Performance Directions Flashcards
Aber
But
A
At, to, by, in the style of
A cappella
Unaccompanied vocal work
Accelerando
Gradually getting faster
Adagietto
Rather slow, but after than adagio
Adagio
Slow. Between andante and largo
A deux/ a due
For two performers or instruments
Ad libitum/ ad lib
At choice. Passage can be omitted from score if chosen
Affettuoso
Tenderly
Affretunado
Hurrying
Agitato
Agitated
Al/ alla
In the manner of
À la pointe
For string players to use the point of their bow
Alla breve
With a minum beat, makes notes faster than suggested
Alla marcia
In the style of a march
Allargando
Broadening: getting slower an louder
Allegretto
Slower than allegro but still fairly quick
Allegro
Quick
Als
Than
Alt
High, used in vocal music for music above the treble stave
Al tallone/ am frosch/ au talon
With the heel of the bow
Amabile
Pleasantly
Amore/ amour
Love
Amoroso
Loving
Andante
Walking pace
Andantino
Slightly faster than andante
An der spitze
With the point
Anima
Soul, spirited
Animando
Becoming more lively
Animato/ animé
Animated/ lively
Apaisé
Calmed
A piacere
At pleasure, meaning that the performer is not bound to follow the set rhythm rigidly
Appassionato
With passion
A punto d’arco
With the pointe
Arco
Bow (after pizzicato)
Assai
Very, extremely
Assez
Quite
A tempo
Back to original tempo
Attacca
Go straight on, immediate move to the next section of music
Audstruck
Expression
Avec
With
Ben/ benne
Well, very
Bestimmt
With decision, definite
Bewegt
Agitated, with movement
Bis
Twice
Bravura
Skill/ brilliance
Breit
Broad, expansive
Brilliante
Brilliant
Brio
Vigour, animation
Calando
Dying away
Calmato
Calm, tranquil
Cantabile
In a singing style
Cantando
Singing
Capriccioso/ capticieux
In a whimsical fanciful style
Cédez
Yield, relax the speed
Col/ coll’/ colla/ colle
With/ with the
Colla parte
Keep with the soloist
Colla voce
Keep with the singer
Col legno
With the wood of the bow
Coll’ ottava
With the octave (for keyboard players)
Come/ comme
As/ similar to
Come prima
As before
Come sopra
As above
Comodo
Convenient
Con
With
Corda/ corde
String/ strings
Crescendo
Gradually getting louder
Da
From
Da capo DC
From the beginning
Dal segno DS
From the sign
Dämpfer
Mute
Decrescendo
Gradually getting softer
Delicato
Delicate
Détaché
Detached (bowing for strings)
Diminuendo
Gradually getting softer
Divisi
Divide into two or more groups
Doch
However, yet
Dolce
Sweet, soft
Dolente
Sad, mournful
Dolore
Grief
Doppio movimento
Twice as fast
Douce/ doux
Soft, sweet
Duolo
Grief
E, ed
And
Égal, eguale
Equal
Ein
A
Einfach
Simple
Empfindung
Emotion, feeling
Emporté
Fiery, ambitious
En animant
Becoming more lively
En céant
Yielding
En dehors
Make the melody prominent
Energico
Energetic
Enlevez
Take up, take off, a direction for pedal or mute
En mesure
In time
En pressant
Hurrying on
En retenant
Holding back
En serrant
Becoming quicker
Expressione
Expression
Expressivo
Expressive
Estinto
As soft as possible, lifeless
Et
And
Etwas
Somewhat, rather
F
Forte
Facile
Easy
Felice
Happy
Feroce
Fierce
Feurig
Fiery
Fine/ fin
End
Flatterzunge
Flutter tounge
Flautato/ flautando
Flute like, a direction for natural harmonics on string instruments
Flessibile
Flexible (not a strict tempo)
Fliessend
Flowing
Flottant
Floating
Forte/ f
Loud
Fortepiano/ fp
Loud then immediately soft
Forza
Force
Frei
Free
Fretta
Haste
Frisch
Vigorous
Fröhlich
Cheerful, joyful
Fuoco
Fire
Furioso
Furious, frenzied
Gebunden
Joiner
Gehend
At a steady speed
Gesangvoll
In a singing style
Geschwind
Quickly
Giocoso
Playful/ humerous
Giojoso
Joyful/ merry
Giusto
Proper, exact