Glossary of Italian music
Italian music terminology consists of words and phrases used in the discussion of the music of Italy . Some Italian music terms are derived from the common Italian language . Others come from Spanish , or Neapolitan , Sicilian , Sardinian or other regional languages of Italy . The terms listed here describe a genre, song form, dance, instrument, style, quality of music, technique or other important aspect of Italian music.[ 1] [ 2]
Dances
alessandrina : A skipping dance from the area around Pavia [ 1] alta danza : Early Spanish name for the saltarello [ 3] argismo : A Sicilian term for the tarantella healing ritual, from argia , spider [ 2] ariosa : A Carnival dance[ 1] bal drabces [ 1] ballarella : A variant name for the saltarello [ 2] ballo dei Gobbi : A Carnival dance, dance of the hunchbacks [ 4] ballo della Veneziana : A 2/2 dance of Venetian origin[ 4] ballo di baraben [ 1] ballo di Mantova : A folk skipping dance[ 1] ballu tundu [ 5] ballu tzopu : A Sardinian folk dance[ 5] balùn : A folk dance[ 1] bas de tach : A Carnival dance[ 1] crellareccia : A wedding dance in the sonata per la sposa of Alta Sabina [ 1] danza dei coltelli : The dance of the knives , a knife dance derived from the tarantella [ 6] forlana : Venetian term for the furlana [ 7] friulana : Venetian term for the furlana [ 7] furlana : A folk dance, from Campieli , favored in Venice[ 7] furlane : Venetian term for the furlana [ 7] frullana : Venetian term for the furlana [ 7] gagliarda : Italian term for the galliarde [ 8] gagliarde : Italian term for the galliarde [ 8] giga : A skipping dance from the area around Pavia [ 1] liscio [ 4] monferrina Monferrato and the valleys of Fassa and Rendena [ 1] [ 4] muleta : A Carnival dance[ 1] pas in amur : A Carnival dance[ 1] passo brabante : An alternate term for the saltarello [ 3] passu'e trese : A Sardinian folk dance[ 5] perigurdino : A skipping dance from the area around Pavia [ 1] piana : A skipping dance from the area around Pavia[ 1] povera donna : A skipping dance from the area around Pavia, a Carnival ritual dance[ 1] pizzica tarantata tarantella [ 6] rezianka zagatina [ 1] roncastalda : A folk skipping dance[ 1] rose e fiori : A Carnival dance[ 1] ruggero : A folk skipping dance[ 1] russiano : A folk dance, said to originate in Russi [ 4] sa seria : A Sardinian folk dance[ 5] saltarella : A variant name for the saltarello [ 2] saltarelle : A variant name for the saltarello [ 3] saltarello galliarde alta danza , from saltare , to leap [ 3] savatarelle : A variant name for the saltarello [ 2] sos gocios : A Sardinian folk dance[ 5] sos mutos : A Sardinian folk dance[ 5] sposina : A skipping dance for brides from the area around Pavia [ 1] stuzzichetto : A variant name for the saltarello [ 2] su ballu : Popular Sardinian dances[ 9] ta matianowa : A folk dance[ 1] ta palacowa [ 1] ta panawa : A folk dance[ 1] tammorriata or tammuriata : A Campanian couple dance, accompanied by lyric songs called strambotti and tammorra tambourines[ 10] tarantel : An alternate term for the tarantella [ 11] tarantella tarantula [ 11] tarantismo : An Apulian term for the tarantella healing ritual[ 9] tarantolati : The tarantella ritual as it is practiced in Puglia[ 6] [ 9] tarentella : An alternate term for the tarantella [ 11] tarentule : An alternate term for the tarantella [ 11] ballo tondo : An alternate term for ballu tundu [ 5] ballu torrau : A Sardinian folk dance[ 5] trescone [ 4]
Instrumentation
