Music Abbreviations

What is Music?

Music is the combination of rhythm, harmony and melody, in a way that is pleasant to the ear. In the broad sense it is the temporal organization of sounds and silences (pauses). In the strict sense, it is the art of coordinating and transmitting harmonious and aesthetically valid sound effects, which can be transmitted through the voice or musical instruments.

Music is an artistic and cultural manifestation of a people, at a certain time or region. Music is a vehicle used to express feelings.

Music has evolved over the centuries, resulting in a wide variety of musical genres, including sacred or religious, erudite or classical, popular and traditional or folk music. Each of the music genres has a number of sub-genres and styles.

Main musical genres

Classical or classical music

Classical or classical music is well-crafted music that strays from popular traditions. It is a cultured music, characterized by symmetry and sound balance. It had its origin in the need to increase the expressive power of melodies in religious services.

Classical or classical music is characterized by refined and pleasant music, presented in an instrumental way, which reached its apex with the great geniuses of music, among them Handel, Bach, Haydn, Mozar and Beethoven.

The expression “classical music” came to be used to represent the musical evolution in the 19th century, called the golden age, of the great composers.

Opera

Opera is a dramatic work in which theater, music and poetry complement each other. Opera is a dramatic theatrical genre, performed along with instrumental music and singing, in which a soloist stands out, represented by singers with vocal timbres ranging from the highest to the lowest.

The opera is staged with elements of the theater, such as plot, choreography and characteristic costume, in conjunction with instrumental music and singing.

Opera is the plural of opus, which in Latin means work of art. Opera originated in Italy, and is usually performed in Latin or Italian.

Popular music

Popular music is the one that has a predominantly romantic, young, dancing lyrics with easy to memorize choruses. Rock was one of the most successful genres of popular music, followed by romantic music.

Brazilian popular music was influenced by several schools, including João Gilberto’s, with its technical precision and restrained interpretation, and Elis Regina’s school, with sentimental interpretation, in which emotion matters more than technique. Michael Jackson and Madonna served as parameters for American pop and for a large number of followers.

Popular music sung by big names in showbiz, with soft melodies and dancing rhythms, has taken root in urban youth culture, has become a commercial success and is one of the most successful genres of contemporary music.

Traditional music

Traditional or folk music is music that symbolizes the traditions and customs of a people, passed on from generation to generation, as part of the values and identity of a people. Traditional music represents the beliefs and traditions of a particular region.

Much of folk music has lyrics that are easy to remember and are linked to festivities, involving typical dances of a particular culture.

Traditional or folk music is closely linked to popular music. Fado, tango, samba, frevo, forró, viola music, country music, maracatu, reggae, blues, among others, have been perpetuated and many of them have a great influence on modern music.

List of Acronyms Related to Music