represent a set of percussion sounds; each line typically represents a different instrument
Clef signsee 'clef'
Clef signaturesee 'clef'
Clémence(French f.) mildness, leniency
Clemencia(Spanish f.) clemency, mercy
clément (m.), clémente (f.)(French) mild, lenient
clemente(Spanish) clement, merciful
Clementina(Spanish f.) tangerine
Clémentine(French f.) clementine
Clempunga large floor-standing plucked zither of the gamelan orchestra, each tuning, slendro and pelog, needing its own clempung
Clepsydra (s.), Clapsydrae (pl.)(Latin from the Greek) a water clock used by Chinese and Romans, to which the Romans sometimes attached a bell, thus making their clocks the first to chime
Cleptómano(Spanish m.) kleptomaniac
Clerc(French m.) clerk (abbey), cleric (religious)
Clerecía(Spanish f.) priesthood
Clerestorythe upper stage of the main walls of a church, above the aisle roofs, pierced by windows (i.e. fenestrated)
Clergé(French m.) clergy
Clergyany member of Holy Orders, or of a monastic order
clerical(Spanish, English) of clergy or clergymen, of or done by clerks
clérical(French) clerical
Clerici vagantes(Latin) wandering scholars who wrote much of the best medieval Latin poetry
Clérigo(Spanish m.) priest
Clerihew(English, German m.) named for the purported inventor Edmund Clerihew Bentley (1875-1956), a witty satiric verse containing two rhymed couplets (i.e. four lines rhyming ABAB in irregular meter), and mentioning a famous person
Clerkenwell Workhousefounded in 1701 as an attempt by London Friends Meeting to put into practice John Bellars proposal for Raising a College of Industry of All Useful Trades and Husbandry. Starting off as a small workhouse factory with 30 'inmates', making yarn and mops, it later became a hospital and nursery and finally a school
Clero(Spanish m.) clergy
Cleveland-style polkasee 'Slovenian-style polka'
Cleve(German) Cleves (old English use), Kleve (district) or Kreis Kleve (a local-government district), in northwestern North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
clever(German) slick, crafty, craftily, cunning, shrewd, savvy (colloquial), astute, adroit (mentally), clever
clevererweise(German) shrewdly
Cleverle(German n.) wise guy (colloquial)
Cleverness(German f.) cunning, shrewdness, cleverness, astuteness
Clew (s.), Clews (pl.)a ball of yarn or cord or thread
the cord by which a hammock is suspended on a ship
the ball of thread used by Theseus to find his way out of the labyrinth.
Cliché(English, French m., Spanish m.) hackneyed or trite phrase or opinion
(English, French m.) in jazz, a phrase that, through frequent use by many performers, has become a common-place
(French m., Spanish m.) (photographic) negative
(English) metal casting of a stereotype or electrotype
Cliché rhymesrhymes that are considered trite or predictable
Clichés linéaires(French m.) moving line patterns
Clickwhen the duration of a sound is less than a time threshold (about 20 milliseconds) required for pitch recognition, the sound is heard as a click rather than a tone
as an artifact heared when playing back vinyl recordings, clicks are usually result of a scratch in the vinyl record and are audible as plops
(slang) a hit (record, etc.)
