Expressionism (music)
Expressionism in music, flourishing roughly between 1905 and the early 1930s, is defined by extreme emotional intensity, atonal harmony, and innovative timbral experiments.
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Ska (music)
Ska is a Jamaican music genre that originated in the late 1950s, combining Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz, R&B, and gospel. Its upbeat, off‑beat rhythm sparked later styles such as rocksteady, reggae, and the 2‑Tone revival.
Flat (musical symbol)
The flat (♭) is a musical accidental that lowers a pitch by one semitone. It appears to the left of a note or in key signatures and is essential for indicating pitch alterations in Western notation.
Legato Mark (Music Notation)
The legato mark, commonly rendered as a curved line (slur) connecting two or more notes, indicates that they should be played smoothly without perceptible separation. It is a fundamental articulation symbol used across a wide range of musical styles.
Ragtime
Ragtime is an early 20th‑century American musical genre noted for its syncopated, “ragged” rhythm, most often written for piano. It bridged 19th‑century parlor music and the emerging jazz tradition, influencing popular and classical composers alike.
Sitar
The sitar is a plucked, long‑necked lute integral to Hindustani classical music. It features a resonant gourd body, multiple played and sympathetic strings, and a distinctive glissando technique.
Crescendo (musical dynamic)
A crescendo is a notation indicating that the music should gradually become louder, typically shown as a long, opening hairpin. It guides performers to increase dynamic intensity over a specified span of notes or measures.
Minuet – An Overview of the Courtly Dance Form
The minuet is a graceful, triple‑meter dance that originated in 17th‑century French courts and became a staple of Baroque and Classical instrumental music, often appearing as the third movement of symphonies and sonatas.
Cornet
The cornet is a brass wind instrument with a conical bore, closely related to the trumpet but producing a mellower tone. It is a staple in military bands, brass ensembles, and early jazz, offering agility and lyrical expressiveness.
Melodic Minor Scale
The melodic minor scale is a seven‑note diatonic scale that differs from the natural minor by raising the sixth and seventh degrees when ascending, and typically reverting to the natural minor form when descending. It is a fundamental resource in classical harmony, jazz improvisation, and modern composition.