Music terms – N

Nach (German nah) – in, to, on, for, after; for example, nach dem Zeichen X (nach dem tsaihen) – after the sign X; In nach A (be nah a) – rebuild B-flat into la
Nach und nach (nah und nah) – little by little, gradually
Nachahmung (German náhámung) – 1) imitation; 2) imitation of
Nachdruck (German nahdruk) – 1) strength; energy, perseverance; 2) stress; 3) reprint; mit Nachdruck (mit nahdruk) – emphasized
Nachdrücklich (nahdryuklich) – persistently; earnestly;
Nachfolger (German náhfolyer) – imitating voice in the canon
Nachgeben (German náchgeben) – weaken the
Nachgelassenes Werk(German náhgelássenes werk) – a posthumous work (not published during the author’s lifetime)
Nachlassend (German náchlassend) – calming down, weakening, calming down
Nachsatz (German nákhzats) – 2nd sentence of the musical period
Nachschlag (German náchschlag) – 1 ) final notes of the trill; 2) decorating notes performed due to the previous duration
Nachschleifer (German Nakhshleifer) – the final notes of the trill
Nachspiel (German Nakhspiel) – postlude, the conclusion of the instrumental accompaniment in the vocal piece
Nachtanz (German Nakhtanz) – 2nd dance (usually mobile) in a couple of dances; for example, pavana – gagliarda
Nachtstück (German nachtstück) –
Nagelschrift nocturne(German nagelscript) – a special kind of non-mental Gothic letter
Nah (German on) – close
Näher (neer) – closer
Näherkommend (neercommand) – approaching
Naīf (fr. naif), naīvement (naivmán) – naively, ingenuously
Najwyższy dzwięk instrumentu ( Polish. nayvyzhshi dzvenk instrumentu) – the highest sound of the instrument [Penderetsky]
Nanie (lat.-German nenie) – a funeral song
Narrante (it. narránte) – speaking, as if telling
Narrane (narráre) – tell
Nasard (fr. nazár) , Nasat (German nazat) – one of the registers of the National organ
(French national, German national, English national), Nazionale (Italian national) – national
Natural (English natural) – 1) natural, natural, simple; 2) bekar; 3) key “to”
Natural scale (natural scale) – natural range
Naturale (it. naturale), con naturalezza (con naturaletstsa), Naturalmente (naturalmente) – naturally, simply, usually
Natural trompet (eng. natural trampit) – natural pipe
Naturel (fr. naturel), Naturellement (natyurelman) – naturally, just
Naturhorn (German naturhorn) – natural horn
Naturlaut(German naturlaut) – the sound of nature; wie ein Naturlaut (vi ain natýrlaut) – like the sound of nature [Mahler. Symphony No. 1]
Natürlich (German Naturlich) – naturally, usually (indication in the string part, after col legno or pizzicato means returning to the usual arco game)
Naturtön (German naturten) – natural sounds from brass instruments
Naturtrompete (German naturtrompete) – natural trumpet
Neapolitanische Sexte (German Neapolitanische Sexte), Neapolitan sixth (English Niepolitan sixth) – Neapolitan sixth
Near the soundboard with an appropriately shaped wooden(if possible metal) stik (eng. nie de soundbood uid en epróupriitli shaped výden [if pósable metal] stick) – [wipe along the harp strings] near a specially made wooden deck, and if possible, metal. wand [Bartok. Concerto for orchestra]
Nebendreiklang (German nebendráiklang) – side triad (II, III, VI, VII steps.)
Nebennote (German nebennote) – auxiliary note
Nebensatz (German nebenzatz), Nebenthema (nebentema) – side part
Nebenseptimenakkord (German . nebenseptimenaccord) – side seventh chord
Nebentonarten (German nebentonarten) – side keys
Nécessaire (French nesesser) – Necessario(it. nechessario) – the necessary
Neck (eng. neck) – the neck of the bowed instrument
Neckisch (German nekish) – defiantly, derisively
Negli (it. nelly) – the preposition in in conjunction with the masculine plural definite article – in, on, to
Négligé (French neglige), négligent (neglizhán), négligente (It. negligente), Negligentemente (neglidzhentemente) – negligent, careless
Negro spirituals (English nigrow spirituals) – Negro, spiritual songs [in the USA]
Nehmen (German neimen) – take [another instrument]
Nei (it. nei) – preposition in in conn. with def. masculine plural article – in, on, to
Nel(it. nel) – preposition in in conn. with def. the masculine singular article – in, on, to
Nell (it. Nell) – the preposition in in the conjunct. with def. article masculine, feminine singular – in, on, to
Nella (it. Nella) – preposition in in conn. with def. the singular feminine article – in, on, to
Nelle (it. Nelle) – the preposition in in the conn. with def. the feminine plural article – in, on, to
Nello (it. Nello) – the preposition in in the conn. with def. the singular masculine article – in, on, to
Nel tempo (It. Nel tempo) – to the beat, the pace
of Nenia (lat., It. nenia), Nenies (French neni) – the funeral song of
Neo(gr. neo) – a prefix in front of the word, means “new”
Nera (it. nera) – 1/4 (note); literally, black
Nerveux (French nerve), Nervoso (it. nervbzo) – nervously, irritably
Net (fr. ne), Nettement (netman), Netto (it. netto) – clear, distinct, pure
Neu (German Noah) – new
