or sharp the note anymore, or to
override sharps or flats in the work’s
key signature.Obbligato An accompaniment
that is important (and therefore
“obligatory”); often describes
a countermelody played by an
instrument in an ensemble or a
Baroque keyboard accompaniment
written out in full rather than with
the standard figured bass notation.Octave The interval between one
pitch and another with double or
half its frequency—for example, on
a piano, there is an octave between
high C and the next highest C note.Opera Drama in which all or most
characters sing and in which music
is an important element; usually all
dialogue is sung.Opera buffa Type of comic opera
popular in the 18th century;
opposite of opera seria.Opéra comique An exclusively
French type of opera that, despite
its name, is not always comic, nor
particularly light; also includes
spoken dialogue.Opera seria Literally “serious
opera,” the direct opposite of opera
buffa; characterized by heroic or
mythological plots and formality
in both music and action.Operetta Italian for “little opera,”
and sometimes known as “light
opera”; a lighter 19th-century style
including spoken dialogue.Oratorio A work for vocal soloists
and choir with instrumental
accompaniment; differs from an
opera in that an oratorio is a
concert piece, not a drama.Ornamentation Embellishment
of a note or chord with, for example,
a trill or a short fragment such as a
turn—the note above the main note,
the main note, and the note below,
played in quick succession.Ostinato Repeated musical figure,
usually in the bass part, providing
a foundation for harmonic and
melodic variation above.Overture French for “opening”;
an instrumental introduction to
an opera or ballet; presents some
of the main thematic material.Pianola A self-playing piano in
which the keys are operated by air
that is pumped through perforated
paper fed by a roller.Pitch The position of one sound
in relation to the range of tonal
sounds—how high or low it is—
which depends on the frequency
of sound waves per second (hertz).Plainsong Medieval church music
also known as plainchant; consists
of a unison, unaccompanied vocal
line in free rhythm, like speech,
with no regular measure lengths.Polyphony Meaning “many
sounds,” this refers to a style of
composition in which all parts are
independent and of equal value.Program music Any music
written to describe a nonmusical
theme, such as an event,
landscape, or literary work.Recitative Style of singing in
opera and oratorio closely related to
the delivery of dramatic speech in
pitch and rhythm; often used for
dialogue and exposition of the plot
between arias and choruses.Requiem A piece written as a
memorial; also specifically a setting
of a Catholic Requiem Mass, which
celebrates the dead.Rhythm The pattern of relative
durations of and stresses on notes
in a piece, commonly organized in
regular groups or measures.Romantic The cultural epoch
heralded in music by Beethoven,
which dominated the 19th century;
characterized by the abandonment
of traditional forms, inspiration by
extra-musical subjects, an increase
in the scale of composition, and use
of chromaticism.Rondo Piece or movement of music
based on a recurring theme with
interspersed material; follows a
form such as ABACADAE.Sarabande A slow court dance in
triple time, popular in Europe from
the 17th century.Scale A series of notes that define
a tune and, usually, the key of the
piece. Different scales give music
a different feeling and “color.”Scherzo Lively dance piece (or
movement) in triple time.Semitone Also known as a half
step or half tone; the smallest
musical interval between notes in
Western tonal music. There are
two semitones in a whole tone and
112 semitones in an octave. On a
keyboard, a semitone is found
where two keys are as close
together as possible—for example,
E to F is a semitone. See also Tone.Serial music System of atonal
composition developed in the 1920s
by Arnold Schoenberg and others,342 GLOSSARY
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