Tanto

Much, so much.

---

Tempo

The rate of speed in a musical work.

---

Tempo primo

Return to the original tempo.

---

Teneramente

Tenderly.

---

Tenor clef

The C clef falling on the fourth line of the staff.

---

Tenuto, ten

Hold or sustain a note longer than the indicated value, usually not as long a duration as the fermata.

---

Ternary form

Three-part form in which the middle section is different from the other sections. Indicated by ABA.

---

Terraced dynamics

The Baroque style of using sudden changes in dynamic levels, as opposed to gradual increase and decrease in volume.

---

Tertian harmony

A term used to describe music based on chords arranged in intervals of thirds.

---

Tessitura

The general pitch range of a vocal part.

---

Texture

The term used to describe the way in which melodic lines are combined, either with or without accompaniment. Types include monophonic, homophonic, and polyphonic, or contrapuntal.

---

Theme

The musical subject of a piece (usually a melody), as in sonata form or a fugue. An extramusical concept behind a piece.

---

Theme and variations

A statement of musical subject followed by restatements in different guises.

---

Theory

The study of how music is put together.

---

Third

The third degree of the diatonic scale. Also, the interval formed by a given tone and the third tone above or below it, e.g. c up to e, or c down to a. Intervals of the third may be major, minor, diminished, or augmented.

---

Through-composed

A term used to describe a song in which the music for each stanza is different. The opposite of strophic.

---

Ti

In solmization, the seventh degree of the major scale. Also called the leading tone.

---

Tie

A curved line over or below two or more notes of the same pitch. The first pitch is sung or played and held for the duration of the notes affected by the tie.

---

Time signature

Synonymous with meter signature.

---

Tonality

The term used to describe the organization of the melodic and harmonic elements to give a feeling of a key center or a tonic pitch.

Tone

A note; the basis of music.

---

Tone clusters

The simultaneous sounding of two or more adjacent tonic tones.

---

Tonguing

On wind instruments, articulation with the tongue.

---

Tonic

The first note of a key. Also, the name of the chord built on the first degree of the scale, indicated by I in a major key or i in a minor key.

---

Tono

Tone, key, pitch.

---

Tosto

Quick.

---

Tranquillo

Tranquilly; quietly; calm.

---

Transposition

The process of changing the key of a composition.

---

Tre

Three. Used with other terms, e.g. a tre voci, in three parts.

---

Treble clef

The G clef falling on the second line of the staff.

---

Triad

A chord of three tones arranged in thirds, e.g. the C-major triad c-e-g, root-third-fifth.

---

Trill, tr

A musical ornament performed by the rapid alternation of a given note with a major or minor second above.

---

Triple meter

Meter based on three beats, or a multiple of three, in a measure.

---

Triplet

A group of three notes performed in the time of two of the same kind.

---

Troppo

Too much. Used with other terms, e.g. allegro non troppo, not too fast.

---

Turn

A musical ornament characterized by the rapid performance of a given note, the major or minor second above and below, and a return to the given note.

---

Tutti

All. A direction for the entire ensemble to sing or play simultaneously.

---

Twelve-tone technique

A system of composition which uses the twelve tones of the chromatic scale in an arbitrary arrangement called a tone row or series. The row may be used in its original form, its inversion, in retrograde, and in the inversion of the retrograde. The system was devised by Arnold Schoenberg in the early Twentieth century.

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

N

O

P

Q

R

S

T

U

V

W

X

Y

Z

Some definitions and terms excerpted from
Belwin Pocket Dictionary of Music: Music Theory Dictionary
By Dr. William Lee
Students may purchase a copy for home use at cost

Many thanks to Dearest for everything!