ABRSM theory Flashcards
Accelerando (or accel.)
Gradually getting quicker
Adagio
Slow
Allegretto
Fairly quick (but not as fast as allegro)
Allegro
Quick (literally ‘cheerful’)
Andante
At a medium (‘walking’) speed
Cantabile
In a singing style
Crescendo (or cresc.)
Gradually getting louder
Da capo (or D.C)
Repeat from the beginning
Dal segno (or D.S)
Repeat from the dal segno sign
Decrescendo (or decresc.)
Gradually getting quieter
Fine
The end
f (forte)
Loud
ff (fortissimo)
Very loud
Legato
Smoothly
Lento
Slow
Mezzo
Half
mf (mezzo forte)
Moderately loud
mp (mezzo piano)
Moderately quiet
Moderato
Moderate speed
p (piano)
Quiet
pp (pianissimo)
Very quiet
Poco
A little
Rallentando (or rall.)
Gradually getting slower
Ritardando (or ritard. or rit.)
Gradually getting slower
Ritenuto (or riten. or rit.)
Held back
Staccato
Detached
Tempo
Speed, time
>
Accent
8va
Ottava (octave)
.
Staccato
a
at, to, by, for, in, in the style of
al, alla
to the, in the manner of
Allargando
Broadening (getting a little slower, and probably a bit louder)
Adantino
Slightly faster than Andante (but may also mean slightly slower)
Assai
Very
Con, col
With
Dolce
Sweet, soft
e, ed
And
Espressivo
Expressive
fp (=fortepiano)
Loud, then immediately soft
giocoso
Playful, merry
Grave
Very slow, solemn
Grazioso
Graceful
Larghetto
Rather slow (but not as slow as largo)
Ma
But
Maestoso
Majestic
Meni
Less
Molto
Very, much
Mosso, moto
Movement
Non
Not
Più
More
Presto
Fast (faster than Allegro)
Senza
Without
sf, sfz (=sforzando or sforzato)
Forced, accented
Simile (or sim.)
In the same way
Sostenuto
Sustained
Tenuto
Held
Troppo
Too much
Vivace, vivo
Lively, quick
^ over or under a note
An accent, or an even stronger accent
Dots under a slur
Semi-staccato, less detached
Wedge under or over a note
Staccatissimo (super staccato) and perhaps accented
- over or under a note
Slight pressure on the note (and generally slightly separated)
Con sordini
With mutes
Senza sordini
Without mutes
Arco
Played with the bow
__
‘ ‘ ^ (upside down)
Marks
Arco
A slur over notes for a string instrument means…
They are to be played with one stroke of the bow.
Pizzicato
Plucked
Sul G
Play on the G string
Sul ponticello
Play near the bridge
Una corda
Press the left pedal
Tre corde
Release the left pedal
- Ped. Or P________
Press/Release the right pedal
Mano sinistra
Left hand
Mano destra
Right hand
Affettuoso
Tenderly
Affrettando
Hurrying
Amabile
Amiable, pleasant
Appassionato
With passion
Calando
Getting softer, dying away
Cantando
Singing
Come
As, similar to
Facile
Easy
Fuoco
Fire
Giusto
Proper, exact
L’istesso
The same
Morendo
Dying away
Possibile
Possible
Quasi
As if, resembling
Sonoro
Resonant, with rich tone
Sopra
Above
Sotto
Below
Veloce
Swift
Voce
Voice
Animé
Animated, lively
Assez
Enough, sufficiently
Avec
With
Cédez
Yield, relax the speed
Douce
Sweet
En dehors
Prominent
Et
And
Légèrement
Light
Lent
Slow
Mais
But
Moins
Less
Modéré
At a moderate speed
Non
Not
Peu
Little
Plus
More
Presser
Hurry
Ralentir
Slow down
Retenu
Held back
Sans
Without
Très
Very
Un, une
One
Vif
Lively
Vite
Quick
Tr^^^^^^^^
Trill
Infinity sign
Turn
/\/\/\/\
Upper mordent
Squiggly line with a vertical line going through
Lower mordent
Grace note with a line going through it
Acciaccatura
Grace note with no line
Appoggiatura
What clef does the violin use?
