| Sacbut, Sackbut, Sagbut | early form of trombone |
| Saccadé | (French) Sharply accented |
| Sacre rappresentazioni | (Italian) an precursor of the opera form, in particular, a sacred drama with music |
| Saeta | an unaccompanied Spanish folk song |
| Sainete (Sp.), Saynète (Fr.) | Spanish musical farce |
| Salmo | (Italian) psalm |
| Saltando, Saltato | (Italian) playing with a bouncing bow, spiccato |
| Saltarello | a dance not unlike the galliard with simple triple and compound duple rhythms |
| Samisen | a Japanese 3-stringed instrument played with a plectrum |
| Sammlung | (German) collection |
| Sämtlich | (German) complete, collected |
| Sanctus | (Latin) holy |
| Sanft, Sanftmütig | (German) soft, gentle, gently |
| Sans | (French) without |
| Sarabande, Saraband | a dignified, steady dance usually in triple time |
| Sardana | the Catalonian national dance |
| Sarrusophone | a family of double-reed instruments made of brass |
| Sassofone | (Italian) saxophone |
| S.A.T.B. | short for 'soprano, alto, tenor, bass' |
| Satz | (German) movement, theme or subject, phrase, composition or piece, texture, style |
| Saudades | (Portuguese) sadness associated with a longing for times past |
| Sautillé | (French) spiccato, the bouncing of the bow on a stringed instrument |
| Saxhorn | a family of brass instruments invented by Adolph Sax similar to the flügelhorn family and to the Italian flicorni |
| Saxofonia (It.), Saxofono (It.), Saxofon (Ger.) | saxophone |
| Sbalzo, Sbaltzato | (Italian) play with a sense of impetuosity |
| Scacciapensieri | (Italian) Jew's harp |
| Scampanata | (Italian) unsophisticated extemporised music, chiarvari |
| Scat Song | a barely musical song using nonsense words much in vogue in the 1930's |
| Scemando | (Italian) diminishing the volume of tone |
| Schale, Schalen or Schallbecken | (German) cymbal, cymbals |
| Schalkhaft | (German) roguish |
| Scharf | (German) emphatically, definitely, precisely, sharply |
| Schärfe | (German) sharpness, definiteness, precision |
| Schaurig, Schauerig, Schauerlich | (German) ghastly, gruesome |
| Schelle, Schellen | (German) bell, bells |
| Schellengeläute | (German) sleigh-bells |
| Schellentrommel | (German) tambourine |
| Schelmisch | (German) roguish |
| Scherz | (German) fun, joke |
| Scherzando, Scherzante, Scherzevole, Scherzevolmente | (Italian) jokingly, playfully |
| Scherzare | (Italian) to joke |
| Scherzetto, Scherzino | (Italian) a little scherzo |
| Scherzo | (Italian) a joke, a vocal work by Monteverdi, a piece played between two performances of a minuet - i.e. 'minuet - scherzo - minuet', a movement of a symphony, a work for solo piano |
| Scherzoso, Scherzosamente | (Italian) playful, playfully |
| Schietto | (Italian) sincere, plain - in the sense 'unadorned' |
| Schlacht | (German) battle |
| Schlag | (German) stroke, blow |
| Schlägel | (German) drumstick |
| Schlagen | (German) to strike |
| Schlaginstrumente | (German) percussion instrument |
| Schlangenrohr | (German) serpent |
| Schleifer | an ornament used to fill in the interval between two notes |
| Schleppend, Nicht | (German) do not drag |
| Schlummerlied | (German) slumber song |
| Schluss | (German) end, conclusion |
| Schmachtend | (German) languishing |
| Schmeichelnd | (German) coaxingly |
| Schmelzend | (German) dying away |
| Schmerz | (German) pain, sorrow |
| Schmerzlich, Schmerzhaft, Schmerzvoll | (German) painful, sorrowful |
| Schmetternd | (German) a strongly blown stopped horn |
| Schnarre | (German) snare drum |
| Schneidend | (German) defining |
| Schnell, Schneller | (German) quick, quicker |
| Schnelligkeit | (German) speed |
| Schofar, Shofar, Shophar | synagogue horn |
| Schottische, Schottisch | (German) Scottish |
| Schrittmässig, Schrittweise | (German) andante |
| Schüchtern | (German) shy |
| Schütteln | (German) to shake |
| Schwach, Schwächen, Schwächer | (German) 'weak' or 'soft', 'to weaken' or 'to soften', 'weaken' or 'soften' |
| Schwankend | (German) swaying |
| Schwebung | (German) the beating between two notes slightly out of tune with one another, difference tone |
