Looking to hire a string quartet in Raleigh NC but not sure how to talk with them about what you want for your wedding music? The following terms should help!

Terms | String Quartet in Raleigh NC

  • Gavotte – A 17th century dance written in Quadruple time, always beginning on the third beat of the measure.
  • Galliard – Music written for a lively French dance for two performers written in triple time.
  • Fugue – A composition written for three to six voices. Beginning with the exposition, each voice enters at different times, creating counterpoint with one another.
  • Fourth – The interval between two notes. Two whole tones and one semitone make up the distance between the two notes.
  • Forte – A symbol indicating to play loud.
  • Form – The structure of a piece of music.
  • Flat – A symbol indicating that the note is to be diminished by one semitone.
  • Finale – Movement or passage that concludes the musical composition.
  • Fifth – The interval between two notes. Three whole tones and one semitone make up the distance between the two notes.
  • Fermata – To hold a tone or rest held beyond the written value at the discretion of the performer.
  • Falsetto – A style of male singing where by partial use of the vocal chords, the voice is able to reach the pitch of a female.
  • Expressionism – Atonal and violent style used as a means of evoking heightened emotions and states of mind.
  • Exposition – The first section of a movement written in sonata form, introducing the melodies and themes.
  • Etude – A musical composition written solely to improve technique. Often performed for artistic interest.
  • Espressivo – A direction to play expressively.
  • Ensemble – The performance of either all instruments of an orchestra or voices in a chorus.
  • Enharmonic Interval – Two notes that differ in name only. The notes occupy the same position. For example: C sharp and D flat.
  • Energico – A symbol in sheet music a direction to play energetically.
  • Encore – A piece of music played at the end of a recital responding to the audiences’ enthusiastic reaction to the performance, shown by continuous applause.
  • Elegy – An instrumental lament with praise for the dead.
  • Dynamics – Pertaining to the loudness or softness of a musical composition. Also the symbols in sheet music indicating volume.
  • Duet – A piece of music written for two vocalists or instrumentalists.
  • Drone – Dull, monotonous tone such as a humming or buzzing sound. Also a bass note held under a melody.
  • Dissonance – Harsh, discordant, and lack of harmony. Also a chord that sounds incomplete until it resolves itself on a harmonious chord.
  • Development – Where the musical themes and melodies are developed, written in sonata form.
  • Deceptive cadence – A chord progression that seems to lead to resolving itself on the final chord; but does not.
  • Da Capo – In sheet music, an instruction to repeat the beginning of the piece before stopping on the final chord.
  • Courante – A piece of music written in triple time. Also an old French dance.
  • Counterpoint – Two or three melodic lines played at the same time.
  • Contralto – Lowest female singing voice.
  • Consonance – Groups of tones that are harmonious when sounded together as in a chord.
  • Conductor – One who directs a group of performers. The conductor indicates the tempo, phrasing, dynamics, and style by gestures and facial expressions.
  • Concerto – A composition written for a solo instrument. The soloist plays the melody while the orchestra plays the accompaniment.
  • Concert master – The first violin in an orchestra.
  • Coda – Closing section of a movement.

We hope these terms help you when you go to hire a string quartet in Raleigh NC. If you need more assistance, be sure to visit with other blogs that feature wedding music terms, below:

Looking for a String Quartet for a Wedding in Raleigh NC?

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