cadence - the harmonic or melodic progression which concludes a phrase, section, or composition.
cadenza - an ornamental passage near the end of a solo.
calando - gradually decreasing the time and tone.
calcando - hurrying the time.
calmato - tranquility.
caloroso - warmth, animation.
cambiata - in the Renaissance, an unaccented nonharmonic tone approached downward by step and resolved, on downward, by skip of a third to a chordal tone, followed by stepwise upward progression.
canon - a composition in which each part has exactly the same melody throughout the piece, starting at different points. The strictest form of imitation.
cantabile - in a singing style.
cantando - in a singing style.
cantata - a work for choirs and soloists with orchestral accompaniment.
canto - song, melody.
cantus firmus - a "borrowed" melody (plainsong, chorale, folk tune) to which other melodic lines are added in a contrapuntal texture.
canzonet - a little song or piece with passages of imitation, something like a madrigal.
capo - the beginning, the top.
cappella - a church, a band of musicians that play in a church.
capriccio (caprice) - a piece of light and humorous style, usually in irregular form.
carezzando - in a tender manner.
carita - tenderness, feeling.
celere - quick, rapid.
cembalo - a harpsichord.
chaconne - a slow dance, very similar to a Passacaglia, probably originally from Spain. Usually in a major key, in 3/4 time, with a ground bass and generally in the form of variations.
chamber music - an ensemble consisting of only a few instruments and usually only one instrument to a part.
chanson - French term for song.
chant - general term for liturgical song similar to plainsong.
choir - vocal ensemble, usually small church choruses. Also applied to groups in an orchestra: e.g., brass choir, woodwind choir.
choral - music for chorus or choir.
chorale - a German Protestant hymn tune, upon which larger compositions such as the CHORAL PRELUDE were based.
chorale prelude - organ composition based on a chorale melody.
chord - a combination of three or more tones.
chordal style - in vocal polyphony, a texture in which all the parts have the same rhythm and sing the same syllables simultaneously. Also called familiar style.
chorus - a large vocal ensemble.
chromatic, chromaticism - extensive use of accidentals in melody and harmony.
chromatic scale - twelve consecutive tones within an octave, one half step apart.
col - with the.
colla voce - with the voice.
coll'arco - with the bow.
coloration - written-out ornamentation.
coloratura - ornamental passage in vocal music.
come - as, like.
come prima - as before.
comodo - quietly, easily.
compiacevole - agreeable.
con - with (for various phrases beginning with con see other words).
concento - harmony of voices and instruments.
concerto - a composition for one or more solo instruments with orchestral accompaniment, usually written in three movements.
conjunct - stepwise progression in melody.
consonance, consonant - harmonic intervals (thirds, forths, fifths, sixths, and octaves) which produce a sense of repose; harmony which consists only or mainly of these intervals.
con sordini - in strings, with mutes; in piano, with dampers, that is the damper pedal is not to be used.
continuo - without cessation.
contralto - the deepest female voice.
contrary motion - simultaneous melodic progression in opposite direction between two parts.
counterpoint, contrapuntal - texture consisting of two or more independent melodic lines.
courante (corrente)- an old dance in AB form, literally meaning "running". Usually in triple time, and the second of the standard movements of the suite. The Italian Corrente is much quicker than the more refined French Courante, which frequently shifted from 3/2 to 6/4 time.
crescendo - gradually getting louder.
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