Performance Directions

Question 1

accelerando (or accel.)

Answer 1

gradually getting quicker

Question 2

adagio

Answer 2

slow

Question 3

allegretto

Answer 3

fairly quick (but not as quick as allegro)

Question 4

allegro

Answer 4

quick (literally ‘cheerful’)

Question 5

andante

Answer 5

at a medium (‘walking’) speed

Question 6

cantabile

Answer 6

in a singing style

Question 7

crescendo (or cresc.)

Answer 7

gradually getting louder

Question 8

da capo (or D.C.)

Answer 8

repeat from the beginning

Question 9

dal segno (or D.S.)

Answer 9

repeat from the sign 𝄋

Question 10

decrescendo (or decresc.)

Answer 10

gradually getting quieter

Question 11

diminuendo (or dim.)

Answer 11

gradually getting quieter

Question 12

fine

Answer 12

the end

Question 13

forte

Answer 13

loud

Question 14

fortissimo

Answer 14

very loud

Question 15

legato

Answer 15

smoothly

Question 16

lento

Answer 16

slow

Question 17

mezzo

Answer 17

half

Question 18

mezzo forte

Answer 18

moderately loud (literally ‘half’ loud)

Question 19

mezzo piano

Answer 19

moderately quiet (literally ‘half’ quiet)

Question 20

moderato

Answer 20

moderately (allegro moderato: moderately quick)

Question 21

piano

Answer 21

quiet

Question 22

pianoissimo

Answer 22

very quiet

Question 23

poco

Answer 23

a little

Question 24

rallentando (or rall.)

Answer 24

gradually getting slower

Question 25

ritardando (or rit. or ritard.)

Answer 25

gradually getting slower

Question 26

ritenuto (or riten. or rit.)

Answer 26

held back

Question 27

staccato (stacc.)

Answer 27

detached

Question 28

tempo

Answer 28

speed, time (a tempo: in time)

Question 29

a

Answer 29

at, to, by, for, in, in the style of

Question 30

al, alla

Answer 30

to the, in the manner of (alla marcia: in the style of a march)

Question 31

allargando

Answer 31

broadening (getting a little slower and probably a little louder)

Question 32

andantino

Answer 32

slightly faster than andante (but may also mean slightly slower)

Question 33

assai

Answer 33

very (allegro assai: very quick)

Question 34

con, col

Answer 34

with

Question 35

dolce

Answer 35

sweet, soft

Question 36

e, ed

Answer 36

and

Question 37

espressivo (or espress. or espr.)

Answer 37

expressive

Question 38

fortepiano

Answer 38

loud, then immediately soft

Question 39

giocoso

Answer 39

playful, merry

Question 40

grave

Answer 40

very slow, solemn

Question 41

grazioso

Answer 41

graceful

Question 42

larghetto

Answer 42

rather slow (but not as slow as largo)

Question 43

largo

Answer 43

slow, stately

Question 44

ma

Answer 44

but

Question 45

maestoso

Answer 45

majestic

Question 46

meno

Answer 46

less

Question 47

molto

Answer 47

very, much

Question 48

mosso, moto

Answer 48

movement (meno mosso: slower; con moto: with movement)

Question 49

non

Answer 49

not

Question 50

più

Answer 50

more

Question 51

presto

Answer 51

fast (faster than allegro)

Question 52

senza

Answer 52

without

Question 53

sforzando or sforzato (sf, sfz)

Answer 53

forced, accented

Question 54

simile (or sim.)

Answer 54

in the same way

Question 55

sostenuto

Answer 55

sustained

Question 56

tenuto

Answer 56

held

Question 57

troppo

Answer 57

too much (non troppo: not too much)