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Music Terms Glossary - L
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

largo; larghetto Very slow tempo; less slow than largo.

legato The smooth, seamless connection of adjacent notes in a melody.

Leitmotiv A term adopted by Wagner's disciples to designate the "leading motives" in his operas.

libretto A "little book" that contains the complete text of an opera, oratorio, and so forth.

Lied (German, "song") A vocal piece dating back to the polyphonic Lied of the fourteenth century. The solo German Lied, accompanied by piano, reached its zenith during the nineteenth century.

line A general term for a discrete voice or part in a vocal or instrumental composition.

liturgical drama A sung religious dialogue that flourished during the eleventh and twelfth centuries. Liturgical in spirit even when performed outside the formal liturgy, liturgical dramas were the most elaborate form of medieval music.

lyre An ancient plucked string instrument in the shape of a box (Figure 5. 1), whose association with music especially with the mythological character Orpheus) is so strong that the word lyric is derived from it.

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