Here are are several musical terms with definitions which you may make your understanding of music easier.
Pizzacato – literally “Cat Pizza†Anchovies optional.
Ritard – well … the bass section, mostly.
Mode – a key, reflecting a particular emotion. As in “I can’t sing that. I’m not in the mode.â€
Parallel Organum – A method of musical gratification frowned on by early church fathers.
Obligato – a high pitched turkey call. Usually heard in the wild as “obblegobbleâ€.
Faggott – a bassoon. Yes, a bassoon.
Camerata – a small camera.
Cantata – a small can.
Sonata – a small son.
Prelude – a small Japanese car.
Glockenspiel – a dark German beer. As in “Hey, Jim-Bob, throw me another Glockenspiel!â€
Homophony – an irrational fear of bassoons.
Letcher Lines – “Hey baby, what’s your sign? Come to choir practice often?â€
Libretto – a soprano born in September. Usually highly compatible with a Saggitario. (See Letcher Lines)
Minuette – roughly 52 seconds.
Rubato – a reddish-brown vegetable found on cat-pizzas.
Tonic – What is generally enjoyed over ice after choir rehearsal.
Dominant – In a choral relationship, usually the alto.
Euphonium – A choir invitation. If they won’t answer your letters, euphonium.
Augmentation – Special surgery for sopranos involving the implantation of falsettos.
Basso Obstinato – recurring wrong notes in the bass section.
Incomplete Cadence – harmonius interruptus.
Metronome – small elves which live in the London subway system.
Basso Continuo – When the director can’t get them to stop.
Score – Sopranos 3, Tenors 0.
Riff – What happens when someone takes your choir robe.
Contralto – An alto who has been convicted.
Polychoral Motet – Six parrots singing “Cantate Domino.”
Aleatoric (Chance) Music – Music performed by the random selection of pitches and rhythms. Frequently found in the choir anthem.
Castrato – The highest male voice (some alteration required.)
Étude – A sneeze on pitch.
Concerto Grosso – A “Polka” Mass.
Glissando – What directly precedes the highest note of a descant.
Leitmotif – Like a regular motif, but less filling.
Polonaise – A condiment frequently put on a parrot sandwich.
Recapitulation – What usually happens after you eat a parrot sandwich.
Rondo – A popular sixties song as in “Help, help me, Rondo.”
Theme – “We hate this song.”
Theme and Variations – “We hate this song, the composer and all of the composer’s relatives.”
Sectional Harassment Lawsuit – What happens when the director suggests that the altos “Sing from their diaphragms.”
So, as you can clearly tell, music is a very difficult and complex subject which requires years and years of careful study.
Learn these definitions. They’ll be on the test. 