| Schweigen, Schweigt, Schweigezeichen | (German) silence, tacet, rest |
| Schwellen, Schweller, Schwellkasten, Schwellwerk | (German) crescendo, swell of an organ, the swell box, the swell organ |
| Schwer | (German) heavy, difficult
|
| Schwermütig, Schwermutsvoll | (German) heavy-hearted |
| Schwinden | (German) diminuendo |
| Schwung | (German) swing |
| Schwungvoll | (German) full of vigour |
| Scintillante | (Italian) sparkling |
| Sciolto, Scioltamente | (Italian) freely, loosely |
| Scivolando | (Italian) glissando |
| Scordato, Scordatura | (Italian) to tune a stringed instrument in a non-standard manner |
| Scorrendo, Scorrevole | (Italian) glissando, in a flowing manner |
| Scozzese | (Italian) Scottish |
| Scucito | (Italian) disconnected |
| Sdegno, Sdegnante, Sdegnoso, Sdegnosamente | (Italian) disdain, disdaining, disdainful, disdainfully |
| Sdrucciolando | (Italian) glissando |
| Se | (Italian) if |
| Sec, Sèche | (French) dry, crisp |
| Sécheresse | (French) dryness |
| Secco | (Italian) staccato |
| Sechs | (German) six |
| Sechzehntel, Sechzehntelnote | (German) semiquver, a sixteenth-note |
| Secondando | (Italian) colla voce |
| Secondo, Seconda, Secondi, Seconde | (Italian) second |
| Selák | Furiant |
| Seele | (German) feeling |
| Seele, Seelenvoll | (German) sound-post (of a stringed instrument) |
| Segno | (Italian) sign |
| Segue | (Italian) follows |
| Seguente, Seguendo | (Italian) following |
| Seguidilla | old Spanish dance in simple triple time which features vocal passages from the performers |
| Sehnsucht | (German) longing |
| Sehr | (German) very, much |
| Sei | (Italian) six |
| Seite | (German) side |
| Semibiscroma | (Italian) hemidemisemiquaver, sixty-fourth note |
| Semibreve | a whole note |
| Semicroma | (Italian) semiquaver, a sixteenth-note |
| Semidemisemiquaver | hemidemisemiquaver, a sixty-fourth note |
| Semiminima | (Italian) crotchet, a quarter-note |
| Semiquaver | a sixteenth-note |
| Semitone | half the interval of a tone |
| Semplice, Semplicità | (Italian) simple, simplicity |
| Semplicemente, Semplicissimo | (Italian) simply, extremely simple |
| Sempre | (Italian) always |
| Sensibile, Sensibilità | (Italian) sensitive, sensitiveness |
| Sentito | (Italian) felt |
| Senza | (Italian) without |
| Senza sordino, Senza sordina, Senza sordini | (Italian) unmuted |
| Separé | (French) uncoupled |
| Sept | (French) seven |
| Septet (Eng.), Septette or Septuor (Fr.), Settimino or Septetto (It.), Septett (Ger.) | a group of seven instrumentalists, a work written for a group such as this to perform |
| Septième | (French) seventh |
| Serenade | music properly played or sung under a lady's window in the evening |
| Serenata | a dramatic cantata, a work for wind-band |
| Serenatella | (Italian) diminutive of Serenata |
| Sereno, Serenità | (Italian) serene, serenity |
| Seriamente | (Italian) seriously |
| Sérieux, Sérieuse | (French) serious |
| Serio, Seria, Serioso, Seriosa | (Italian) serious |
| Seriosamente | (Italian) seriously |
| Serrando or Serrato (It.), Serrant or Serré (Fr.) | getting faster |
| Sette | (Italian) seven |
| Seufzend | (German) sighing |
| Seul, Seule, Seuls, Seules | (French) alone |
| Severo, Severamente | (Italian) severe, severely |
| Sevillana | a seguidilla from Seville |
| Sextet (Eng.), Sextette or Sextuor (Fr.), Sestetto (It.), Sextett (Ger.) | a group of six instrumentalists, a peice of music written for such a group to play |
| Sfogato | (Italian) light and easy style |
| Sfoggiando | (Italian) flauntingly, ostentatiously |
| Sforzando, Sforzato | (Italian) strongly accented |
| Sgambato | (Italian) in a weary style |
| Shanty (or Chanty) | a working sea-song |
| Sharp | a sign to show that a note should be raised one semitone in pitch, a term applied to a note above its expected pitch |
| Shawm | an antique family of double-reed instruments |
| Sich | (German) oneself, himself, herself, itself, themselves |
| Siciliano (It.), Sicilienne (Fr.) | a dance of Sicilian origin in compound duple or quadruple time with a swaying rhythm |
| Sieben | (German) seven |
