Counterpoint
noun
The technique of combining independent melodies that work together....
Polyphony
noun
Music featuring multiple independent melodic lines happening simultaneously....
Texture
noun
The overall sound created by how the parts of music are combined....
Form
noun
The overall structure or organization of a musical composition....
Theme
noun
A memorable melody or musical idea that recurs throughout a piece....
Variation
noun
A musical passage that takes a theme and modifies it....
Fugue
noun
A complex form of composition where multiple voices imitate each other....
Sonata
noun
A musical composition typically in three or four movements for solo instrument....
Symphony
noun
A large orchestral composition typically in three or four movements....
Concerto
noun
A composition featuring a solo instrument accompanied by an orchestra....
Prelude
noun
An introductory piece that comes before a larger work....
Nocturne
noun
A romantic instrumental piece, typically for piano, evoking nighttime....
Etude
noun
A practice piece composed to develop specific musical or technical skills....
Cadence
noun
A sequence of chords that provides ending or punctuation in music....
Modulation
noun
A change from one musical key to another....
Interval
noun
The distance in pitch between two notes....
Inversion
noun
A technique where a melody is flipped upside down....
Augmentation
noun
A technique where a melody is slowed down by lengthening note values....
Diminution
noun
A technique where a melody is sped up by shortening note values....
Retrograde
noun
A technique where a melody is played backwards....