Musical Terms - Why Are They All in Italian? (Hr. 1)

(Photo Pin / Heartlover1717)

(Photo Pin / Heartlover1717)

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Michael goes to Sunday School to learn about the origin and meaning of musical terms. Why are they all in Italian? What's the difference between legato and staccato? Why don't composers just write: "play slower, already!" if that's what they want musicians to do?

His teacher is Stephanie Martin, who teaches music at York University. She's a composer, an organist and the artistic director and conductor of Toronto's Pax Christi Chorale, an 80-voice oratorio choir.