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C1 · 48 words
Music: the technical words in French
Pitch, bar, key, and the forces on the platform.
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From these 48 words, as many per round as you like — up to all of them: first what is due today, then new ones. First you choose, then you fill the gap, then you write it yourself. Mistakes come back again shortly.
More about this list At the end of a concert in London the audience shouts « encore », and the word is French. At the end of a concert in Paris it shouts bis , and the word is Latin — bis , twice, the same bis that marks an article inserted into a code without renumbering the rest, l’article 7 bis , and a house squeezed in between two others, 12 bis rue de Sèvres . French has built the noun of this list on it: le bis is the extra piece played once the printed programme has run out, and le public a obtenu deux bis counts two of them. There is a verb as well, bisser , which is both to call for a piece again and to play it again. What French never does is use encore for any of this. Encore is an everyday adverb meaning still or again — il joue encore , he is still playing — so shouting it at a pianist would land as an observation rather than a request. The word crossed the Channel and took up a job it has never held at home.
The words
View Compact With examples
Verb (2)
déchiffrer to sight-read Verb C1 Il déchiffre le morceau sans hésiter. He sight-reads the piece without hesitating.
improviser to improvise Verb C1 Elle improvise sur deux accords seulement. She improvises on just two chords.
Adjective (2)
Grammar for these: Adjective agreement · Where the adjective goes
bien accordé well in tune Adjective C1 Le piano est bien accordé depuis hier. The piano has been well in tune since yesterday.
désaccordé out of tune Adjective C1 La guitare est désaccordée après le voyage. The guitar is out of tune after the journey.
Phrase (2)
accorder un instrument to tune an instrument Phrase C1 Il faut accorder un instrument avant chaque séance. An instrument has to be tuned before every session.
répéter un morceau to rehearse a piece Phrase B2 Nous répétons ce morceau depuis une semaine. We have been rehearsing this piece for a week.
Noun (m) (20)
Grammar for these: Definite article: le, la, les · Indefinite article: un, une
le diapason the concert pitch Noun (m) C1 Le hautbois donne le diapason à tout l’orchestre. The oboe gives the concert pitch to the whole orchestra.
le demi-ton the semitone Noun (m) C1 Il faut monter d’un demi-ton. It has to go up by a semitone.
l’intervalle musical the interval (between two notes) Noun (m) C1 Cet intervalle musical est difficile à chanter juste. This interval is hard to sing in tune.
l’accord parfait the triad Noun (m) C1 La pièce se termine sur un accord parfait. The piece ends on a triad.
le mode majeur the major mode Noun (m) C1 Le morceau passe au mode majeur dans la dernière partie. The piece moves into the major mode in the last section.
le mode mineur the minor mode Noun (m) C1 Le mode mineur donne à ce chant un ton sombre. The minor mode gives this song a dark colour.
le rythme the rhythm Noun (m) C1 Le rythme se déplace d’un temps. The rhythm shifts by one beat.
le tempo the tempo Noun (m) C1 Le tempo se relâche à la fin de la phrase. The tempo slackens at the end of the phrase.
l’orchestre symphonique the symphony orchestra Noun (m) C1 L’orchestre symphonique répète tous les matins. The symphony orchestra rehearses every morning.
le chef de chœur the choirmaster Noun (m) C1 Le chef de chœur fait recommencer le passage. The choirmaster has the passage started again.
le mouvement de symphonie the movement of a symphony Noun (m) C1 Le dernier mouvement de symphonie est le plus rapide. The last movement of the symphony is the fastest.
le concerto the concerto Noun (m) C1 Le concerto met une seule voix devant l’ensemble. The concerto puts a single voice in front of the ensemble.
l’ensemble instrumental the instrumental ensemble Noun (m) C1 L’ensemble instrumental compte une dizaine de musiciens. The instrumental ensemble has about ten players.
le ténor the tenor Noun (m) C1 Le ténor entre après la première phrase. The tenor comes in after the first phrase.
les cuivres the brass Noun (m) C1 Les cuivres entrent au dernier moment. The brass comes in at the last moment.
les bois the woodwind Noun (m) C1 Les bois répondent aux cordes. The woodwind answers the strings.
le solo the solo Noun (m) C1 Le solo tombe au milieu du morceau. The solo falls in the middle of the piece.
le studio d’enregistrement the recording studio Noun (m) C1 Le studio d’enregistrement est réservé pour trois jours. The recording studio is booked for three days.
l’album live the live album Noun (m) C1 L’album live garde les bruits de la salle. The live album keeps the noises of the hall.
le bis the encore Noun (m) C1 Le public a obtenu deux bis. The audience got two encores.
Noun (f) (22)
Grammar for these: Definite article: le, la, les · Indefinite article: un, une
la sonorité the tone, the sound quality Noun (f) C1 La sonorité de cette salle est très sèche. The sound of this hall is very dry.
l’octave the octave Noun (f) C1 La voix descend d’une octave à la reprise. The voice drops an octave at the repeat.
l’harmonie the harmony Noun (f) C1 L’harmonie change à chaque mesure. The harmony changes in every bar.
la mélodie the melody Noun (f) C1 La mélodie passe à la main gauche. The melody moves to the left hand.
la dissonance the dissonance Noun (f) C1 La dissonance se résout à la fin de la phrase. The dissonance resolves at the end of the phrase.
la consonance the consonance Noun (f) C1 L’oreille attend une consonance après cette tension. The ear expects a consonance after that tension.
la gamme the scale Noun (f) C1 Elle joue la gamme lentement, sans pédale. She plays the scale slowly, without the pedal.
l’armure the key signature Noun (f) C1 L’armure indique deux dièses. The key signature shows two sharps.
l’indication de mesure the time signature Noun (f) C1 L’indication de mesure change au milieu du morceau. The time signature changes halfway through the piece.
la barre de mesure the bar line Noun (f) C1 Reprends juste après la barre de mesure. Come back in just after the bar line.
la pulsation the beat (steady pulse) Noun (f) C1 Garde la même pulsation jusqu’à la fin. Keep the same beat right to the end.
la partition the score Noun (f) C1 Elle tourne la partition d’une seule main. She turns the score with one hand.
la symphonie the symphony Noun (f) C1 La symphonie dure toute la seconde partie du concert. The symphony fills the whole second half of the concert.
la sonate the sonata Noun (f) C1 La sonate tient sur quelques pages. The sonata fits on a few pages.
la musique de chambre chamber music Noun (f) C1 La musique de chambre se joue sans chef. Chamber music is played without a conductor.
la chorale the choir Noun (f) C1 La chorale chante sans accompagnement. The choir sings unaccompanied.
la soprano the soprano Noun (f) C1 La soprano tient la note très longtemps. The soprano holds the note for a very long time.
la ligne de basse the bass line Noun (f) C1 La ligne de basse porte tout le morceau. The bass line carries the whole piece.
les percussions the percussion Noun (f) C1 Les percussions sont placées tout au fond. The percussion is placed right at the back.
les cordes the strings Noun (f) C1 Les cordes jouent très doucement sous la voix. The strings play very softly under the voice.
l’improvisation the improvisation Noun (f) C1 L’improvisation part toujours du même thème. The improvisation always starts from the same theme.
l’acoustique the acoustics Noun (f) C1 L’acoustique change dès que la salle est pleine. The acoustics change as soon as the hall is full.
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