Italian Musical Terms

Question 1

allegro

Answer 1

at a fast or bright tempo (“joyful; lively and fast”)

Question 2

f (forte)

Answer 2

loud

Question 3

ff (fortissimo)

Answer 3

very loud

Question 4

crescendo (cresc.)

Answer 4

a gradual increase in loudness

Question 5

mp (mezzo piano)

Answer 5

moderately quiet

Question 6

diminuendo (dim.), decrescendo (decresc.)

Answer 6

a gradual decrease in loudness

Question 7

pp (pianissimo)

Answer 7

very quiet

Question 8

andante

Answer 8

at a moderately slow or walking tempo (“at a walking pace”)

Question 9

largo

Answer 9

at a slow or broad tempo

Question 10

p (piano)

Answer 10

quiet

Question 11

staccato

Answer 11

articulation marking to play notes detached or separated

Question 12

dolce

Answer 12

sweetly

Question 13

energico

Answer 13

energetic

Question 14

vivace

Answer 14

at a lively and fast tempo

Question 15

fp (forte-piano)

Answer 15

play loud and then immediately soft

Question 16

cantabile

Answer 16

in a singing style

Question 17

presto

Answer 17

at a rapid or very fast tempo, more than allegro (“soon, quickly”)

Question 18

allargando

Answer 18

broadening

Question 19

animato

Answer 19

animated, lively

Question 20

(con) brio

Answer 20

(with) vigour

Question 21

sfz, sf (sforzando)

Answer 21

suddenly forced, accented

Question 22

con bravura

Answer 22

boldly, brilliantly

Question 23

da capo (D.C.)

Answer 23

repeat from the beginning (literally “from the head”)

Question 24

dal signo (D.S.)

Answer 24

repeat from the sign

Question 25

tacet

Answer 25

silent

Question 26

sostenuto

Answer 26

sustained

Question 27

fermata 𝄐

Answer 27

mark on a note meaning pause for an unspecified amount of time

Question 28

fine

Answer 28

the end

Question 29

ppp (pianississimo)

Answer 29

very very quiet

Question 30

grave

Answer 30

at a very slow or solemn tempo ("solemn")

Question 31

lento

Answer 31

at a slow tempo ("slowly")

Question 32

accelerando (accel.)

Answer 32

accelerating, becoming faster

Question 33

adagio

Answer 33

at a slow tempo, but not as much as largo ("at ease")

Question 34

ritardando (rit.)

Answer 34

gradually becoming slower

Question 35

moderato

Answer 35

at a moderate tempo ("moderately")

Question 36

expressivo

Answer 36

expressive

Question 37

fff (fortississimo)

Answer 37

very very loud

Question 38

maestoso

Answer 38

majestic, stately

Question 39

glissando

Answer 39

a glide from one pitch to another

Question 40

tenuto

Answer 40

the holding or sustaining, or increased smoothness of a note

Question 41

rallentando (rall.)

Answer 41

gradually becoming slower

Question 42

scherzando

Answer 42

playfully

Question 43

mf (mezzo forte)

Answer 43

moderately loud

Question 44

ostinato

Answer 44

a repeated motif or phrase in music

Question 45

pizzicato (pizz.)

Answer 45

play a stringed instrument by plucking strings

Question 46

rubato

Answer 46

a temporary section of rhythmic freedom and expressiveness ("robbed of time")

Question 47

legato

Answer 47

to play a series of notes smoothly or connected

Question 48

alla marcia

Answer 48

in style of a march

Question 49

arpeggio

Answer 49

a chord broken into a sequence of notes

Question 50

lacrimoso

Answer 50

tearfully, sadly

Question 51

pesante

Answer 51

heavy, slowly, sadly

Question 52

l'istesso tempo

Answer 52

at same speed

Question 53

(con) moto

Answer 53

(with) movement

Question 54

(con) amore

Answer 54

(with) love

Question 55

a tempo

Answer 55

return to previous tempo

Question 56

agitato

Answer 56

agitated, excited and fast

Question 57

altissimo

Answer 57

very high; the highest register on woodwinds

Question 58

sotto

Answer 58

subdued

Question 59

marcato

Answer 59

play note / passage with emphasis, markedly

Question 60

festoso

Answer 60

happily

Question 61

furioso

Answer 61

with passion, furiously

Question 62

ritmico

Answer 62

rhythmically

Question 63

simile (sim.)

Answer 63

in the same way

Question 64

risoluto

Answer 64

bold, strong, resolute

Question 65

misterioso

Answer 65

mysteriously

Question 66

con sordino, con sordini

Answer 66

with mute

Question 67

tranquillo

Answer 67

calmly

Question 68

grazioso

Answer 68

gracefully

Question 69

grandioso

Answer 69

grandly

Question 70

mosso

Answer 70

as a direction: moved, agitated with "pui": more motion with "meno": less motion