Pitch, texture and timbre

The following glossary covers some of the most important musical features of the Romantic period.

Pitch

• Modulation: moving from one key to another.
• Modes: now came back into use, particularly in music drawing on folk traditions.
• Register: the pitch range of an instrument. Extremes of pitch were now being used, made possible by advances in instrument making and playing techniques.

Texture

• Symphony orchestra: Typically consisted of strings (up to 60 violins, violas, cellos and double basses), woodwind (piccolo, 3 flutes, 3 oboes, cor anglais, 2 clarinets, high clarinet, bass clarinet, 3 bassoons and a double bassoon), brass and percussion.

Timbre

• Glissando: sliding quickly over adjacent notes.
• Flutter tonguing: a way of blowing an instrument, usually the flute, that has the effect of very fast trilling.
• Arco: bowing a stringed instrument.
• Pizzicato (pizz): plucked strings.
• Tremolando (tremolo or trem): literally means trembling.
• Ponticello (pont): draw bow across string very close to the bridge on a stringed instrument.
• Sotto voce: very softly, lliterally under the breath.