5 Improvisations Op. 148

Amy Beach

Indications instructing the player to put special emphasis on notes.

Accents

Sharps, flats and naturals that do not appear in a key signature.

Accidentals

Two notes played together, usually in one hand but sometimes in both, whose distance is the interval of a octave.

Blocked Octaves

A chord comprising at least three adjacent tones in a scale.

Clusters

Notes that are either raised or lowered by two semitones.

Double Accidentals

Hand positions that require stretching beyond a five finger scale; usually to play intervals that are 6ths or greater.

Extended Hand Positions

More than key signature used in a single piece or movement.

Key Signature Changes

A technique that involves quickly shifting hands beyond an octave.

Leaps Greater Than an Octave

Symbols that indicate playing a note or range of notes either an octave higher or lower than notated.

Octave Higher or Octave Lower

A series of blocked octaves that are played one hand at a time and where both notes move up or down in parallel motion.

Parallel Octaves

A type of articulation indicating to the player that a given note should be held for its full value or slightly more.

Tenuto

A series of blocked chords played simultaneously with both hands.

Blocked Double Chords

A series of blocked octaves that are played one hand at a time and where both notes move up or down in parallel motion using predominantly 8th note rhythms.

8th Note Parallel Octaves

More than one clef used in a staff in a single piece or movement.

Clef Changes

A four note chord consisting of a triad and a note that is a seventh (of any quality) above the root.

Seventh Chords

Chords with alternate ordering of their tones where the root is placed either in the middle or at the top of the chord.

Chord Inversions

An indication instructing the player to play extremely loudly; louder than fortissimo.

Fortississimo

An indication instructing the player to play loudly.

Forte

An indication instructing the player to play extremely softly; softer than pianissimo.

Pianississimo

The use of notes not in the prevailing mode or diatonic scale of a piece.

Chromaticism

Intervals and chords played in one hand that require significant stretching between at least two notes and where the outer intervals reach further than an octave.

Largo maestoso Op. 148, No. 5

Amy Beach

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