a sound common in some non-Indo-European languages in Polynesia made by clucking the tongue or drawing in air with the tongue rather than expelling it from the lungs. Some linguists indicate this sound in transcribing Polynesian languages by inserting an exclamation mark to indicate the palatal click
Clicks and cutsor 'glitch', a genre of electronic music that became popular in the late 1990s with the increasing use of digital signal processing, particularly on computers. Glitch is influenced by Musique concrète, techno, industrial and ambient music, is focused on rhythm and is sometimes considered a sub-genre of IDM (intelligent dance music)
Click trackin French, piste-métronome, a technique, originally developed by the US composer of animation film music Scott Bradley working with composers Carl Stalling (1892-1972) and Max (Maximilian Raoul Walter) Steiner (1888-1971) to synchronise recorded music to action on the screen, now employed today also to reinforcing the live sound of a musical or band with recorded sound from pre-recorded material. The other track of the tape consists of a click used by the musical director to keep the live band and cast synchronised with the recorded band or cast. More recently, this technique has been used by the six-member a cappella group The Kings Singers to record the 40-part motet Spem in Alium by Thomas Tallis (1505-1585)
Client (m.), Cliente (f.)(French) customer, client (of a lawyer), patient (of a doctor), (hotel-)guest
Cliente(Spanish m./f.) client, customer, patient (medical)
Clientela(Spanish f.) regular customers, clientele, clients (of a lawyer), practice (of a lawyer), (medical) practice, patients (of a doctor)
Clientèle(French f.) regular customers, clientele, clients (of a lawyer), practice (of a lawyer), (medical) practice, patients (of a doctor)
Cliffhanger(English, German m.) a melodramatic narrative (especially in films, magazines, or serially published novels) - usually in sections each of which has a to-be-continued ending
cligner des yeux(French) to blink
cligner de l'oeil(French) to wink
clignoter(French) to blink, to flicker (light), to flash (as a signal)
Clignotant(French m.) (traffic/directional) indicator (on a vehicle)
Climacus(Latin, ladder) a neume, one of the category of compound neumes, representing three pitches
Climat(French m.) mood, atmosphere
climatique(French) climatic
Climatisation(French f.) air-conditioning
climatisé(French) air-conditioned
Climax, literary(from Greek word for "ladder") the moment in a play, novel, short story, or narrative poem at which the crisis reaches its point of greatest intensity and is thereafter resolved. It is also the peak of emotional response from a reader or spectator and usually the turning point in the action
Climax, rhetoricalalso known as auxesis and crescendo, a reference to an artistic arrangement of a list of items so that they appear in a sequence of increasing importance
Clinch(English, German m.) secure or fasten by flattening the ends of nails or bolts, (in boxing) the act of one boxer holding onto the other to avoid being hit and to rest momentarily, a tight embrace (hug)
Clin d'oeil(French m.) wink
Clinic (music)a musical clinic is an informal meeting with a guest musician, where a small- to medium-sized audience questions the appearing musician's particular styles and techniques. The musician might perform an entire piece, or demonstrate certain techniques for the audience to observe. The objective is for the audience to learn from the guest musician
Clinique(French f.) (private) clinic
clinique(French) clinical
Clinkstonesee 'phonolithe'
[entry corrected by Michael Zapf]
Clinquantglittering with gold or silver, a false and showy glitter
clinquant (m.), clinquante (f.)(French) showy (glitter) (for example, tinsel)
clinquer(French, possibly from the Dutch klinken) to clink or ring, specifically applied to the ringing noise that gold pieces make when they clink together in a purse
Clip (s.), Clips (pl.)(English, French m.) video (in English, a short portion of a film, short for 'film clip')
(English, German m.) any of various small fasteners used to hold loose articles together
the act of clipping or snipping
also clipping, to form a word by abbreviating a longer expression, or a word formed by the same process. For instance, the word auto (as in "auto shop") is a clipped form of automobile
a sharp blow to somebody else's head with the flat of the hand
cartridge holder, a metal frame or container holding cartridges
Clippingamplifier overload, a form of distortion
an excerpt cut from a newspaper or magazine
in linguistics, the word formation process which consists in the reduction of a word to one of its parts, also known as 'truncation' or 'shortening'
in phonetics, clipping is the process of shortening the articulation of a phonetic segment, usually a vowel
the deliberate shearing or shaving from the edge of gold and silver coins
Clipschelle(German f.) clip
Clique (s.), Cliquen (German pl.)(English, German f., French f.) a small, select group of people (often assumed to have unworthy motives), a gang, a crowd (colloquial)
(French f.) band (musical, military)
cliquenhaft(German) cliquish, cliquishly, cliquey, clannish
Cliquenhaftigkeit(German f.) cliquishness
Cliquenwesen betreibend(German) clannish (derogatory)
Cliquenwirtschaft(German f.) cliquishness
cliqueter(French) to clink
Cliquetis(French m.) clink, clinking
Cliticin linguistics, a clitic is a grammatically independent and phonologically dependent word. It is pronounced like an affix, but works at the phrase level. For example, the English possessive -'s is a clitic; in the phrase the girl next door's cat, -'s is phonologically attached to the preceding word door while grammatically combined with the phrase the girl next door, the possessor. Clitics may belong to any grammatical category, though they are commonly pronouns, determiners, or adpositions. A clitic that precedes its host is called a proclitic. A clitic that follows its host is called an enclitic. A mesoclitic appears between the stem of the host and other affixes
  • Clitic from which this extract has been taken
Clivage(French m.) cleavage
Clivis(Latin, bend) a neume, one of the category of simple neumes, representing up to two pitches
Clocca(Latin for bell, from which Klok (Dutch), Glocke (German), Cloche (French), all meaning 'bell') the same root also gives us the word 'cloak' (meaning 'bell-shaped')
C-Loch(German n.) c-hole (in a viol, etc.)
