Hemiola:  The term applied to time values in the ration of 3:2, e.g. three half notes in place of two dotted half notes.

Homophony, Homophonic:  Musical texture which is characterized by chordal support of a melodic line.

Instrument:  Any device that produces a musical sound.

Instrumentation:  The art of composing, orchestrating, or arranging for an instrumental ensemble.

Interval:  The difference in pitch between two tones.

Inversion:  As applied to music the term may be used in both melody and harmony. Melodic inversion: an exchange of ascending and descending movement, e.g. c up to f in descending becomes c down to g. Harmonic inversion: the position of the chord is changed from root position (root on the lowest pitch) to first inversion, with the third, or second inversion, with the fifth in the lowest voice. An example: root position c-e-g; first inversion e-g-c; second inversion g-c-e.

Ironico:  Ironical.

Key signature:  The sharps or flats placed at the beginning of the staff to denote the scale upon which the music is based.

La:  In solmization, the sixth degree of the major scale. Also, the first degree of the relative minor scale, e.g. a is the sixth degree, or la, in the C major scale and the first degree of the a-minor scale.

Lacrimoso:  Tearful, mournful.

Lamento:  Mournful, sad.

Langsam:  Slow.

Largamente:  Broadly.

Larghetto:  A little faster than Largo

Larghetto:  Slower than largo.

Largo:  Very slow.

Largo, Lento:  Slow

Leading tone:  The seventh degree of the major scale, so called because of its strong tendency to resolve upward to the tonic.

Ledger lines:  Short lines placed above and below the staff for pitches beyond the range of the staff.

Legato:  Smooth, connected.

Leggiero:  Light; graceful.

Lento:  Slow; slightly faster than largo, slower than adagio.