All terms Flashcards
a tempo
return to the original speed
acciaccatura *
a grace note or crushed note
accelerando (accel.)
gradually becoming faster
accent *
a stressed note; played louder than the dynamic marking indicates
Adagio
very slowly (slower than Andante, faster than Largo)
ad libitum (ad lib.)
at the liberty of the performer
agitato
excited, agitated
alla (all’)
in the style of…
Alla Marcia
in the style of a march
Allargando
gradually becoming slower; broadening
Allegretto
fairly lively (slower than Allegro)
Allegro
lively, quick, bright (fast)
Andante
at a walking pace; rather slow
Andantino
a little faster than Andante
animato, animoso
animated, spirited
arco
return to playing with the bow on a stringed instrument (after a pizzicato passage)
assai
much, very much
attacca
proceed without a break
Ausdrucksvoll (German)
with expression
ben, bene
well, much
bewegt (German)
moving, agitated
brillante
brilliant
cantabile
in a singing style
colla, colle (col., coll’)
with
coll 8va
play these notes in octaves
comodo, commodo
at a moderate, comfortable speed
con
with
con brio
with vigour, spirit
con espressione
with expression
con fuoco
with fire
con grazia
“with grace”; in a graceful or elegant style
con moto
with movement
con pedale (Ped.) *
with the damper pedal
con sordino (con sord.)
to be played with the mute (string instruments, brass instruments)
crescendo (cresc.) *
gradually becoming louder
Da Capo (D.C.)
repeat from the beginning
Dal Segno (D.S.)
repeat from the sign *
decrescendo (decresc.) *
gradually becoming softer
diminuendo (dim.) *
gradually becoming softer
dolce
sweetly
dolente
sadly, sorrowfully
dur (German)
major - example: C dur is C major
e, ed
and
espressivo, espress.
expressively
fermata *
pause; hold this note (or rest) longer than its note-value indicates
Fine
the end
forte *
loud
fortepiano (fp)
loud, then immediately soft
fortissimo (f)
very loud
giocoso
gaily, humourously, playfully
grandioso
grandly
Grave
solemnly, slowly
grazioso
gracefully
Langsam (German)
slowly
Largamente
in a broad, dignified manner
Larghetto
rather slow (faster than Largo)
Largo
very slow and broad (slower than Adagio)
Lebhaft (German)
lively
legato
smoothly connected
léger (French)
lightly
leggiero
lightly
Lentement (French)
slowly
Lento
slow
l’istesso tempo
in the same time
loco
as written (return to normal register - usually follows 8va)
ma
but
M.D. (mano destra)
with the right hand
M.M.
Maelzel’s Metronome - beats per minute
M.S. (mano sinistra)
with the left hand
Maestoso
majestically
marcato
well marked, accented
martellato
strongly accented, hammered
mässig (German)
moderately
meno
less
meno mosso
less movement
mesto
sadly, mournfully
mezzo forte (mf)
moderately loud (a little softer than forte)
mezzo piano (mp)
moderately soft (a little louder than piano)
mit (German)
with
mit Ausdruck (German)
with expression
Moderato
at a moderate speed
Modéré (French)
at a moderate speed
moll (German)
minor - example: C moll is C minor
molto
much
morendo
dying away
non
not
non troppo
not too much
ottava (8va)
an octave
pesante
heavily, with emphasis
pianissimo (pp)
very soft
piano (p)
soft
più
more
più mosso
more movement
pizzicato (pizz.)
to be plucked with the fingers (string instruments)
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
as if, like, almost
rallentando (rall.)
gradually becoming slower
repeat signs
repeat the music between the repeat signs
ritardando (rit., ritard.)
gradually becoming slower
ritenuto (riten.)
suddenly slower, held back
rubato, Tempo rubato
a free, flexible tempo used to enhance musical expression; can speed up or slow down
ruhig (German)
quiet, calm
scherzando
playfully
Schnell (German)
fast
Secondo, Seconda
second; the lower part of a duet
sehr (German)
very
semplice
simply
sempre
always
senza
without
sforzando, szforzato (sf, sfz)
to be played with a strong accent on a single note or chord
simile
to be played in a similar or like manner
slur
to be played legato
sonore
loud and full in sound, sonorous
sostenuto (sost.)
sustained
sotto voce
“under the breath”; in a subdued manner
staccato
separated or detached
strepitoso
boisterously, noisily
stringendo (string.)
increasing in speed, hurrying
subito (sub.)
suddenly
sul ponticello
to be played near the bridge (string instruments)
tacet
silent
tempo
the speed at which the music is to be played
Tempo Primo (Tempo I)
return to the original speed (usually follows rit. or rall.)
tenuto
sustain this note for its full value
tie
hold for the combined value of both notes
tranquillo
calmly, quietly
tre corde
“three strings”: an indication to release the soft pedal on the piano
troppo
too much
Tutti
all instruments play at once; an ensemble passage
una corda
“one string”: an indication to depress the soft pedal on the piano
Vivace
lively, spirited
Vivo
lively, spirited
Vite (French)
fast
volta
time - example: primo volta is first time
volti subito (V.S.)
turn the page quickly
