Grade 1: Music Terms Flashcards
A tempo
Resume the normal speed (after a diversion).
Accelerando/accel.
Becoming gradually faster.
Adagio
Slow, leisurely.
Allargando
Broadening out, often with an increase of tone.
Allegretto
(Lit. A little allegro) slightly slower than allegro.
Allegro
Lively, reasonably fast.
Andante
(Lit. Walking) at a moderate pace.
Andantino
(Lit. A little andante) this word has two opposite meanings: either a little slower or a little faster than andante.
Arco
(For string players) with the bow; a contradiction to pizzicato.
Brillante
Sparkling, brilliant.
Brio
Vigour.
Cantabile
In a singing style.
Capo
(Lit. Head) the beginning.
Col, colla
With the.
Con
With.
Con moto
With movement.
Con sordini
With the mutes.
Cords
A string.
Crescendo/cresc.
Becoming gradually louder.
Da
From, of.
Da capo/DC
From the beginning.
Dal segno
From the sign.
Decrescendo/diminuendo/dim.
Becoming gradually softer.
Dolce
Sweetly.
Espressivo/espress.
With expression, with feeling.
Fine
The end.
Forte/f
Loud.
Fortissimo/ff
Very loud.
Forzando/fz/Sfax
With a strong accent.
Giocoso
Gay, merry.
Grave
Very slow.
Grazioso
Gracefully.
Largo
Slow and stately, broad.
Larghetto
Less slow than largo.
Legato
Smoothly.
Leggiero
Lightly.
Lento
Slowly.
Maestoso
Majestically.
M.D. (Mano destra)
Right hand.
M.S. (Mano sinistra)
Left hand.
Marcato
Marked, accented.
Meno
Less.
Meno mosso
Less movement.
Mezzo forte/mf
Moderately loud.
Mezzo piano/mp
Moderately quiet.
Misterioso
Mysteriously.
Molto
Much.
Ossia
Or. The word indicates an alternative version.
Ped.
Depress the sustaining pedal of the pianoforte.
Perdendosi
Dying away.
Pesante
Heavily.
Piacevole
Pleasing.
Pianissimo/pp
Very soft.
Piano/p
Soft.
Pizzicato/pizz.
Plucked (in string music)
Piu
More.
Poco
A little.
Poco a poco
Little by little (gradually).
Presto
Very quick.
Prestissimo
As fast as possible.
Rallentando/rall.
Becoming gradually slower.
Risoluto
Boldly.
Ritardando/Ritard.
Becoming gradually slower.
Ritenuto/rit.
Hold back (ie. slower at once).
Ritmico
Rhythmically.
Scherzo
A joke.
Scherzando
Playfully.
Segno
A sign.
Sempre
Always.
Senza
Without.
Sforzando
With a sudden accent.
Simile
In a similar manner.
Sordini
Mutes.
Staccato/stacc.
Short/detached.
Stringendo
Gradually faster.
Subito
Suddenly.
Tempo
The speed of the music.
Tempo di gavotta
In the time and style of a gavotte.
Tempo Primo/tempo I
Resume the original speed.
Tenuto/ten.
Held.
Tranquillo
Quietly.
Tre corde
(Lit. Three strings) release the left (soft) pedal of the pianoforte.
Troppo
Too much.
Una corda
(Lit. One string) depress the left pedal of the pianoforte.
Vivace
Lively, quick.
