Composers & Instruments
This classical era composer wrote over 600 works, began composing at the age of 5, and is known for composing the children’s song “Twinkle Twinkle, Little Star.”
Mozart
This note gets only one beat in 4/4 time.
Quarter note
This symbol is used to notate pitches in music.
The staff
This Italian word means “becoming gradually slower.”
Ritardnando or Ritard
Choose treble or bass: this note is on the bottom line of the staff.
This Baroque woodwind instrument was popular in Medieval times and is often played in elementary school classrooms.
Recorder (flute)
This note gets two beats in 4/4 time.
Half note
This symbol means to lower the note by one half step.
Flat
This Italian word means “cheerful, quick, or fast.”
Allegro
Choose treble or bass: this note is on the second space of the staff.
A or C
This German composer wrote music in the Romantic era and continued to compose even after becoming completely deaf.
Beethoven
This note gets three beats in 4/4 time.
Dotted half note
This symbol means to get gradually softer.
Decrescendo
This French word means “the position and shape of the mouth of a wind player.”
Choose treble or bass: this note is on the top line of the staff.
F or A
This keyboard instrument preceded the piano; sound is produced by plucking the strings instead of striking them. It was widely used in Renaissance and Baroque music.
Harpsichord
This note gets half of a beat in 4/4 time.
Eighth note
This symbol means to play the notes separated.
Staccato
This Italian word means “medium loud”.
Mezzo forte - mf
Choose treble or bass: this note is on the space at the very top of the staff, above the fifth line.
G or B
On Christmas Eve during WW!, a “Christmas Truce” occurred in which both German and American soldiers ceased fighting and joined together to sing this song.
Silent Night
This note gets one and a half beats in 4/4 time.
Dotted quarter note
This symbol tells how many beats are in a measure and which note gets the beat.
Time signature
These Italian words mean “to return to the original tempo, or speed.”
A tempo
Choose treble or bass: this note is on the space at the very bottom of the staff, below the first line.
D or F