arpicelli : The Viggiano harpbena : A Sardinian clarinet [ 6] bifora pifara : a Sicilian double reed instrument of the oboe family, related to the shawm and to the piffero[ 12] bunkula : A cello .[ 1] cannacione : A historical, rural form of lute[ 2] cembalo hammered dulcimer [ 2] chitarra : A guitar, also a voice in trallalero [ 13] chitarra battente : A four- or five-steel stringed guitar , beating guitar [ 2] chiterra : A Sardinian guitar[ 5] ciaramella : A single-reed pipe, or oboe , also a bagpipe in Alta Sabina [ 2] [ 14] citira : A violin[ 1] du' bottë : Abruzzese double bass diatonic accordion[ 15] firlinfeu : A panflute [ 2] fisarmonica : A chromatic piano accordion[ 14] friscalettu : A Sicilian folk flute[ 16] ghironda : A hurdy-gurdy most common in Emilia, Lombardy and Piedmont[ 2] launeddas [ 1] [ 2] [ 9] lira : A three-stringed bowed fiddle, played on the knee, most common in Calabria[ 2] mandola : A string instrument similar to both the guitar and mandolin [ 16] mandolino : An Italian lute with eight or twelve strings[ 16] müsa : A bagpipe[ 1] organetto accordion which accompanies the saltarello , and has largely replaced the bagpipe [ 2] [ 9] piffaro piffero : A double-reed shawm [ 16] piva : A kind of Lombard bagpipe[ 1] [ 2] putipù : A friction drum[ 2] raganelle : A cog rattle [ 2] ribeba : An alternate term, rebab scacciapensieri [ 2] scacciapensieri : A mouth harp found in the Alpine north and Sicily, care-chaser [ 2] simbalo [ 1] solitu : A Sardinian traditional shepherd's flute[ 5] surdulina : A bagpipe from Basilicata[ 1] tamburello : A small frame drum, used to accompany the tarantella , also a tambourine[ 2] [ 9] tamburini : A tambourine [ 2] tammora : A large frame drum[ 9] tamura : A large frame drum[ 9] torototela : A bowed, one-string fiddle, most common in northeast Italy[ 2] triangulu : A Sardinian triangle [ 5] triccheballacche : A Neapolitan percussion instrument, built with mallets attached to a wooden frame, wooden clapper [ 1] [ 2] [ 14] tromba degli zingari : An alternate term, trumpet of the Gypsies , for the scacciapensieri [ 2] trunfa : A Sardinian jaw harp , or mouth harp , trump , similar to the scacciapensieri [ 5] A zampogna tumborro : A Sardinian tambourine [ 5] zampogna : A southern Italian bagpipe, most commonly with two drones and two conical chanters[ 16] zampogna a paro : A single-reed and two- or three drone zampogna , found in Calabria and Sicily[ 1] zampogna zoppa : A mostly double-reed and variably droned zampogna , found in central Italy[ 1]
addio padre : A post-war political song[ 4] ajri : A form of Albanian-Calabrian multi-part song[ 17] asprese : A form of multi-part song from Lazio[ 17] banda comunale : A local, civic band[ 2] a bandieri bella : A form of Calabrian secular multi-part song[ 17] baride brass bands [ 9] basso : A kind of song in Dignano [ 1] bei : A kind of Tuscan polyphony, especially known near Monte Amiata , also bei-bei [ 17] bitinada Rovigno in Istria[ 1] boare : work songs [ 1] canti alla boara : A kind of lyric song associated with the cantaustorie [ 4] buiasche : A kind of polyphonic song from the village of Bogli [ 9] butunada Rovigno [ 1] camminareccia : A piece of wedding music in the sonata per la sposa of Alta Sabina[ 1] canzone a ballo : A dance song[ 2] canzone Italiana : Italian song [ 2] canzone Napoletana Neapolitan song [ 9] canzune : A Sicilian term for lyric songs[ 2] canti a catoccu : A kind of lyric song[ 2] canti carnascialeschi : Carnival songs[ 2] cepranese : A form of multi-part song from Lazio[ 17] cioparedda : A form of Calabrian multi-part song[ 17] concertini : Small, violin-based ensembles most common in Emilia, Bagolino and Resia[ 1] canto a coppia' : A kind of central Italian two-part singing similar to canti a vatoccu [ 1] cozzupara : A form of Calabrian multi-part song[ 17] canto a dispetto : A Tuscan term, song of the despised , equivalent to canto a vatoccu [ 2] endecasillabo : A central Italian song form with phrases of eleven syllables[ 9] canti alla falciatora : Scything songs[ 1] fogli volanti : Printed popular songs called in English broadsides