Musical Terms Letters A-E Flashcards
Accent
A stress or emphasis on a note
Accelerando
Growing faster-abbreviated-accel.
Ad libitum
Allowing the musician to vary tempo or improvise-ad lib
Adagio
Very slowly, slower than andante
Agitato
Agitated, hurried, restless
Alle breve
Means 2/2 time signature-same as cut time
Allargando
Gradually slower and louder
Allegretto
Not as quick as allegro
Allegro
Brisk or lively
Andante
Slow and flowing
Andantino
Somewhat quicker than andante
Animato
Animated, with life and spirit
A tempo
Resume original speed
Brio
Vigor, spirit, animation
Cadenza
A brilliant, showy passage usually introduced near the close of a solo
Cantabile
In a gracefully singing style
Coda
An added section at the close of a piece
Common time
Means 4/4 time signature
Con
With
Crescendo
Gradually growing louder
Cut time
See alle breve 2/2 time
Da capo (D.C.)
From the beginning
D.C. al Fine
Go back to the beginning and play until Fine
Dal segno
Go back to the sign
D.S. al Fine
Go back to the sign and play until Fine
Decrescendo
Gradually growing softer
Diminuendo
Gradually growing softer
Dolce
Sweetly, delicately
Encore
A repeated or extra piece played at the end of a recital or concert by audience demand
Espressivo
Full of expression
Excerpt
A short section taken from a compleat musical piece
