Maestro Glossary

Glossary of Terms

Aborigine

a member of the dark-skinned people who were the earliest inhabitants of Australia

concerto

a composition for one or more principal instruments with orchestral accompaniment

conservatorium

a school giving instruction in one or more of the fine or dramatic arts; specifically, a school of music

crescendo

a gradual, steady increase in loudness or force

curriculum vitae

a brief biographical résumé of one's career and training

dipsomaniac

a person with an irresistible craving for alcoholic drink

dogma

a settled or established opinion, belief, or principle

enigmatic

perplexing, mysterious

fortissimo

a musical direction for very loud

glissando

performed with a gliding effect by sliding one or more fingers rapidly over the keys of a piano or strings of a harp

intermezzo

a movement coming between the major sections of an extended musical work

kraal

an enclosure for cattle or other livestock

maestro

an eminent composer, teacher, or conductor of music

pidgin

a simplified or broken form of a language

pince-nez

a pair of glasses held on the face by a spring that grips the nose

pith helmet

a hat made of dried pith or cork covered with cloth, worn in the tropics

polarities

two opposite or contrasting principles or tendencies

riff

a melodic phrase, often constantly repeated

sauerkraut

Eastern European dish with fermented cabbage

scherzo

a movement or passage of light or playful character, especially as the second or third movement of a sonata or a symphony

schnitzel

Dish, originating from Austrian cuisine, consisting of meat that has been fried in bread crumbs

score

the written or printed form of a musical composition

sonata

a composition for one or two instruments, typically in three or four movements in contrasted forms and keys

supine

lying on the back, face or front upward

virtuoso

a person who has special knowledge or skill in a field