Dictionary of musical concepts starting with N - O
N
| Concept | Level | Listen | Definition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nationalist | H |
You don't have the latest version of Adobe Flash Player. This website makes use of Adobe Flash Player, you have an old version which cannot play the content we've created. | A term used to describe music which incorporates elements of folk music of the composer’s country. It emerged about the second half of the 19th century and was a type of Romanticism. Composers include Glinka, Smetana and Grieg. |
| Neo-classical | H |
| New classicism. From about 1929 onwards this style in music came about when composers reacted against Romanticism and wanted to return to the structures and styles of earlier periods but combined with dissonant, tonal and even atonal harmonies. The composers started to write for smaller orchestras. Stravinsky and Prokofiev were two of the composers of this style. |
O
| Concept | Level | Listen | Definition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obbligato | Int 2 |
You don't have the latest version of Adobe Flash Player. This website makes use of Adobe Flash Player, you have an old version which cannot play the content we've created. | A prominent solo instrument part in a piece of vocal music. |
| Octave | Acc 3 |
| The distance between a note and the nearest note with the same name, e.g. C to C'. Listen to this excerpt and notice the octave intervals in the bass part of the excerpt. |
| Off the beat | Acc 3 |
| The main accents are against the beat. See 'On the beat' below. |
| On the beat | Acc 3 |
| The main accents fall on the beat. Compare 'Off the beat'. |
| Opera | Int 1 |
| A drama set to music with soloists, chorus, acting, and orchestral accompaniment. It is normally performed in a theatre. |
| Oratorio | Int 2 |
| Usually a story from the Bible set to music for soloists, chorus and orchestra. It may include recitatives, arias, duets and chorus. It is performed without acting or stage design. |
| Orchestra | Acc 3 |
| There are four main sections to an orchestra: strings, woodwind, brass and percussion. Strings include 1st and 2nd violins, violas, cellos and double basses. Woodwind comprises flutes (including piccolo), oboes, cor anglais, clarinets, bassoons, bass clarinets, double bassoons. Brass includes French horns, trumpets, trombones and tubas. Percussion instruments include timpani (kettle drums) and other instruments which are hit or struck, e.g. snare drum, bass drum and xylophone. Other instruments, such as the harp, are sometimes included in the orchestra. Listen to this excerpt. |
| Organ | Acc 3 |
| A keyboard instrument usually found in churches. It usually has more than one keyboard. |
| Ornament | Int 1 |
| An ornament decorates a melody by adding extra notes. Ornaments are often short and add melodic and rhythmic interest. Listen to the previous excerpt again and notice the ornament on the first note of each phrase. The ornament used is the left one illustrated below.
|
| Ostinato | Acc 3 |
| A short musical pattern repeated many times. Listen to the Tuba B part in this excerpt by a military band. Also Visit: Repetition, Riff. |
| Overture | H |
| A piece of orchestral music which introduces a large-scale work such as an opera, an oratorio, or a musical. Listen to the excerpt from the overture to 'Girl Crazy' by George Gershwin and notice the reference to a famous melody from that show, 'I got rhythm'. |