ballads [ 2] giustiniane : A kind of popular historic song, named after Leonardo Giustiniani [ 1] laude [ 1] [ 2] canti lirici : Italian lyric songs, or canto lirico-monostrifici [ 17] canti alla longa : A kind of lyric song[ 2] maggi a serenata : A maggio love song[ 2] maggio della anime purganti : A maggio song for the souls in Purgatory [ 4] maggio delle ragazze : A maggio song for young girls[ 4] maggio drammatico maggio [ 1] [ 2] maitinade Trento ; it is composed of six-line stanzas of eleven syllables per line[ 2] mantignada : A song form peculiar to Sissano [ 1] metitora : A form of two-part song from Lazio[ 17] canti alla mietitora : Harvesting songs[ 1] mondine : A kind of rural, woman's folk song[ 4] canto alla monmarella work songs [ 1] montasolina : A form of multi-part song from Lazio[ 17] ninna nanna : A folk lullaby [ 4] a oli oledda [ 17] orazioni : A kind of Sicilian narrative folk song[ 1] canti degli orbi : A kind of Sicilian narrative folk song, associated with blind musicians[ 1] orologio della passione : An alternate term, used in musical collections, for the canto della passione [ 2] ottava rima [ 1] [ 2] [ 9] pajarella : A form of Lazio multi-part song[ 17] canto della passione : A central Italian begging song, performed before Easter, also known as orologio della passione (clock of the passion )[ 2] alla pennese : A kind of two-part singing from Lazio, similar to canti a vatoccu [ 17] canto a pennese : A work song [ 1] canti a pera : A kind of lyric song from Gallesano [ 1] [ 2] piagnereccia : A piece of wedding music in the sonata per la sposa of Alta Sabina[ 1] poeti contadini : An alternate term, peasant poets , for ottava rima polesane : A kind of dance song[ 2] canti de questua : Begging songs[ 18] recchia : A kind of central Italian two-part singing similar to canti a vatoccu [ 1] a recchione : A form of multi-part song from Lazio[ 17] a reuta : A form of Lazian multi-part song[ 17] rispetti : A kind of lyric song[ 2] a rosabella : A form of Calabrian multi-part song[ 17] serenata : A love song[ 1] sonata per la sposa : A musical ritual from Alta Sabina [ 1] sonetto : A lyrical form consisting of four lines of seven syllables[ 1] canti alla stesa : A kind of lyric song[ 2] stornelli : A kind of solo lyric song, from the Provençal estorn , to challenge [ 2] stornello : A Sicilian folk song[ 14] storia : A kind of southern, long song[ 1] strambotti : A kind of lyric song, from the Provençal estribar , to lash [ 2] stranotti : A kind of lyric song[ 2] strina : A form of Calabrian multi-part song[ 17] tenores [ 9] testamenti : A kind of Carnival song[ 2] tiir : A kind of polyphonic song from Premana in Lombardy[ 2] trallalero : A kind of Genoese polyphony[ 1] [ 2] [ 9] canti a vatoccu : A kind of polyphonic lyric song, usually for two to three women, songs in the manner of a bell clapper , most common in Umbria, and the Apennines of Abruzza and the Marche[ 1] [ 2] verolana [ 17] villanella [ 17] villotte : A kind of lyric song with verses of 8 or 11 syllables[ 1] [ 2] a voca regolare : A form of Calabrian multi-part song[ 17] a voca diritta : A form of Calabrian multi-part song[ 17] vjersh : A form of Albanian multi-part song found in Calabria and Basilicata[ 9] [ 17]
Techniques
accordo : A multi-part singing technique, also canto ad accordo [ 17] basci : The bass voice in a trallalero ensemble[ 13] bassu : The bass voice of the Sardinian tenores [ 9] boghe : The lead vocalist of a Sardinian tenores ensemble[ 9] chitarra : A guitar, also a voice in trallalero ensembles that imitates the guitar[ 13] contra : The counter-vocalist of the Sardinian tenores [ 9] controbasso : The baritone vocalist of the trallalero tradition[ 13] contrubassu : Alternate term for controbasso , the baritone vocalist of the trallalero tradition[ 13] cuntrètu : A falsetto voice[ 1] mesa boghe : The middle voice of the Sardinian tenores [ 9] primmu : The tenor voice in a trallalero ensemble[ 13]
