Gesamtkunstwerk
A "total work of art" that combines multiple art forms — music, drama, poetry, visual arts — into a unified artistic experience.
In Depth
Wagner designed the Bayreuth Festspielhaus with a double proscenium arch and sunken orchestra pit, creating what he called the "mystic abyss" between audience and stage.
Related Terms
More in Form
Browse allA 32-bar song form consisting of four 8-bar sections: two statements of the theme, a contrasting bridge, and a return
The slow, meditative opening section of an Indian classical raga performance, exploring the raga without rhythm.
A palindromic musical structure that mirrors itself around a central axis, typically ABCBA
A self-contained song for a solo voice, typically in an opera or oratorio.
A period of medieval Western music from approximately 1170 to 1310, characterized by the development of early polyphony.
A musical style of the late medieval period (c. 1310–1377), notable for its rhythmic innovation and increased complexity.
A short, light piano piece, often of modest technical demands
A dramatic moment in electronic music where a deep, sub-bass frequency is suddenly introduced.