ABRSM Grade 1-5 Theory - Terms & Signs Flashcards
1
Q
fortissimo (ff)
A
very loud (-issimo means very)
2
Q
forte (f)
A
loud
3
Q
pianissimo (pp)
A
very quiet
4
Q
piano (p)
A
quiet
5
Q
mezzo piano (mp)
A
moderately quiet
6
Q
crescendo (cresc.)
A
gradually getting louder
7
Q
decrescendo (decresc.)
A
gradually getting quieter
8
Q
diminuendo (dim.)
A
gradually getting quieter
9
Q
allegro
A
quick
10
Q
allegretto
A
failry quick (not as quick as allegro)
11
Q
moderato
A
at a moderate speed
12
Q
andante
A
at a medium speed - walking speed
13
Q
adagio
A
slow
14
Q
accelerando (accel.)
A
gradually getting quicker
15
Q
rallantando (rall.)
A
gradually getting slower
16
Q
ritardando (ritard. or rit.)
A
gradually getting slower
17
Q
a tempo
A
in time (resume the original speed)
18
Q
cantabile
A
in a singing style
19
Q
da capo (D.C.)
A
repeat from the beginning
20
Q
dolce
A
sweet
21
Q
fine
A
the end (al fine = up to the end)
22
Q
legato
A
smoothly
23
Q
staccato (stacc.)
A
detached
24
Q
A
gradually getting louder (the sign for crescendo)
25
gradually getting quieter (the sign for decrescendo or diminuendo)
26
\<
over or under a note - accent the note (play with emphasis)
27
slur, perform smoothly
28
tie; hold for the value of both notes
29
staccato, detached
30
fermata; pause on the note or rest
31
metronome mark; here the number "120" tells us play at a tempo of 120 crotchet beats in a minute
32
repeat the section between the two signs. If the first sign is missing, repeat from the beginning.
33
fortepiano (***fp***)
loud, then immediately quiet
34
presto
fast (quicker than allegro)
35
vivace, vivo
lively, quick
36
lento
slow (slower than adagio)
37
largo
slow, stately (the same as or slower than lento)
38
grave
very slow, solemn
39
piÙ mosso
more movement, quicker
40
meno mosso
less movement; slower
41
ritenuto (riten., rit.)
getting slower; held back
42
con moto
with movement
43
allargando
broadening
44
dal segno (D.S.)
repeat from the sign
45
espressivo (espress.)
expressive
46
grazioso
graceful
47
alla marcia
in the style of a march
48
molto
very, much
49
non troppo
not too much
50
poco, poco a poco
a little; little by little
51
col, con
with
52
e, ed
and
53
ma
but
54
meno
less
55
piÙ
more
56
senza
without
57
strong accent (play the note with strong emphasis)
58
slightly separated
59
staccatissimo (very detached indeed)
60
give the note slight pressure
61
perform an octave higher
62
rest for the number of bars indicated
63
first-time bar (in a repeated section, play this bar the first time through)
64
second-time bar (in a repeated section, play this bar the second time through)
65
sforzando, sforzato (***sf***, ***sfz***)
forced, accented
66
andantino
slighlty faster than andante (but may also mean slightly slower) :-)
67
prestissimo
very fast
68
agitato
agitated
69
animato
animated, lively
70
con forza
with force
71
energico
energetic
72
giocoso
playful, merry
73
leggiero
light
74
maestoso
majestic
75
marcato (marc.)
emphatic, accented
76
pesante
heavy
77
risoluto
bold, strong
78
scherzando
playful, joking
79
semplice
simple, plain
80
sostenuto (sost.)
sustained
81
tranquillo
calm
82
triste, tristmente
sad, sorrowful
83
ben
well
84
prima, primo
first
85
sempre
always
86
simile
in the same way
87
subito (sub.)
suddenly
88
comodo/tempo comodo
convenient/at a comfortable speed
89
con brio
with vigour, lively
90
larghetto
rather slow
91
rubato/tempo rubato
with some freedom of time
92
stringendo
gradually getting faster
93
affettuoso
tenderly
94
amabile
pleasant (like the word amiable)
95
appassionato
with passion
96
deciso
with determination
97
mesto
sad
98
misterioso
mysterious
99
ritmico
rhythmically
100
alla breve
with a minim beat
101
assai
very (allegro assai - very quick)
102
come prima
as before
103
animè
animated, lively
104
douce
sweet
105
lent
slow
106
modèrè
at a moderate speed
107
retenu
held back
108
vite
quick
109
This sign means
Trill
110
Which ornament is this?
upper mordent
111
Which ornament is this?
lower mordent
112
Which ornament is this?
turn, or upper turn
113
Which ornament is this?
appoggiatura
114
Which ornament is this?
acciaccatura
115
a niente
to nothing
116
morendo
dying away
117
perdendosi
dying away
118
rinforzando (rinf., ***rf***, ***rfz***)
reinforcing
119
smorzando (smorz.)
dying away
120
sotto voce
in an undertone (literally under the voice)
121
largamente
broadly
122
cantando
singing
123
con dolore
with grief
124
con spirito
with spirit
125
doloroso
sorrowful
126
sonoro
resonant, with rich tone (like the word sonorous)
127
ad libitum (ad lib.)
at choice
128
attacca
go straight on (to the next part of the music)
129
quasi
as if, resembling
130
langsam
slow
131
lebhaft
lively
132
mässig
at a moderate speed
133
ruhig
peaceful
134
schnell
fast
135
traurig
sad
136
137