Clochard (m.), Clocharde (French f.)(German m., French) a tramp (person), a dosser (slang)
Cloche(French f.) bell, cowbell
(French f.) a bell-shaped glass cover used to protect delicate plants and seedlings
(French f.) a close-fitting bell-shaped woman's hat
(French f.) idiot (familiar)
Cloche à fromage(French f.) cheese cover
Cloche d'église(French f.) church bell, campana de iglesia (Spanish)
Cloche de vache(French f.) cowbell
Cloche en lame de métal(French f.) or cloches-plaques, plate bell
Cloche hatoften made from felt, a women's hat worn from the mid 1930s, fitted to cover the head from the back of the neck and pulled down over the forehead just above the eyes
Clocher(French m.) bell-tower, steeple (of a church)
clocher(French) to be wrong
Cloches(French f. pl.) orchestral bells, chimes
Cloches doriennes(French f. pl.) Dorian bells
Cloches-plaques(French f. pl.) or cloche en lame de métal, plate bells
Clochette(French f.) or grelot, any small bell, but particularly a 'handbell'
Clochettes pour la messe(French f. pl.) Sanctus bells
Cloche tube (s.), Cloches tubes (pl.)(French f.) tubular bell
Cloche tubulaire (s.), Cloches tubulaires (pl.)(French f.) tubular bell
Clock of keysan alternative name for the 'circle of fifths'
Clog (s.), Clogs (pl.)(English, German m.) a type of shoe or sandal with a rigid, often wooden, sole, widely worn by outdoor workers as protective clothing in factories, mines and farms
Cloggingalso called 'Welsh step dancing', the only type of Welsh dance, which has continued, in an unbroken tradition. During the 18th- and 19th-centuries the puritanical revivals in Wales almost wiped out many forms of folk culture, and especially traditional dance. However the popularity of clogging's combination of infectious rhythms with dynamic style kept this traditional alive and it continues to thrive and evolve. The main difference between Welsh clogging and other Celtic and American styles of solo percussive dance, is that Welsh dancers wear wooden clogs, and not merely hard shoes. The sole and heel of a Welsh clog are carved from one piece of wood, to form a shaped "platform"under the whole foot, onto which the leather upper is fixed, giving it the appearance of a normal shoe. However the sole does not bend, creating different movements for the feet, and different possibilities for percussive additions to the music. Like American clogging, the Welsh include a variety of energetic "feats"or "tricks", and each clogger is eager to show off his own dexterity and inventiveness. Welsh clogging commonly includes steps such as a Cossack-style kicking squat (called the "Toby"), or high jumping, jumping over a bezum broom, or even trying to snuff out a lighted candle with his feet during the dance
Clogsan alternative term for 'hornpipes'
Clog-Sandale(German f.) clog sandal
Cloison(French f.) partition, barrier (figurative)
Cloisonné(English, German n., from French, literally 'partitioned') an art form which began in in ancient Byzantium and in Beijing during the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), a kind of enamel-work in which the cavities are formed by soldering thin strips of metal (cloisons) to a metal ground (the term is used, more generally, for any art work in which the outlines are clearly defined)
cloisonner(French) to partition, to cut off (person)
Cloistera quadrangle surrounded by roofed or vaulted passages connecting a major church to domestic or ancillary buildings
Cloisters, Thefounded by Miss Lawrence in 1906 on an isolated three-acre plot at Letchworth, Hertfordshire. Miss Lawrence built ''The Cloisters', with a house for herself, `Cloisters Lodge' alongside. W. Harrison Cowlishaw was her architect. £20,000 was spent on the project intended as an open-air school. The design included an open colonnade to the south for open air sleeping.Two wings: one for kitchen and store rooms, the other with cubicles and dressing rooms leading to an oval open-air swimming bath. A small community developed dedicated to Theosophy. It became the base for the Alpha Union set up by J. Bruce Wallace of the Brotherhood Church, who organised summer schools and residential courses
Cloître(French m.) cloister
Clone (s.), Clones (pl.)(English, German n.) an identical copy of something and is a term that first became familiar to the public from the biosciences (where it means an organism that is a genetically identical to another)
clopin-clopant(French) hobbling
Cloque(French f.) blister
cloqué(French, literally 'blistered') a fabric (silk, etc.) embossed with a raised pattern
clore(French) to close
Closa cadence in which the last note sounds conclusive
that note, termed the 'final', which is the central note of the melody
the second ending of a repeated section
the second section in the estampie dance form
the inconclusive ouvert or aperto in the fourteenth- and fifteenth-century vocal forms corresponds to the prima volta or first time bar we use today. In turn, the more conclusive clos or chiuso corresponds to the seconda volta or second-time bar
Closecadence
double bara double bar marking the end of a work or of the section of a work
clos (m.), close (f.)(French) closed
Close
a cadence
full closeperfect cadence
half closeimperfect cadence
the enclosed precinct of a cathedral or collegiate church
Closed captioningspezielle Untertitel für Hörgeschädigte (German m.), a term describing several systems developed to display text on a television or video screen to provide additional or interpretive information to viewers who wish to access it. Closed captions typically display a transcription of the audio portion of a program as it occurs (either verbatim or in edited form), sometimes including non-speech elements
Closed changegeschlossener Wechsel (German m.)
