Speaking the language of classical music can seem intimidating, especially since many terms are in Italian or seem to be heavily based in music theory. To enjoy classical music, however, you don't need to know every single term there is! Here is a list of terms that may be helpful in your classical music listening. (Terms are organized in alphabetical order.)
- Atonal: Classical music starting from about 1900 (the Contemporary period) has shifted more towards atonality and away from tonality. Atonal music lacks a key "center" on which the pitches are based, so it sounds very different than more traditional classical music (which is tonal). Here's an example.
- Cadenza: improvised or written-out passage in a piece of music (often a concerto) meant to showcase the player's virtuosic ability.
- Chord progression: a series of groups of notes that are related in a certain key.
- Chord progressions make up the harmony of a piece, which describes the pitches and how they are related in a piece of music.
- Chromaticism: a scale using all 12 pitches (as opposed to major/minor scales which use 7 pitches). See example here.
- Common Practice Period: the time of European music spanning the Baroque, Classical, and Romantic periods.
- Dynamics: how loud or soft the piece is played.
- Key: the scale around which the piece revolves. This can be a little confusing for non-musicians. Essentially, the key designates which pitches (or notes) are used in the piece.
- Examples of keys are C Major or D minor.
- Different keys can be used to convey different moods.
- Pieces are often named by which key they are in (for example, Brahms's Violin Concerto in D Major, Tchaikovsky's Piano Trio in A minor).
- Major keys are based on a major scale. Major keys are usually used to indicate happier moods. Click here to listen to the C Major scale.
- Minor keys are based on a minor scale. Minor keys are usually used to indicate sadder moods. Click here to listen to the C minor scale.
- Modulation: a change of key within a piece.
- Movement: a self-contained section of a composition (like a symphony, concerto, sonata, string quartet, etc.). Most works are divided into 3-5 movements, each with its own title. Often, movements are titled by their tempo marking (Allegro, Andante, Presto, etc.). Movements can be performed individually (usually in student or non-professional performances), but a performance of the entire composition (in professional concerts) consists of all the movements. Movements are linked thematically, although it is not always apparent how they are related. There is usually a break between movements, but sometimes movements may be linked without pause between them.
- An important note about movements: It is common practice for the audience not to clap between movements and to hold the applause for the conclusion of the entire piece.
- Tempo: the speed or pace of a piece (i.e. how slow or fast a piece should be played). The titles of movements of a piece usually consist of the tempo marking of the movement. There are multiple terms for fast and slow tempos, but different terms are used to connote a different speed as well as mood. Commonly used tempo markings include:
- Fast tempos
- Allegro (fast, joyful)
- Presto (faster than Allegro, usually with more virtuosity)
- Vivace (faster than Allegro, lively)
- Scherzando (playfully)
- Slow tempos
- Largo (very slow)
- Adagio (slow, stately)
- Andante (at a walking pace)
- Moderato (moderately)
- Tonal: Classical music from the Common Practice Period is characterized as being "tonal". Technically, tonality describes a system of music that uses pitches based on a key "center" (called a tonic), using pitches from the major and minor scales. This essentially describes the pitches in the classical pieces you've often heard.
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