Musical definitions you may not be familiar with

@JudyEv (323672)
Rockingham, Australia
December 6, 2022 1:42am CST
I came across these musical terms the other day and thought you might enjoy these alternative definitions to the more usual ones. I might put them up in a couple of batches so I don’t bore you all silly. Composers mostly use Italian terms to give the performer instructions as to how he wants his piece played. Many of you might know the very common ones. For my musical theory exams, I had to learn dozens of these terms. Well, it seemed like dozens at the time. Each grade brought a heap of new ones to be committed to memory. So if a person is playing piano (softly) it might mean the neighbours are home. Mezzo-piano (moderately softly) means the neighbours have complained; pianissimo (very soft) the neighbours are at the door; forte (loud) the neighbours are out and fortissimo to hell with the neighbours. More next time, folks. The photo is mine of our antique piano.
24 people like this
22 responses
@LadyDuck (454915)
• Switzerland
6 Dec 22
Most musical terms are Italian, I remember when we learned them in school, pianissimo (very softly), mezzo piano, piano, mezzo forte. Easy for Italian speaking kids.
7 people like this
@JudyEv (323672)
• Rockingham, Australia
7 Dec 22
Italian was the 'go-to' language for composers in those days.
3 people like this
@LadyDuck (454915)
• Switzerland
7 Dec 22
@JudyEv Italian composers were the first to adopt music notation, and then the first to add annotations, of course in their native language.The practice was later adapted in the rest of Europe and through the world.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (323672)
• Rockingham, Australia
7 Dec 22
@LadyDuck It's interesting that composers stuck to the Italian terms. It makes it easier just having to learn one set of terms.
3 people like this
• China
6 Dec 22
Yes,those musical definitions are all Greek to me ! However I can memorize those short for them,such as f,p, ff,pp,mf,mp,cresc,dim,etc.
4 people like this
• China
7 Dec 22
@JudyEv I know double Dutch which means the speech or writing that people can't understand." It is all Greek to me " is a phrase that means one can't understand something.
2 people like this
@Fleura (28938)
• United Kingdom
7 Dec 22
@changjiangzhibin89 Apparently Shakespeare first used that phrase in Julius Caesar: “For mine own part, it was Greek to me.” (about a speech that was given in Greek on purpose so that not everyone would understand it).
2 people like this
@JudyEv (323672)
• Rockingham, Australia
7 Dec 22
Haha - they are Italian, not Greek. Some might say they are double Dutch. Are you familiar with that term? That's what we say when we don't understand something.
4 people like this
@allknowing (130088)
• India
6 Dec 22
I know that term our music conductor used at choir practice - opposite is crescendo
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@allknowing (130088)
• India
7 Dec 22
@JudyEv Opposite of pianissimo is crescendo. You have mentioned pianissimo Forte also means loud. I was in the choir for many years although as a solo I could never sing My sister has a good voice. - a classical female singing voice (Soprano) My brother was a conductor too but I learnt under a priest.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (323672)
• Rockingham, Australia
7 Dec 22
Which one are you referring to? I haven't mentioned diminuendo yet.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323672)
• Rockingham, Australia
7 Dec 22
@allknowing Opposite of pianissimo (very soft) is fortissimo (very loud). I explain these in the text. Crescendo is gradually getting louder and decrescendo/diminuendo both mean gradually getting softer.
2 people like this
@jstory07 (133739)
• Roseburg, Oregon
6 Dec 22
If I played the piano I would play it loud or soft depending on my mood.
4 people like this
@jstory07 (133739)
• Roseburg, Oregon
6 Dec 22
@DaddyEvil No one would care where I live.
3 people like this
@DaddyEvil (137251)
• United States
6 Dec 22
That's what I say, too, Judy! We practiced playing piano as loudly as we felt like playing. We even moved the piano outside sometimes so the world could hear us playing some songs.
4 people like this
@JudyEv (323672)
• Rockingham, Australia
7 Dec 22
Out on the farm, I could play as I liked too.
1 person likes this
@DaddyEvil (137251)
• United States
6 Dec 22
To heck with the neighbors! I'll practice piano fortissimo as much as I want, whether they're home and at my door!!! The police will tell them to suck it up and live with it.
3 people like this
@DaddyEvil (137251)
• United States
7 Dec 22
@JudyEv I don't know. I learned them when I was learning to play piano. I'm sorry we didn't get the joke.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (323672)
• Rockingham, Australia
7 Dec 22
I thought the terms were funny but few seem to have picked up on the joke.
2 people like this
• Southend-On-Sea, England
6 Dec 22
Ok nice to learn these new music terms.