[German translation by Michael Zapf]
Closed dance figure
this term has at least two meanings, regarding dance position and regarding footwork:
a figure performed in closed position
a figure in which at the last step the moving foot closes to rest at the support foot
Closed endingsecond of two endings in a secular medieval work, usually cadencing on the final
Closed poetic formpoetry written in a a specific or traditional pattern according to the required rhyme, meter, line length, line groupings, and number of lines within a genre of poetry, examples of which include haiku, limericks, clerihews and sonnets, which have set numbers of syllables, lines, and traditional subject-matter
Closed positionin dance, a position involving body support in which partners hold each other, not only using handhold, or in which there is body contact while they face each other
Closed temperamentsee 'temperament'
Close fugueor stretto fugue, a fugue in which the opening exposition takes place in stretto form
Close harmonya form of harmony where the harmonizing notes lie close to the melody, thus, usually, the three upper voices in a four part harmony would lie within an octave
Closely related keyskeys whose signatures differ by not more than one sharp or flat
Close mikinga microphone placement technique, which involves placing a microphone close to the sound source in order to pick up mainly direct sound, and avoid picking up reverberant sound
Close ordersynonymous with 'close harmony'
Close positionclose position voicing for a four note chord is one where all the notes in the chord are arranged as close together as possible. For example, a C7 chord voiced in close position might be C-E-G-Bb, refered to as root position, since the root, C, is at the bottom, or E-G-Bb-C, which is called first inversion, since the bottom note has been inverted to the top, or G-Bb-C-E, called second inversion, or Bb-C-E-G, called third inversion. If any note is placed one octave up or down from the 'close' position the chord is said to be in 'open position'. Note particularly that if the second note from the top is dropped, the voicing is called a drop 2 voicing; if the third note from the top is dropped, the voicing is called a drop 3 voicing
Close readingreading a piece of literature carefully, bit by bit, in order to analyze the significance of every individual word, image, and artistic ornament
Close repeat sign
close repeat signalso called 'end-repeat sign' or 'repeat end sign', marking the end of a passage to be repeated, often used in conjunction with an 'open repeat' sign
Close scorecompressed score
Close shakedepending on instrument and circumstances, flattement, vibrato
see 'shake'
Close-up(English, German n.) a photograph, film or television shot in which the subject is tightly framed and shown at a relatively large scale
Closure(Latin clausura, 'a closing') closure can mean a sense of completion or finality at the conclusion of play or narrative work - especially a feeling in the audience that all the problems have been resolved satisfactorily
closure can come about by a radical alteration or change in the imaginary world created by an author
closure may be achieved by "circular structure," in which the poem or story ends by coming back to the narrative's original starting spot, or by returning a similar situation to what was found at the beginning of the tale
Clôture(French f.) fence, closure
clôturer(French) to enclose, to close (festival, séance, etc.)