| Sieg | (German) victory |
| Sifflöte | (German) a high-pitched (2 ft., 1 ft.) organ stop |
| Silenzio | (Italian) silence |
| Simile, Simili | (Italian) similar |
| Simplement | (French) simply, in a simple manner |
| Sinfonico, Sinfonica | (Italian) symphonic |
| Sinfonietta | (Italian) a small-scale symphony |
| Singbar | (German) singable, in a singing style |
| Singend | (German) singing |
| Singhiozzando | (Italian) sobbingly |
| Singspiel | (German) an opera including spoken dialogue |
| Sinistra | (Italian) left hand |
| Sino, Sin' | (Italian) until |
| Sivigliano, Sivigliana | (Italian) in the style of Seville |
| Six, Sixième | (French) six,sixth |
| Six, The | a group of French composers whoese members were Durey, Honegger, Milhaud, Tailleferre, Auric and Poulenc |
| Sixteenth-note | semiquaver |
| Sixty-fourth-note | hemidemisemiquaver |
| Skizze, Skizzen | (German) sketch, sketches |
| Slancio | (Italian) impetuosity |
| Slargando, Slargandosi | (Italian) rallentando |
| Slegato | (Italian) un-legato |
| Slentando | (Italian) rallentando |
| Smania | (Italian) craze, frenzy |
| Sminuendo, Sminuito | (Italian) diminishing, diminished |
| Smorfioso | (Italian) mincing, affected |
| Smorzando | (Italian) gradually dying away |
| Snello, Snellamente | (Italian) nimble, nimbly |
| So | (German) as, so |
| Soave, Soavità | (Italian) suave or gentle, suavity or gentleness |
| Soavemente | (Italian) suavely |
| Sobald | (German) so soon as, should |
| Soeben | (German) just, barely, a moment ago |
| Sofort | (German) immediately |
| Soggetto | (Italian) subject |
| Sogleich | (German) immediately |
| Sola, Solo | (Italian) solo |
| Soldatenzug | (German) soldier's procession |
| Soldatenmarsch | (German) soldier's march |
| Soleá (plural), Soleares | a folk song of Andalucia |
| Solemnis, Solennis | (Latin) solemn |
| Solenne, Solennemente, Solennità | (Italian) solemn, solemnly, solemnity |
| Solennel, Solennelle | (French) solemn |
| Solennellement | (French) solemnly |
| Soli | (Italian) alone |
| Solito | (Italian) usual e.g. 'al solito' meaning 'as usual' |
| Sollecitando | (Italian) hastening forward |
| Sollecito | (Italian) eager |
| Soltanto | (Italian) solely |
| Sombre | (French) dark, melancholy |
| Sommesso | (Italian) subdued |
| Sommo, Somma | (Italian) utmost |
| Son, Sons | (French) sound, sounds |
| Sonara | (Italian) to sound, to play, to resonate |
| Sonata | instrumental music |
| Sonate | (German) sonata |
| Sonatina | (Italian) diminutive of sonata |
| Sonevole | (Italian) sonorous, resonant |
| Sonnerie | (French) sounding |
| Sonore (Fr.), Sonoro (It.) | sonorous |
| Sonorité (Fr.) or Sonorità (It.), Sonoramente (It.) | sonority, sonorously |
| Sons bouchés | (French) stopped notes from the horn |
| Sopra | (Italian) on, above |
| Sopran (Ger.), Soprano or Soprana (It.) | soprano, the highest voice |
| Sordina or Sordino, Sordini | (Italian) mutes |
| Sorgfalt | (German) care |
| Sortie | (French) exit, departure |
| Sospirando, Sospirante, Sospirevole, Sospiroso | (Italian) sighing, plaintive |
| Sostenendo or Sostenente, Sostenuto | (Italian) sustaining, sustained |
| Sotto voce | (Italian) under one's breath, in lowered tones |
| Soudainement | (French) suddenly |
| Soupirant | (French) sighing |
| Souple | (French) flexible, supple |
| Sourd, Sourde | (French) muffled |
| Sourdine | (French) mute |
| Sous | (French) under |
| Sousedska | a slow Bohemian peasant dance in simple triple time |
| Soutenu | (French) sustained |
| Spagnoletto, Spagnoletta, Spagniletta, Spagnicoletta | a round dance related to the Pavan |
| Spandendo | (Italian) expanding, getting more powerful |
| Sparta, Sparto, Spartita, Spartito | (Italian) score |
| Spass, Spasshaft | (German) joke, jocular |
| Spassapensieri | (Italian) Jew's harp |
| Später | (German) later |
| Spediendo | (Italian) speeding, hurrying |
| Sperdendosi | (Italian) fading away |
| Spianato, Spianata | (Italian) level, smoothed, even |
| Spiccato | (Italian) a form of staccato bowing in which the bow is bounced on the string while the bow-stroke is restricted to allow the performer to produce rapid notes |
