Born: April 27, 1891, Sontsovka, UkraineDied: March 5, 1953, Moscow (age 61)
glossary
allegro [I]—fast, lively tempo. From the Italian word for cheerful or gay.
andante [I]—moderately slow tempo (e.g. walking). Faster than adagio but slower than allegretto
anima [I]—soul, spirit, life, feeling
burlesque, burlesk, burleska, burletta, burla (alla), burlesca, burlando—a number of closely related words suggesting light play, comedy, jesting, mocking, satire and farce
chamber music, Kammermusik [G], musique de chambre [F], musica da camera [I], musica cameralis [L]—"Classical Music" for a small ensemble, generally 8 or fewer players with a canonical emphasis on 3-6 players. explore
con [I,S]—with
e [It]—and
energico, con energia, énergique [F], avec énergie [F], energisch [G]—with energy, force, vigor and power
fuoco, con fuoco, avec feu [Fr], mit Feuer [G], feurig [G]—fire, fiery; passionately, burning energy and excitement; impetuously
giocoso, giocando, con gioco, giojoso—humorous, jocose, merry joking
lugubre [I]—lugubrious, excessively mournful
melancolia, con melancolia, Maliconia, con maliconia, maliconico, melancolique [F]—melancholy, gloomy
moderato [I], moderamente, modéré [F], modérément [F]—moderately, at a moderate tempo, applying a touch of restraint to its related word(s), e.g. allegro moderato
opus [L], opera[pl], Op., Opp, WoO, Op. posth—work, as in a work of art. For unique identification, publishers/composers often assign an "opus number", abbreviated as "Op." (e.g. Op. 1). A range of works by opus number, uses the plural "opp." (e.g. "Opp. 1-3"). A single opus number may refer to a collection of works (e.g. a set of quartets) giving rise to designations like "Op. 1, No. 4". For misc. works without opus numbers, "WoO" is often used (e.g."Without Opus"). Posthumously assigned numbers may use "Op. posth". Opus numbers may not precisely reflect chronology (publication vs. composition), can be erroneous, sparse or duplicative. Thus, the works of some historically important composers may use separate catalog numbers (e.g. Bach, Haydn, Schubert). See wiki
quartet, quatuor [F], quartett [G], quartetto [I], cuarteto [S]—ensemble or work for four players the most important examples being the string quartet and the piano quartet
string quartet, Streichquartett [G], quatuor à cordes [F], quartetto d'archi [I], quartetto di cordi [I], cuarteto de cuerda [S], vonósnégyes [H]—an ensemble as well as music written for that ensemble comprising 2 violins, viola and cello. This is one of the essential genres / forms / ensembles of chamber music and arguably a critical "core" of "classical" music. Explore the string quartet.