Clou(French m.) nail, boil (medical)
(German m., French m.) star attraction (in a show, etc.), the central idea of a work of art, etc., highlight, kicker (colloquial), show-stopper
Cloudin music a cloud is a sound mass consisting of statistical clouds of microsounds and characterized first by the set of elements used in the texture, secondly density, including rhythmic and pitch density. Clouds may include ambiguity of rhythmic foreground and background or rhythmic hierarchy
Cloud computingan Internet-based ("cloud") development combined with the use of computer technology ("computing") to develop the general concept that incorporates software as a service, for example, using a web browser to access an application where both software and data are stored remotely on servers rather than locally on the device running the browser
Clou de girofle(French m.) clove
clouer(French) to nail down, to pin down (figurative)
clouer le bec à ...(French) to shut (someone) up
Clous(French pl.) pedestrian crossing
Clou Schnellschleifgrundierung(German f.) cellulose sanding sealer
Clousden Hill Free Communist & Co-operative Colony
[1895-1902]
an Anarchist Land Colony inspired by the ideas of Kropotkin, that ran an intensive market garden on 20 acres at Clousden Hill Farm, Northumberland, with local support from the ILP and Co-operative movement. The colony came to an end in 1898 due to 'internal dissension' with on ex-member commenting that 'Angels might have lived the Life, flesh and blood could not'
clouté(French) studded
Clovis cultureor Llano culture, a prehistoric Paleoindian culture that first appears in the archaeological record of North America around 11,500 rcbp radiocarbon years ago, at the end of the last glacial period. Archaeologists' best guess at present suggests this is equal to roughly 13,000 calendar years ago
Clovis-Kultur(German f.) Clovis culture
Clown (s.), Clownin (German f.), Clowns (pl.), Clowninnen (German f.pl.)(English, German, French m.) slap-stick figure usually associated with the circus, a person making a fool of themselves, buffoon (English, colloquial)
a professional jester who performs pranks, sleight-of-hand and juggling routines, and who sings songs or tells riddles and jokes at court. By convention, such jesters were given considerable leeway to speak on nearly any topic (even criticizing court policy) as long as the criticism was veiled in riddles and wordplay
Clown dancingsee 'Krumping'
Clownerei(German f.) clownery, buffoonery
clownesk(German) zany, buffoonish, clownish
Clowningsee 'Krumping'
Clownskostüm(German n.) clown suit
Clownsmaske(German f.) clown's mask
Clownstepa pejorative term used to describe a certain type of sound found in the electronic music genre drum and bass. The sound is typified as having a 'wobbly' bassline, simple beat structure and/or a large amount of swingbeats
  • Clownstep from which this information has been taken
Clownszene(German f.) clown act
Club(English, German m., French m.) a meeting place for people with a common interest (for example, chess club, music club), for people of a certain age group (for example, Darby and Joan club), for people associated with particular universities or professions, and so on. The term may also be applied also to a group as opposed to where it might hold its meetings, etc.
Club anthemsee 'dance anthem'
Club der Verehrer(German m.) fan club
Clube da Esquinaa genre of Brazilian music, originating in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, that mixes progressive rock, bossa nova and other jazzies styles, Brazilian country folk music, and some kind of Classical music as Medieval or baroque
Club-Handorgel(German f.) club melodeon
[entry provided by Michael Zapf]
Club jazzsee 'acid jazz'
Club melodeonor Club-Handorgel (German f.), a diatonic 2-row button system accordion with an extra helper row and unisonoric notes
Club musicsynonymous with 'house music'
Clubsänger (m.), Clubsängerin (f.)(German) club singer
Club System accordionthe Club System is one of the later developments in the family of diatonic button accordions. It is a direct descendent of the fourth-tuned two-row button accordion, in particular the variant with a unisonoric C in the middle of the inner row, and a sibling of the three-row International System accordion
Clucgesee belle
Cluer, John (d. 1728)John Cluer is widely acknowledged as having printed some of the best engraved music of the time with innovations in the handling of musical notation and beautifully produced title pages. Cluer published Handel scores, beginning with the Suites de pièces de clavecin in 1720. He was also noted for publishing Handel operas in large pocket size, an unusual format. His first was Giulio Cesare in 1724
Clumber Spaniel(English, German m.) a thickset spaniel with longish silky hair
Cluniazenser(German m.) Cluniac
Cluniacrelating to the Abbey of Cluny and its elegant and ornamental architecture, relating to the Cluniac reforms (Cluniacs), relating to the reformed Benedictine order that was founded in the 10th century in France
Cluniac reformsor Clunian reforms, named for the French Abbey of Cluny (Cluni, Clugny), a series of changes brought about within the Benedictine order, in the 10th century, that focused on the restoration of the traditional monastic life
Cluster (s.), Clusters (pl.)(English, German n.) also called 'note cluster' or 'tone cluster', a group of notes played together that lie adjacent on the piano keyboard usually with the forearm or a piece of wood, a concept pioneered in 1912 by the American composer Henry Cowell (1897-1965)
Clúster(Spanish m.) or clúster tonal, note or tone cluster
Clusterbildung(German f.) clustering
Clutch baga woman's strapless purse that is carried in the hand
Clutteringa speech-language disorder characterized by bursts of rapid, somewhat unintelligible speech, extensive disfluencies, misarticulations, and disorganized language structure
clvdabbreviation of 'clavichord'
Clydesdale(English, German n.) heavy feathered-legged breed of draft horse originally from Scotland

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