performance directions (Italian) grade 1-5 part 5

Question 1

niente

Answer 1

nothing

Question 2

nobilmente

Answer 2

nobly

Question 3

nuovo

Answer 3

new (di nuovo: again)

Question 4

obbligato

Answer 4

obligatory, indicating that an instrument has a special role and is essential (though the word is sometimes incorrectly used to mean ‘optional”

Question 5

ostinato

Answer 5

persistent, generally referring to a persistently repeated rhythm or melodic figure (a basso ostinato is a bass line with this feature)

Question 6

ottava, ott.

Answer 6

octave (ottava bassa: octave lower; ottava alta: octave higher)

Question 7

parlando

Answer 7

speaking, a direction to sing in a conversational style

Question 8

patetico

Answer 8

with deep feeling, with pathos (not ‘pathetic” in the sense of feeble!)

Question 9

per

Answer 9

by, for, through, to

Question 10

perdendosi

Answer 10

dying away

Question 11

pesante

Answer 11

heavy

Question 12

pietoso, pietosamente

Answer 12

tenderly (lit. ‘pitifully’)

Question 13

pizzicato, pizz.

Answer 13

plucked, a direction for plucking the strings of a bowed instrument

Question 14

placido

Answer 14

calm, peaceful

Question 15

pochissimo, pochiss.

Answer 15

very little

Question 16

poi

Answer 16

then

Question 17

ponticello

Answer 17

bridge (on a string instrument)

Question 18

portamento

Answer 18

slide from one note to the next (lit. carrying), a direction to a voice, bowed instrument or trombone

Question 19

possibile

Answer 19

possible (Ieg. presto possibile; as fast as possible

Question 20

precipitando, precipitato, precipitoso

Answer 20

rushing, headlong

Question 21

prima, primo

Answer 21

first (prima volta; first time, used to distinguish between two different interpretations of a repeated section of music; tempo primo, first speed, used to revert to the opening tempo of a piece of music

Question 22

quasi

Answer 22

as if, resembling (eg. quasi recitativo; like a recitative)

Question 23

rallentando, rall.

Answer 23

gradually getting slower

Question 24

repetizione, replica

Answer 24

repetition

Question 25

rigoroso

Answer 25

strict

Question 26

trionfale

Answer 26

triumphant

Question 27

tristamente (I), triste (I,F)

Answer 27

sad

Question 28

unisono, unis.

Answer 28

in unison, with everyone performing the same notes, a direction to cancel divisi

Question 29

veloce

Answer 29

swift

Question 30

vibrato

Answer 30

vibrating