From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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 : A Carnival dance
[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 : A ritual dance
[1]
ballo di Mantova : A folk skipping dance
[1]
ballu tundu : A traditional Sardinian folk dance
[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 : A ballroom dance
[4]
monferrina : A 6/8 dance historically associated with
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 : An old form of the
tarantella
[6]
rezianka zagatina : A folk dance
[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 : A widespread, leaping folk dance, originally in 3/4 time, and later in 3/8 and 6/8, derived from a court dance that evolved from the
galliarde and was originally known in Spain as the 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 : A folk dance
[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 : A couple dance in 6/8 time, intended to cure the supposedly poisonous bite of the
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 : A folk dance, one of Italy's oldest
[4]
Instrumentation
arpicelli : The
Viggiano harp
bena : A Sardinian
clarinet
[6]
bifora , also 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 : A
hammered dulcimer
[2]
chitarra : A guitar, also a voice in
trallalero ensembles that imitates the guitar
[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 : A Sardinian clarinet, played using circular breathing
[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 : A diatonic button
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 , for the scacciapensieri
[2]
scacciapensieri : A
mouth harp found in the Alpine north and Sicily, care-chaser
[2]
simbalo : A tambourine
[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]
Songs, formats and pieces
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 : Sicilian
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 : A singing style for three men, most common in
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 : A song form peculiar to
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 : A kind of popular song from Naples, 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 , most commonly used for Italian
ballads
[2]
giustiniane : A kind of popular historic song, named after
Leonardo Giustiniani
[1]
laude : Strophic songs, often in Latin
[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 : A music and drama celebration held during maggio
[1]
[2]
maitinade : A kind of dance song, most common in
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 : A form of Calabrian multi-part song
[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 : An eight line song, most common in Central Italy, especially Lazio, Tuscany and Abruzzo
[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 : Sardinian polyphonic chant
[9]
testamenti : A kind of Carnival song
[2]
I Tubi Lungimiranti : dirty and
garage
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 : A form of multi-part song from Lazio
[17]
villanella : A form of Calabrian multi-part song
[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 , or a 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 : A May celebration
[2]
mamutones : Masked performers in processions in
Mamoiada in Sardinia
[1]
scacciamarzo : A spring holiday
[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
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bo New Grove Encyclopedia of Music , pp 637–680
^
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bj Keller, Marcello Sorce, Roberto Catalano and Giuseppina Colicci, "Italy" in the Garland Encyclopedia of World Music , pp 604–625
^
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"Il coro a tenores CULTURA POPOLARE di Neoneli" . Isolasarda . Retrieved July 15, 2006 .
^
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"Workshops" . Musicantica . Retrieved July 15, 2006 .
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"Furlana" . StreetSwing's Dance History Archives . Retrieved July 15, 2006 .
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"Galliarde" . Street Swing's Dance History Archives . Retrieved July 15, 2006 .
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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
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"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)
^
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"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 .
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d Levy, "Italian Music" in the Garland Encyclopedia of World Music , pp 860–864
^
"Accordion History in Italy" . Accordions.com . Retrieved July 15, 2006 .
^
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"Glossary of Folk Musical Instruments & Styles from Around the World" . Hobgoblin Info Source . Retrieved April 20, 2006 .
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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 .