3 people like this
@JudyEv (323672)
• Rockingham, Australia
7 Dec 22
Do you play an instrument? I'm guessing not or you would probably know these.
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (157027)
• United States
7 Dec 22
That puts them into context--ha ha.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323672)
• Rockingham, Australia
7 Dec 22
I thought they were pretty funny.
1 person likes this
@marlina (154183)
• Canada
8 Dec 22
Love your antique piano
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323672)
• Rockingham, Australia
9 Dec 22
Thanks. You don't always see them with the candle-holders nowadays.
@RasmaSandra (72494)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
7 Dec 22
I remember most of these terms because I learned them when I was taught the pianos,
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (72494)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
8 Dec 22
@JudyEv remember the ABBA song Adante Adante also piano term
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323672)
• Rockingham, Australia
8 Dec 22
@RasmaSandra Yes, that's true. The definition I learnt for Andante was 'at an easy walking pace'.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323672)
• Rockingham, Australia
7 Dec 22
They're very common.
1 person likes this
@xFiacre (12536)
• Ireland
6 Dec 22
@judyev Italian terms make music seem a bit sexier. In our apartment in Paris there was a baby grand but my wife resisted the temptation because she was concerned about annoying the neighbours.
1 person likes this
@xFiacre (12536)
• Ireland
7 Dec 22
@JudyEv We had a piano player in the apartment above ours in Paris a few years ago who was forever practising scales inexpertly, but fortunately the noise was quite muffled and even a normal conversation was able to cover it.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323672)
• Rockingham, Australia
7 Dec 22
Piano 'sound/noise' does seem to travel a long way.
@JudyEv (323672)
• Rockingham, Australia
8 Dec 22
@xFiacre Piano players spend a lot of time practising scales.
1 person likes this
• United States
6 Dec 22
I love your piano! Your musical terms are much easier to understand than the Italian ones
1 person likes this
• United States
7 Dec 22
@JudyEv I did and got quite a chuckle
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323672)
• Rockingham, Australia
7 Dec 22
I thought they were pretty funny. I'm glad you picked up on the joke.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (153181)
• United States
6 Dec 22
Love your piano! I learned these terms when I taught myself to read music and play the piano. Thank you for the information.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323672)
• Rockingham, Australia
7 Dec 22
The terms are the common ones. Later, some I had to learn were pretty obscure.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (153181)
• United States
7 Dec 22
@JudyEv OK. Looking forward to that.
1 person likes this
@CarolDM (203478)
• Nashville, Tennessee
6 Dec 22
New terms to learn. A friend used to play the piano and was very good.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323672)
• Rockingham, Australia
7 Dec 22
It's great to listen to a good pianist.
1 person likes this
@CarolDM (203478)
• Nashville, Tennessee
7 Dec 22
@JudyEv Very relaxing as well.
1 person likes this
6 Dec 22
Musicians should live in an isolate space, to not disturb the neighbours :-D :-D Very Nice Piano ;-)
2 people like this
@JudyEv (323672)
• Rockingham, Australia
7 Dec 22
I'm sure there has been many a cross word when neighbours have been disturbed by someone's playing.
1 person likes this
@averygirl72 (37544)
• Philippines
7 Dec 22
I've encountered this term in my tutorial job. Those words are teach to children in music subjects
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323672)
• Rockingham, Australia
7 Dec 22
Yes, they are all to do with music.
@RebeccasFarm (84367)
• Wheat Ridge, Colorado
6 Dec 22
A lovely piano there Judy. I do not recall or rather do not remember all these terms, but I do recall being in the school and church choir and loving learning music sheets and all.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323672)
• Rockingham, Australia
7 Dec 22
I've no doubt forgotten a lot of what I learnt too.
1 person likes this
@Tampa_girl7 (48855)
• United States
6 Dec 22
Your piano is gorgeous.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323672)
• Rockingham, Australia
7 Dec 22
Thanks. It was made in the 1880s so it's a real antique.
@JESSY3236 (18760)
• United States
6 Dec 22
pretty piano.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323672)
• Rockingham, Australia
7 Dec 22
Thanks. It was made in the 1880s.
@Ronrybs (17788)
• London, England
6 Dec 22
I gave a friend a tea towel with those definitions on it. Haven't seen one since
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323672)
• Rockingham, Australia
7 Dec 22
I'm pretty sure I've seen them on a tea-towel too.
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• Indonesia
6 Dec 22
This seems interesting information @JudyEv . Follow along
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@JudyEv (323672)
• Rockingham, Australia
7 Dec 22
Thanks. I'm glad you found it interesting.
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