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