ALLREGRETTO: When you're 16 measures into the piece
and realize you took too fast a tempo.
ANGUS DEI: To play with a divinely beefy tone.
A PATELLA: Accompanied by knee-slapping.
APPOLOGGIATURA: A composition that you regret playing.
APPROXIMATURA: A series of notes not intended by the composer, yet played with an "I meant to do that" attitude.
APPROXIMENTO: A musical entrance that is somewhere in the vicinity of the correct pitch.
CACOPHANY: A composition incorporating many people with chest colds.
CORAL SYMPHONY: A large, multi-movement work from Beethoven's Caribbean Period.
DILL PICCOLINI: An exceedingly small wind instrument that plays only sour notes.
FERMANTRA: A note held over and over and over and over and . . .
FERMOOTA: A note of dubious value held for indefinite length.
FIDDLER CRABS: Grumpy string players.
FLUTE FLIES: Those tiny mosquitoes that bother musicians on outdoor gigs.
FRUGALHORN: A sensible and inexpensive brass instrument.
GAUL BLATTER: A French horn player.
GREGORIAN CHAMP: The title bestowed upon the monk who can hold a note the longest.
GROUND HOG: Someone who takes control of the repeated bass line and won't let anyone else play it.
PLACEBO DOMINGO: A faux tenor.
SCHMALZANDO: A sudden burst of music from the Guy Lombardo band.
THE RIGHT OF STRINGS: Manifesto of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Violists.
SPRITZICATO: An indication to string instruments to produce a bright and bubbly sound.
TEMPO TANTRUM: What an elementary school orchestra is having when it's not following the conductor.
TROUBLE CLEF: Any clef one can't read: e.g., alto clef for pianists.
VESUVIOSO: An indication to build up to a fiery conclusion.
VIBRATTO: Child prodigy son of the concertmaster.
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