All Flashcards
accelerando, accel.
becoming quicker
accent
a stressed note
ad libitum, ad. lib.
at the liberty of the performer
agitato
agitated
alla, all’
in the manner of
allargando, allarg.
broadening, becoming slower
allegretto
fairly fast (a little slower than allegro)
allegro
fast, lively
andante
moderately slow; at a walking pace
andantino
a little faster than andante
animato
lively, animated
arco
on a bowed string instrument, resume bowing after a pizzicato passage
a tempo
return to the original tempo
attacca
proceed without a break
ben, bene
well (for example, ben marcato: well marked)
bewegt
moving
calando
becoming slower and softer
cantabile
in a singing style
cedez
yield; hold the tempo back
col, coll’ colla, colle
with (for example, coll’ottava; with an added octave)
comodo
at a comfortable, easy tempo
con
with
con brio
with vigor, spirit
con espressione
with expression
con fuoco
with fire
con grazia
with grace
con moto
with motion
con sordino
with mute
crescendo, cres.
becoming louder
da capo, D.C.
from the beginning
dal segno, D.S.
from the sign
D.C. al fine
repeat from the beginning and end at Fine
decrescendo, decres.
becoming softer
diminuendo, dim.
becoming softer
dolce
sweet, gentle
dolente
sad
e, ed
and
espressivo, espress.
expressive, with expression
fine
the end
forte, f
loud
fortepiano, fp
loud, then suddenly soft
fortissimo, ff
very loud
giocoso
humorous, jocose
grandioso
grand. grandiose
grave
slow and solemn
grazioso
graceful
langsam
slow, slowly
largamente
broadly
larghetto
fairly slow, but not as slow as largo
largo
very slow
legato
smooth
leger
light, lightly
leggiero
light, nimble, quick
lentement
slowly
lento
slow
l’istesso tempo
the same tempo
loco
return to the normal register (usually after 8va)
ma
but (for example, ma non troppo: but not too much
maestoso
majestic
mano destra, m.d.
right hand
mano sinistra, m.s.
left hand
marcato
marked or stressed
martellato
strongly accented, hammered
massig
moderate, moderately
meno
less
meno mosso
less movement, slower
mesto
sad; mournful
mezzo forte, mf
moderately loud
mezzo piano, mp
moderately soft
mit Ausdruck
with expression
moderato
at a moderate tempo
modere
at a moderate tempo
molto
much, very
morendo
dying, fading away
mouvement
tempo, motion
non
not
ottava, 8va
the interval of an octave
pedale, ped.
pedal
pesante
weighty, with emphasis
pianissimo, pp
very soft
piano, p
soft
piu
more
piu mosso
more movement (quicker)
pizzicato
on a bowed string instrument, pluck the string instead of bowing
poco
little
poco a poco
little by little
prestissimo
as fast as possible
presto
very fast
primo, prima
first; the upper part of a duet
quasi
almost, as if
quindicesimo alta, 15ma
two octaves higher
rallentando, rall.
slowing down
risoluto
resolute
ritardando, rit.
slowing down gradually
ritenuto, riten.
suddenly slower, held back
rubato
with some freedom of tempo to enhance musical expression
scherzando
playful
schnell
fast
secondo, seconda
second; second or lower part of a duet
sehr
very
semplice
simple
sempre
always, continuously
senza
without
sforzando, sf, sfz
sudden strong accent of a single note or chord
simile
continue in the same manner as has just been indicated
sonore
sonorous
sopra
above
sostenuto
sustained
sotto voce
soft, subdued, under the breath
spiritoso
spirited
staccato
detached
stringendo
pressing, becoming faster
subito
suddenly
tacet
be silent
tempo
speed at which music is performed
Tempo primo (Tempo 1)
return to the original tempo
tranquillo
quiet, tranquil
tre corde
three strings; release the left pedal on the piano
troppo
too much
tutti
a passage for the ensemble
una corda
one string; depress the left pedal on the piano
vite
fast
vivace
lively, brisk
vivo
lively
volta
time (for example, prima volta: first time; seconda volta: second time)
volti subito, v.s.
turn the page quickly
breath mark
take a breath, and/or a slight pause or lift
common time
a symbol for 4/4
double bar line
indicates the end of a piece
down bow
on a bowed string instrument, play the note while drawing the bow downward
fermata (pause)
hold the note or rest longer than its written value
glissando, gliss.
continuous slide upward or downward between two or more pitches
Leo
use the damper pedal on the piano
pedal marking
use the damper pedal on the piano
repeat sign
repeat the music within the two signs, or between the sign and the beginning of the piece
slur
play the notes smoothly (legato)
tenuto
held, sustained, usually slightly stresse
tie
hold for the combined value of the tied notes
up bow
on a bowed string instrument, play the note while drawing the bow upward
