sarabande - a dignified dance, probably originally from Spain. In 3/4 or 3/2 time, usually starting on the first beat. It moves along at a steady pace, with an accent or a prolonged note on the second beat. It is in AB form, with the phrases ending on the second beat. Commonly found in the old suites.
scale - a system of adjacent notes on which melody and harmony are based.
scherzando - playful, lively.
scherzino - a little scherzo.
scherzo - (Italian meaning "joke") - a piece in 3/4 time which is sometimes playful and joking, but also can be moody, gloomy and dramatic, such as those of Chopin.
score - two or more staves with notes vertically aligned in vocal or instrumental part music.
schottische - a round dance in 2/4 time, something like a slow Polka, known in England as the German Polka.
schietto - simple, neat.
sciolto - freedom, ease.
se - if, in case, as.
secco - "dry" that is staccato.
segno - a sign  - dal segno -> repeat from the sign.
segue - now follows, go on with what follows.
semplice - simple.
sempre - always.
sentimento - feeling, delicate expression.
senza - without.
sequence - a recurrent melodic pattern repeated at successively higher or lower intervals. In plainsong, a form of trope.
serenade - French for "evening music" - originally a love song sung under the window of a lady, by her lover now an instrumental piece of similar character.
serioso - serious.
seventh chord - a chord of four tones, three superimposed thirds.
sforzando - strongly accented, suddenly loud.
sharp - a symbol placed in front of a note to indicate raising that note by one half step  .
siciliano - a soft, slow peasant dance in 6/8 or 12/8 time, often in a minor key. Rather similar to a Pastorale, usually in ABA form. It usually has a melody in dotted rhythms, with a broken chord accompaniment.
simile - like.
sixteenth note - one sixteenth the value of a whole note. 
slargando - broadening.
slentando - getting slower.
smorzando - toning down to extinction.
soave - gentle, soft.
solenne - solemn.
solfeggietto - an Italian word meaning "little study".
solo - a composition for a single voice or instrument
sonabile - resonant.
sonata - a work consisting of three or four independent pieces called movements, each of which follows certain forms and characteristics, written for one or two instruments. Similar works for three instruments are called TRIOS, for four instruments are called QUARTETS, and for orchestra are called SYMPHONIES.
sonatina - a small, easier sonata with fewer and short movements.
song - a vocal solo.
sonore - harmonious.
sonority - qualities of texture: thick or thin, heavy or light, etc.
sordamente - softly, gently.
sordino - a mute or a stringed instrument. Dampers on a piano.
sostenuto - sustained.
sotto voce - softly, in a low voice.
spianato - smooth, even.
spiccato - separated, detached. Played with the point of the bow.
spirito - spirit, life.
stabile - firm.
staccato - detached, separated.
stanchezza - weariness.
staff, staves - the five horizontal parallel lines on or between which notes are written.
stentando - heavy and retarding.
stentato - forced, loud.
stesso - the same.
strascinato - dragged along.
strepitoso - boisterous.
stringendo - pressing onwards, hurrying.
strings - instruments which produce tone by bowing or plucking taut strings ( e.g., violins, guitars ).
string quartet - a chamber ensemble consisting of two violins, viola, and cello. Also, compositions written for that medium.
strophic - song form in which all stanzas of the text are set to the same music.
style - the characteristic quality of music determined by the integration of all elements (e.g., rhythm, melody, harmony, texture).
su - above, upon.
suavita - sweetness, delicacy.
subdominant - the fourth note of a diatonic scale and the chord bulk on that note.
subito - suddenly.
subject - the theme of a fugue.
submediant - the sixth note of a diatonic scale and the chord built on that note.
suite - a group of pieces consisting (in the classical form) entirely of dance forms, and all in the same key. The basic movements included were the Allemande, Courante, Sarabande, Gigue, and then usually one or more others such as the Gavotte, Minuet, Bourr6e, Passepied, etc. The suite was often preceded by a Prelude. Also referred to as an instrumental composition of numerous movements, often of a dance-like character.
sul, sull, sulla - on, upon the.
supertonic - the second note of a diatonic scale and the chord built on that note.
suspension - a nonharmonic device in which a chordal (consonant) tone is held through a bhange of harmony to become a nonchordal (dissonant) tone which then resolves downward to another chordal (consonant) tone.
sussurando - whispering, murmuring.
svelto - free, light.
syllabic - a style of text setting in which there is a predominance of one syllable of the text to one note of the melody.
symphony - an orchestra, or a multimovement form for orchestra.
syncopation - a rhythmic device in which the normal accents of the measure are displaced by accenting weak beats, rests on strong beats, or tying notes over from a weak to a strong beat.
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