Virginia Tech Multimedia Music Dictionary

Abstract

Virginia Tech Multimedia Music Dictionary. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. http://www.music .vt.edu/musicdictionary/ (Accessed May-December 2008). [Requires Web browser and an Internet connection. Sound and video adjuncts may require media player.] The Virginia Tech Multimedia Music Dictionary (VTMMD) is very respectable music dictionary of terms with the helpful addition of sound samples of the pronunciation of terms. The credits section of the dictionary lists over twenty people who have contributed to the project, led by co-editors Richard Cole and Ed Schwartz, of (respectively) the music and technology departments at Virginia Tech. The dictionary of several thousand words concentrates on terminology. There are no entries for persons or places, although many instruments are represented, and there are few anomalies such as American nationalism: Music celebrating the United States of America through the use of patriotic and programatic devices. For the most part, though, the headings here are those one might find in good pocket dictionary of musical terms. The dictionary is updated frequently, and the last two years of updates are tracked on the Additions and Updates page. According to that page, there were 248 new or updated entries in 2008, between 10 January and 6 November. The definitions are very concise, with few running longer than couple of sentences, but they are generally accurate and helpful, if not always as complete as the Dolmetsch and Grove sources. Specialized knowledge is not generally required, and when term is defined in reference to another, the other term is often linked to in the entry. Etymology is not included, but country of origin is generally given. The definition of Mode here is itself rather brief, just three sentences, however, links to Gregorian modes and Rhythmic modes provide easy access to expanded definitions. Foreign-language words are often defined twice, once as they might be in general dictionary, with literal translation, and again with an expanded, contextual definition. For example, A punta d'arco is translated as [It., point of the bow], and then defined in context as a directive to string instrument musicians to perform the indicated passage with the tip of the bow. This definition is further enriched by photograph and very brief video example of the technique. Indeed, as its name implies, VTMMD is one of the most mediarich sources reviewed here. …