Grade 4 Musical Terms

Question 1

Tempo Commodo

Answer 1

At a comfortable speed

Question 2

Tempo Giusto

Answer 2

At a consistent speed (strict)

Question 3

L’istesso tempo

Answer 3

At the same speed

Question 4

Non troppo

Answer 4

Not too much

Question 5

Grave

Answer 5

Slow and solemn

Question 6

Rubato

Answer 6

With some freedom in the time

Lit. Robbed time

Question 7

Stringendo

Answer 7

Pressing on faster

Question 8

Perdendosi

Answer 8

Fading away

Question 9

Smorzando

Answer 9

Dying away

Question 10

Rinforzando (Rfz or rf)

Answer 10

Reinforcing the tone

Question 11

Pesante

Answer 11

Heavily

Question 12

Cantando

Answer 12

In a singing style

Question 13

Tenuto (ten.)

Answer 13

Held

Question 14

Piacevole

Answer 14

Pleasant, agreeable

Question 15

Portamento

Answer 15

Smoothly gliding from one note to the next (singing/bowing)

Question 16

Dolente

Answer 16

Sadly, plaintively

Question 17

Doloroso

Answer 17

Sadly, plaintively

Question 18

Sotto voce

Answer 18

Softly in an undertone

Question 19

Giocoso

Answer 19

Gay, merry

Question 20

Grazioso

Answer 20

Gracefully

Question 21

Assai

Answer 21

Very

Question 22

Quasi

Answer 22

As if, as it were, like

Question 23

Scherzando

Answer 23

Playfully

Question 24

Subito (sub.)

Answer 24

Suddenly

Question 25

Sul ponticello (sul pont)

Answer 25

Bow on or near the bridge

Question 26

Sul tasto

Answer 26

Bow on or near the finger board

Question 27

Tremolo

Answer 27

Bowing rapidly to produce shimmering or wavering effect

Question 28

Pizzicato (pizz.)

Answer 28

Pluck the string with finger

Question 29

Arco

Answer 29

With the bow (after pizz. Sign)

Question 30

Tenuto

Answer 30

Hold for full value of note

Question 31

Counterpoint

Answer 31

composition technique: 2 or more melodies combined

Question 32

Contrapuntal

Answer 32

Adjective used to describe 2 or more melodies combined

Question 33

Chromatic

Answer 33

1) two notes a semitone apart with the same letter name

2) a series of 12 notes moving in semitones

Question 34

Diatonic

Answer 34

An interval or scale in which each note has a different letter name.