Neue (noye) – new, new
Neuma (Greek neuma), Neumae (lat. neume), Neumen (German neumen), Neumes (French nem) – neumes; 1) melismatic. embellishments in Gregorian chant; 2) musical notation of the beginning cf. centuries
Neuvième (fr. nevyem) – nona
New(eng. new) – new
New Orleans jazz (eng. new olians jazz) – one of the earliest styles of jazz, art (originated in New Orleans – USA)
New thing (eng. new tin) – a general designation of new trends in jazz art late 50s-60s; literally, a new business
Nicht (German nicht) – no, no
Nicht Bogen abziehen (German nicht bógen ábtsien) – without taking away the bow
Nicht eilen (German nicht Ailen) – do not rush
Nicht lange ausgehalten (German nicht lánge ausgehalten) – hold for a short time [refers to fermato or pause]
Nicht schleppen (German nicht schleppen) – do not pull, do not tighten
Nicht teilen(German nicht tailen) – do not divide (perform without dividing into parties)
Nicht zu geschwind, angenehm und mit viel Empfindung (German nicht zu geshwind, ángenem und mit fil empfindung) – not too soon, affectionately [pleasantly] and with great feeling [Beethoven. “To a distant beloved”]
Nicht zu geschwind und sehr singbar vorzutragen (German nicht zu geschwind und zer singbar fortsutragen) – perform not too soon and very melodiously [Beethoven. Sonata No. 27]
Nicht zu sehr (German nicht zu zer) – not too much; the same as non troppo
Nicht zu schnell (nicht zu schnell) – not too soon
Niederdrücken (German Niederdruken) – press
Niederschlag (German Niederschlag) – the movement of the conductor’s baton down
Niente(it. niente) – nothing, nothing; quasi niente (kuazi niente) – nullifying
Nimmt (German nimt) – take; for example, Nimmt B-Klarinette – an instruction to the performer to take the clarinet in B
Ninna-nanna ( It. Ninna-nanna) – Ninth lullaby (
English Náints ) . clean, clear, transparent No (it. but, eng. nou) – no Nobile (it. nobile), con nobilitá (con nobility), Nobilmente (nobilmente) – nobly, with the dignity of Noble (fr. Noble), Noblement
(nobleman) – nobly, with dignity
Noch (German noh) – still
Noch einmal (noh áinmal) – again
Noch einmal so langsam (German noh áinmal zo lángzam) – twice as slow as
Noch starker werden (German noh shterker verden) – even stronger [Mahler. Symphony No. 5]
Nocturne (French nocturne, English nocten) – Nocturne
No definite pitch (English nou definite pitch) – indefinite pitch
Noël (French Noel) – Christmas carol
Noire (French noir) – 1/4 ( note); literally, black
Non (it. non) – not
Non (fr. non) – not, no
Non difficile (it. non diffichile) – easy to perform
Non divisi (it. non divisi) – not separately (perform without dividing into parts)
Non legato (it. non legato) – not connected
Non molto (it. non mólto) – not very
Non tanto (it. non tanto), Non troppo (non troppo) – not too
Nona (it. nona), None (German none) – nona
Nonchalamment (French nonshalyamán), Nonchalant (nonshalyan) – carelessly, carelessly
Nonenakkord (German nonenakkord) – nonaccord
Nonett (German. nonet), Nonetto (it. nonetto) – nonet
Normalton (German normallton) – normally tuned tone
Not(English note) – not, no, not
Nota (lat., It. note), Note (French note, English note), Note (German note) – note
Nota cambiata (It. note cambiata) – cambiata
Nota contra notam (lat. note counter note) – a type of counterpoint; Literally, a note against a note
Nota quadrata ( lat . nota quadrata) – a note of an old letter
Nota sensibile (it. nota sensibile) – a lower introductory tone (VII stup.)
Nota sostenuta (it. ), Notation (French notation, English notation), Notazione (Italian notation) – Notation gregoriènne notation
(French notation gregorien) – Gregorian notation
Notation proportionnelle (French notation proportionnelle) – mensural notation
Note d’appogiature (French note d’apogyatyur) – cambiata
Note di passagio (Italian note di passajo); Notes de passage (French note de passage) – passing notes
Notendruck (German notendruk) – notation printing
Notenkopf (German notenkopf) – Notenlinien note head
( German notenlinien) –
Notenpult stave (German notenpult) – music stand
Notenschlüssel (German . notenshlussel) – key
Notenschrift (German notenshrift) –
Notenschwanz notation(German notenschwanz) – note
stem Notenzeichen (German notentsaihen) – note sign
Note sensible (French note sansible) – lower introductory tone (VII steps)
Note superflue (French note superflue) – auxiliary note
Notierung (German notirung ) – notation
Notturno (it. nottýrno) – nocturne
Nouveau (fr. nouveau), Nouvel (nouvelle) – new
Nouvelle (fr. nouvelle) – 1) new; 2) short story
Novel (English novel) – 1) short story; 2) novel; 3) new
Novella (Italian novella), Novelle (German novella) – novel
Novelletta (Italian novelletta), Novellette(French novellet), Novellette (German novelette) – novellet
Novemole (German novele) – new mol
Novo (it. new), nuovo (nuóvo) – new; di nuovo (di nuóvo) – again; and nuovo (and nuóvo) – again
Nuance (French nuance) – nuance, shade
Nur (German Nur) – only
Nut (English nat) – threshold in a string instrument