| Spiegando | (Italian) becoming louder |
| Spiel, Spielen | (German) play, to play |
| Spielend | (German) playing, playful |
| Spinnlied | (German) spinning song |
| Spirante | (Italian) dying away |
| Spirito | (Italian) spirit, vigour |
| Spiritoso, Spiritosamente | (Italian) spirited, spriritedly |
| Spitze | (German) point or tip of a bow |
| Spitzig | (German) pointed, cutting |
| Spöttisch | (German) mocking |
| Sprechend | (German) speaking |
| Springar | a Norwegian dance for two people |
| Springdans | a Norwegian dance in simple triple time |
| Springend | (German) springing, bouncing |
| Squillante, Squillanti | (Italian) cymbals to be suspended and struck with drumsticks |
| Stäbchen | (German) beater for the triangle |
| Stabile | (Italian) steady, firm |
| Staccato | (Italian) detached |
| Ständchen | (German) serenade |
| Standhaft, Standhaftigkeit | (German) firm, firmness |
| Stark, Stäker | (German) strong or loud, stronger or louder |
| Statt | (German) instead of |
| Steg | (German) bridge |
| Stelle, Stellen | (German) place, places |
| Stendendo | (Italian) rallentando |
| Stentare | (Italian) to play in a laborious manner |
| Sterbend | (German) dying away |
| Steso | (Italian) slow |
| Stesso, steea, stessi, stesse | (Italian) same |
| Stets | (German) steadily, always |
| Stierhorn | (German) cow-horn |
| Still | (German) quiet, calm |
| Stimme | (German) the human voice, sound-post of a violin, an organ stop |
| Stimmen | (German) to tune |
| Stimmflöte, Stimmhorn, Stimmpfeife | (German) pitch pipe |
| Stimmgabel | (German) tuning fork |
| Stimmung | (German) tuning, mood |
| Stinguendo | (Italian) fading away |
| Stirando, Stirato, Stiracchiando, Stiracchiato | (Italian) ritardando |
| Stockend | (German) slackening the time gradually |
| Stornello | a Tuscan folk-song |
| Stracciacalando | (Italian) prattling |
| Straccinato | (Italian) ritardando |
| Straff, Straffer | (German) strict, stricter - also used in reference to the tightness of a drum head |
| Straffando, Straffato | (Italian) throwing off, thrown off |
| Strascicando, Strascinando, Strascinato | (Italian) heavy slurring, singing portamento |
| Strathspey | a slow Scottish dance, often coupled with the quick reel |
| Stravagante | (Italian) extravagant, fantastic |
| Straziante | (Italian) tearing |
| Streich | (German) stroke |
| Streng | (German) strict |
| Strepito, Strepitoso, Strepitosamente | (Italian) noise, noisy, noisily |
| Stretto | (Italian) accelerated, brought together |
| Strich | (German) stroke |
| Strimpellata | (Italian) strumming, scraping |
| Stringendo | (Italian) squeezing together, accelerando |
| Strisciando, Strisciato | (Italian) smooth, slurred, glissando |
| Strohfiedel | (German) xylophone |
| Stromento, Stromenti | (Italian) instrument, instruments |
| Strumento, Strumenti | (Italian) instrument, instruments |
| Stück | (German) piece |
| Stürmend, Stürmisch | (German) stormy, passionate |
| Su, Sull', Sulla, Sui, Sugli, Sulle | (Italian) on, near, up |
| Suave, Suatità | (Italian) suave, suavity |
| Subito | (Italian) suddenly |
| Sugli, Sui (plural form) | (Italian) on the |
| Suivez | (French) follow |
| Sulla tastiera | (Italian) on the fingerboard |
| Summend | (German) humming |
| Suo | (Italian) its own |
| Suono, Suoni | (Italian) sound, sounds |
| Superbo, Superba | (Italian) proud |
| Suppliant (Fr.) or Supplichevole (It.), Supplichevolmente(It.) | supplicating, supplicatingly |
| Supprimez | (French) put stop out of action, suppress |
| Sur | (French) on, over |
| Sur la touche | (French) on the fingerboard |
| Sur le chevalet | (French) on the bridge |
| Surtout | (French) above all, especially |
| Süss | (German) sweet |
| Susurrando, Sussurrante | (Italian) whispering |
| Svegliando, Svegliato | (Italian) brisk, alert |
| Svelto | (Italian) smart, quick |
| Svolgimento | (Italian) development |
| Symphonique (Fr.), Symphonisch (Ger.) | symphonic |
| Syrinx | pan-pipes |
| Syvspring | a popular dance from Jutland |
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