Other terms
bandautore : A cantautore who composes music for a band[ 19] bello ideale : An aesthetic idea which embraced a predominant melody and other elements, beautiful ideal [ 1] boghe ballu : In Sardinian, harmony danceable singing rhythm , literally we dance with our voice [ 5] cantastorie : Itinerant musicians, now most commonly found in Sicily[ 1] [ 2] cantautori : Popular, modern singer-songwriters [ 19] carnevale : The Italian Carnival [ 4] carnevale de Bagolino : A very famous Carnival, in the town of Bagolino , Brescia [ 2] condanna della vecchiaccia : An Umbrian ceremony that heralds the return of spring, the condemnation of the crone [ 2] maggio [ 2] mamutones : Masked performers in processions in Mamoiada in Sardinia[ 1] scacciamarzo [ 2] sega la vecchia : An old mid-Lent ceremony, the sawing of the witch [ 2] tarantate : Women who had been supposedly poisoned by the tarantula bite, and intended to cure themselves through the tarantella ritual[ 2] tratto marzo : A spring holiday[ 2] urlatori : A shouter , an expressive vocalist[ 2] la vecchia : A carnevale ritual from Pontelangiorno [ 4] veglie : A central Italian musical gathering[ 1]
References
^ 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 aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be bf bg bh bi bj bk bl bm bn bo New Grove Encyclopedia of Music , pp 637–680^ 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 aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be bf bg bh bi bj Keller, Marcello Sorce, Roberto Catalano and Giuseppina Colicci, "Italy" in the Garland Encyclopedia of World Music , pp 604–625
^ a b c d "Saltarello" . StreetSwing's Dance History Archives . Retrieved July 15, 2006 .^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "Italian Treasury - Alan Lomax Collection" . Musical Traditions Internet Magazine . Retrieved July 15, 2006 .^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "Il coro a tenores CULTURA POPOLARE di Neoneli" . Isolasarda . Retrieved July 15, 2006 .^ a b c d "Workshops" . Musicantica . Retrieved July 15, 2006 .^ a b c d e "Furlana" . StreetSwing's Dance History Archives . Retrieved July 15, 2006 .^ a b "Galliarde" . Street Swing's Dance History Archives . Retrieved July 15, 2006 .^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t Surian, Allessio, "Tenores and Tarantellas", in the Rough Guide to World Music , pp 189–201
^ "International Dance Glossary" . World Music Central . Archived from the original on July 11, 2006. Retrieved July 15, 2006 .^ a b c d "La Tarantella" . StreetSwing's Dance History Archives . Retrieved July 15, 2006 .^ Mario Sarica, Strumenti Musicali Popolari in Sicilia , Assessorato alla cultura, Provincia di Messina 1994. Excerpted in Il Flauto in Sicilia (in Italian)
^ a b c d e f "A LAVAGNA CANTI E RIME DAL TRALLALERO AL SUD ITALIA" . Prono Provincia Notizie (in Italian). Archived from the original on May 12, 2006. Retrieved July 15, 2006 .^ a b c d Levy, "Italian Music" in the Garland Encyclopedia of World Music , pp 860–864
^ "Accordion History in Italy" . Accordions.com . Retrieved July 15, 2006 .^ a b c d e "Glossary of Folk Musical Instruments & Styles from Around the World" . Hobgoblin Info Source . Retrieved April 20, 2006 .^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w Antonello Ricci. "Multivocal music in Central and Southern Italy" . Detailed Maps on the Spreading of Multipart Singing in the Balkans and in the Mediterranean . Retrieved July 15, 2006 . ^ "Sicilian Folklife" . Italian Los Angeles . Retrieved July 15, 2006 .^ a b Monti, Giangilberto; Veronica Di Pietro. Dizionario dei cantautori . Retrieved July 15, 2006 .
