Italian Musical Terms Flashcards
allegro
at a fast or bright tempo (“joyful; lively and fast”)
f (forte)
loud
ff (fortissimo)
very loud
crescendo (cresc.)
a gradual increase in loudness
mp (mezzo piano)
moderately quiet
diminuendo (dim.), decrescendo (decresc.)
a gradual decrease in loudness
pp (pianissimo)
very quiet
andante
at a moderately slow or walking tempo (“at a walking pace”)
largo
at a slow or broad tempo
p (piano)
quiet
staccato
articulation marking to play notes detached or separated
dolce
sweetly
energico
energetic
vivace
at a lively and fast tempo
fp (forte-piano)
play loud and then immediately soft
cantabile
in a singing style
presto
at a rapid or very fast tempo, more than allegro (“soon, quickly”)
allargando
broadening
animato
animated, lively
(con) brio
(with) vigour
sfz, sf (sforzando)
suddenly forced, accented
con bravura
boldly, brilliantly
da capo (D.C.)
repeat from the beginning (literally “from the head”)
dal signo (D.S.)
repeat from the sign
tacet
silent
sostenuto
sustained
fermata 𝄐
mark on a note meaning pause for an unspecified amount of time
fine
the end
ppp (pianississimo)
very very quiet
grave
at a very slow or solemn tempo (“solemn”)
lento
at a slow tempo (“slowly”)
accelerando (accel.)
accelerating, becoming faster
adagio
at a slow tempo, but not as much as largo (“at ease”)
ritardando (rit.)
gradually becoming slower
moderato
at a moderate tempo (“moderately”)
expressivo
expressive
fff (fortississimo)
very very loud
maestoso
majestic, stately
glissando
a glide from one pitch to another
tenuto
the holding or sustaining, or increased smoothness of a note
rallentando (rall.)
gradually becoming slower
scherzando
playfully
mf (mezzo forte)
moderately loud
ostinato
a repeated motif or phrase in music
pizzicato (pizz.)
play a stringed instrument by plucking strings
rubato
a temporary section of rhythmic freedom and expressiveness (“robbed of time”)
legato
to play a series of notes smoothly or connected
alla marcia
in style of a march
arpeggio
a chord broken into a sequence of notes
lacrimoso
tearfully, sadly
pesante
heavy, slowly, sadly
l’istesso tempo
at same speed
(con) moto
(with) movement
(con) amore
(with) love
a tempo
return to previous tempo
agitato
agitated, excited and fast
altissimo
very high; the highest register on woodwinds
sotto
subdued
marcato
play note / passage with emphasis, markedly
festoso
happily
furioso
with passion, furiously
ritmico
rhythmically
simile (sim.)
in the same way
risoluto
bold, strong, resolute
misterioso
mysteriously
con sordino, con sordini
with mute
tranquillo
calmly
grazioso
gracefully
grandioso
grandly
mosso
as a direction: moved, agitated
with “pui”: more motion
with “meno”: less motion
