#15 MUSICAL TERMS

1.   Ossia – (Italian) – Or, or else.  Indicates an alternative melody line to a passage.

2.   Ostinato – (Italian) – A rhythmic and melodic theme played over and over with a melody

3.   Overture – A musical introduction to an opera or musical in which themes are played to introduce the music, characters and mood of the performance.

4.   Pantomime – (Greek) – literally means ‘all imitating’.  A ballet-like performance without speech or singing, in which action is suggested through gestures and choreography.

5.   Parallel motion – When at least 2 vocal melodies move in the same direction.

6.   Parlando – (Italian) – Literally means ‘speaking’.  Singing with clear and marked pronunciation. Speaking like- not legato

7.   Parlato – (Italian) – Spoken.

8.   Patter Song –A humorous song sung in parlando style, usually quite fast.

9.   Pesante – (Italian) – Heavy, ponderous

10. Picardy third – The frequent practice in Baroque music of ending a piece in a minor key with a major chord.

11. Pietoso – (Italian) – pitifully

12. Piu – (Italian) – more (piu mosso means more movement; faster

13. Poco – (Italian) – little (poco a poco means little by little)

14. Portamento – (Italian) – A smooth and deliberate gliding from one tone to another

15. Prepared Piano – A modernistic practice initiated by John Cage, in which the timbre (tone quality) of the piano is changed by placing objects (paper clips, screws, paper, bolts, etc.) in the strings of the piano

Schirmer Pocket Manual of Musical Terms, Edited by Theodore Baker, Macmillan Publishing Co., 1978