Treble
What clef does the viola use?
Alto
What clef does the cello use?
Bass
What clef does the double bass use?
Bass
Which recorder does not use the treble clef?
Bass recorder
What is the piccolo designed to do in comparison to the flute?
To play every note one octave higher with the same fingering.
Does the oboe play at concert pitch?
Yes
Does the bassoon play at concert pitch?
Yes
Does the cor anglais play at concert pitch?
No
Does the clarinet play at concert pitch?
No
Does the trumpet play at concert pitch?
No
Does the horn play at concert pitch?
No
Does the tuba play at concert pitch?
Yes
Name all of the pitched percussion in the orchestra.
Timpani Tuned bar/tube instruments Celesta Piano Harpsichord Clavichord Virginal Spinet
Name all the unpitched percussion instruments.
Bass drum Side drum Tenor drum Tambourine Cymbals Gong Triangle
Attacca
Go straight on to the next section of music
Dolente
Sad, mournful
Dolore
Grief
Doppio movimento
Twice as fast
Estinto
As soft as possible, lifeless
Incalzando
Getting quicker
Lacrimoso
Sad
Loco
At the normal pitch (cancels 8va)
Lunga
Long
Lusingando
Coaxing, in a sweet and persuasive style
Misura
Measure
Ossia
Or, alternatively
Piacevole
Pleasant
Piangevole
Plaintive, in the style of a lament
Pochettino, poch.
Rather little
Rinforzando, rf, rfz
Reinforcing
Segue
Go straight on
Smorzando, smorz.
Dying away in tone and speed
Teneramente
Tenderly, tenderness
Tosto
Swift, rapid (often used in the same sense as troppo)
Volante
Flying, fast
Aber
But
Ausdruck
Expression
Bewegt
With movement, agitated
Breit
Broad, expansive
Ein
A, one
Einfach
Simple
Etwas
Somewhat, rather
Fröhlich
Cheerful, joyful
Immer
Always
Langsam
Slow
Lebhaft
Lively
Mässig
At a moderate speed
Mit
With
Nicht
Not
Ohne
Without
Ruhig
Peaceful
Schnell
Fast
Sehr
Very
Süss
Sweet
Traurig
Sad
Und
And
Voll
Full
Wenig
Little
Wieder
Again
Zart
Tender, delicate
Zu
To, too
Adagietto
Rather slow (but faster than adagio)
Ad libitum, ad lib.
At choice, meaning that a passage may be played freely
Agitato
Agitated
Alla breve
With a minim beat, equivalent to 2/2, implying a faster tempo
Amore
Love
Amoroso
Loving
Anima
Soul, spirit
Con anima
With feeling, spirited
Animato
Animated, lively
Animando
Becoming more lively
Ben
Well
Brio
Vigour
Con brio
With vigour, lively
Comodo
Convenient
Tempo comodo
At a comfortable speed
Deciso
With determination
Delicato
Delicate
Energico
Energetic
Forza
Force
Largamente
Broadly
Leggiero
Light, nimble
Marcato, marc.
Emphatic, accented
Marziale
In a military style
Mesto
Sad
Pesante
Heavy
Prima, primo
First
Risoluto
Bold, strong
Ritmico
Rhythmically
Rubato, tempo rubato
With some freedom of time
Scherzando, scherzoso
Playful, joking
Seconda, secondo
Second
Semplice
Simple, plain
Sempre
Always
Stringendo
Gradually getting faster
Subito
Suddenly
Tanto
So much
Tranquillo
Calm
Triste, tristamente
Sad, sorrowful
Volta
Time
Prima volta
First time
Seconda volta
Second time
