C1 · 50 words
Music in technical language in Spanish
Key, voice-leading, forces, performance — the words of a programme.
La clave is one of the busiest words in Spanish, and this list holds two of its jobs at once. La clave de sol is the treble clef, the sign at the head of the stave; la clave on its own is the key to a puzzle, and la clave de acceso is a password. Change the gender and you change the object again: el clave is the harpsichord, which is exactly what plays the bajo continuo in the sentence further down. Latin « clavis », a key, is behind all of them, and English kept the same family in « clef », « key » and « clavier » without ever noticing they were relatives.
The words
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Phrase (23)
el modo mayorthe major modePhraseC1
El modo mayor domina la obra entera.The major mode rules the whole work.
el modo menorthe minor modePhraseC1
El modo menor aparece solo al final.The minor mode appears only at the end.
la escala cromáticathe chromatic scalePhraseC1
La escala cromática recorre los doce sonidos.The chromatic scale runs through all twelve notes.
la resolución armónicathe resolving of the dissonancePhraseC1
La resolución armónica llega tarde a propósito.The resolving of the dissonance is late on purpose.
el acorde de séptimathe seventh chordPhraseC1
El acorde de séptima empuja hacia delante.The seventh chord pushes forward.
el bajo continuothe figured bassPhraseC1
El bajo continuo lo hace el clave.The figured bass is played by the harpsichord.
el tema principalthe main themePhraseC1
El tema principal vuelve transformado.The main theme comes back transformed.
el tempo de ejecuciónthe speed it is played atPhraseC1
El tempo de ejecución es discutido.The speed it is played at is disputed.
el matiz dinámicothe shade of loudnessPhraseC1
El matiz dinámico está escrito en cada compás.The shade of loudness is written into every bar.
la cuerda frotadathe bowed string sectionPhraseC1
La cuerda frotada lleva el peso de la obra.The bowed string section carries the work.
el viento maderathe woodwind sectionPhraseC1
El viento madera responde al tema.The woodwind section answers the theme.
el viento metalthe brass sectionPhraseC1
El viento metal entra en el último tercio.The brass section comes in in the last third.
la percusión afinadathe tuned percussionPhraseC1
La percusión afinada dobla la melodía.The tuned percussion doubles the melody.
la plantilla orquestalthe make-up of the orchestraPhraseC1
La plantilla orquestal es de setenta músicos.The make-up of the orchestra is seventy players.
la partitura de orquestathe full orchestral scorePhraseC1
La partitura de orquesta tiene treinta pentagramas.The full orchestral score has thirty staves.
la clave de solthe treble clefPhraseC1
La clave de sol abre la voz aguda.The treble clef stands at the high voice.
la interpretación historicistaplaying in the manner of the timePhraseC1
La interpretación historicista usa instrumentos de época.Playing in the manner of the time uses instruments of the period.
el instrumento de épocathe instrument of the periodPhraseC1
El instrumento de época suena más seco.The instrument of the period sounds drier.
la acústica de la salathe acoustics of the hallPhraseC1
La acústica de la sala perdona poco.The acoustics of the hall forgive little.
el ensayo generalthe dress rehearsalPhraseC1
El ensayo general es abierto al público.The dress rehearsal is open to the public.
la reducción para pianothe piano reductionPhraseC1
La reducción para piano se usa en los ensayos.The piano reduction is used in rehearsals.
el encargo de una obrathe commission of a new workPhraseC1
El encargo de una obra tardó tres años.The commission of a new work took three years.
el estreno absolutothe first performance anywherePhraseC1
El estreno absoluto fue en Bilbao.The first performance anywhere was in Bilbao.
Noun (f) (11)
la tonalidadthe key a piece is inNoun (f)C1
La tonalidad cambia en el desarrollo.The key changes in the development.
la disonanciathe dissonanceNoun (f)C1
La disonancia se resuelve dos compases después.The dissonance resolves two bars later.
la cadenciathe cadence that closes a phraseNoun (f)C1
La cadencia final es sorprendente.The cadence that closes the piece is a surprise.
la modulaciónthe move from one key to anotherNoun (f)C1
La modulación pasa por tres tonalidades.The move from one key to another goes through three of them.
la fugathe fugueNoun (f)C1
La fuga entra con el tema en la tercera voz.The fugue enters with the theme in the third voice.
la reexposiciónthe return of the opening materialNoun (f)C1
La reexposición llega abreviada.The return of the opening material is shortened.
la codathe codaNoun (f)C1
La coda añade veinte compases.The coda adds twenty bars.
la articulaciónthe way each note is attackedNoun (f)C1
La articulación cambia el carácter entero.The way each note is attacked changes the whole character.
la afinaciónthe tuning of an instrumentNoun (f)C1
La afinación histórica es medio tono más baja.The historical tuning is half a tone lower.
la armadurathe flat and sharp signs set at the startNoun (f)C1
La armadura lleva tres bemoles.The flat and sharp signs set at the start show three flats.
la reverberaciónthe ring the hall leaves behindNoun (f)C1
La reverberación es de dos segundos.The ring the hall leaves behind lasts two seconds.
Noun (m) (16)
el intervalothe interval between two notesNoun (m)C1
El intervalo de quinta abre la pieza.The interval of a fifth opens the piece.
el contrapuntothe counterpointNoun (m)C1
El contrapunto tiene cuatro voces.The counterpoint is in four voices.
el desarrollothe development sectionNoun (m)C1
El desarrollo ocupa la mitad del movimiento.The development section fills half the movement.
el movimientothe movement of a workNoun (m)C1
El segundo movimiento es el más lento.The second movement is the slowest.
el metrónomothe metronomeNoun (m)C1
La indicación de metrónomo es del propio autor.The metronome mark is the composer's own.
el fraseothe way a line is shapedNoun (m)C1
El fraseo es lo que distingue a los dos pianistas.The way a line is shaped is what tells the two pianists apart.
el legatothe legatoNoun (m)C1
El legato se pierde en la acústica de la sala.The legato is lost in the acoustics of the hall.
el pizzicatothe pizzicatoNoun (m)C1
El pizzicato marca el pulso.The pizzicato marks the pulse.
el arcothe bow of a string playerNoun (m)C1
El arco se cambia sin que se note.The bow is changed without anyone noticing.
el atrilthe music standNoun (m)C1
El primer atril lleva el solo.The first music stand has the solo.
el concertinothe leader of the orchestraNoun (m)C1
La concertino afina a la orquesta.The leader of the orchestra tunes it.
el diapasónthe tuning pitch everyone agrees onNoun (m)C1
El diapasón se fijó en cuatrocientos cuarenta.The tuning pitch was fixed at four hundred and forty.
el pentagramathe stave of five linesNoun (m)C1
El pentagrama tiene cinco líneas.The stave has five lines.
el bemolthe flat sign that lowers a noteNoun (m)C1
El bemol vale para todo el compás.The flat sign holds for the whole bar.
el sostenidothe sharp sign that raises a noteNoun (m)C1
El sostenido está solo en esa nota.The sharp sign is on that note only.
el repertoriothe repertoireNoun (m)C1
El repertorio se repite cada dos temporadas.The repertoire comes round again every two seasons.
This list belongs to Art and culture — 29 lists and 1450 words that can also be practised as a whole.
Practise this list
From these 50 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.