arriviste
ah-ree-VEEST´ An arriviste is a person who is just beginning to arrive on a social or artistic scene, and who may be viewed as either lacking credentials or as being […]
Foreign Origins
haute bourgeoisie
oat´ burr-zhwah-ZEE´ The haute bourgeoisie is the upper-middle class, especially in France
noblesse oblige
no-BLESS´ oh-BLEEZH´ French for ‘nobility obligates,’ the concept that high birth or rank obligates one to behave generously and honorably.
portico
POR´-tuh-coh A portico is a covered porch, usually at the front of a building, formed by a colonnade supporting an extended roof. Think of the White House, which has porticos […]
enfilade
EN´-fuh-layd An enfilade is a series of aligned internal doorways that forms a long vista when the doors are open. Enfilades were an important feature of palace architecture in the […]
loggia
LOW´-juh A loggia is a roofed porch, gallery, or hall open to the outside air on one or more sides. Loggias evolved in the Mediterranean region as open sitting rooms […]
aria
AHR´-ee-uh (traditionally ‘air’ in French and English) An aria is a short piece for solo voice, with or without accompaniment. Arias are usually light, melodic, and designed to display vocal […]
sonata
suh-NAW´-tuh (Italian, ‘sounded’ or ‘played’) A sonata is a piece of music written for one or two instruments. Sonatas are generally divided into three or four sections, or movements, which […]
cantata
kun-TAH´-tuh (Italian, ‘sung’) A cantata is a narrative piece of music, for one or more voices, usually sung to an instrumental accompaniment. Cantatas, which can be sacred or secular, usually […]
oratorio
or-uh-TOR´-ee-oh An oratorio is a large-scale cantata with a sacred theme. As such, it’s generally a narrative work (based on scripture) for voices and orchestra, similar to an opera in […]