Piano Theory General Vocab Flashcards
This flashcard deck was created using Flashcardlet's card creator
1
Q
Pianississimo
A
Very very soft
2
Q
Pianissimo
A
Very soft
3
Q
Piano
A
Soft
4
Q
Mezzo forte
A
Medium loud
5
Q
Mezzo piano
A
Medium soft
6
Q
Forte
A
Loud
7
Q
Fortissimo
A
Very loud
8
Q
Fortississimo
A
Very very loud
9
Q
Fortepiano
A
Loud then soft
10
Q
Crescendo (cresc.)
A
Gradually louder
11
Q
Diminuendo (dim.)
A
Gradually softer
12
Q
Sotto voce
A
In an undertone, subdued
13
Q
Adagio
A
Slow
14
Q
Allegro
A
Fast
15
Q
Allegretto
A
Somewhat fast (slower than allegro)
16
Q
Andante
A
Walking tempo
17
Q
Andantino
A
Slightly faster than andante
18
Q
Animato
A
Animated, with spirit
19
Q
Con moto
A
With motion
20
Q
Largo
A
Stately, broad, a very slow tempo
21
Q
Lento
A
Slow
22
Q
Moderato
A
Moderately
23
Q
Presto
A
Very fast
24
Q
Vivace
A
Lively, quick
25
Vivo
Lively
26
Accelerando
Gradually faster
27
A tempo
Return to the original tempo
28
Allargando
Broadening, gradually slower
29
Meno mosso
Less motion
30
Piu mosso
More motion, faster
31
Rallentando (rall., rallent.)
Gradually slower
32
Ritenuto
Held back, suddenly slower
33
Ritardando (rit.)
Gradually slower
34
Rubato
Freely, flexible; slight accelerandos and ritardandos used for musical expression
35
Cantible
In a singing manner
36
Con brio
With spirit
37
Con fuoco
With fire
38
Dolce
Gently, sweetly
39
Doloroso
Sadly, sorrowfully
40
Espressivo
Expressively
41
---etto
Little
42
Giocoso
Humorous
43
Grazioso
Gracefully
44
--ino
Little
45
Leggiero
Lightly
46
Meno
less
47
Molto
Much, very
48
Pesante
Heavily, ponderously
49
Piu
More
50
Poco
Little
51
Robusto
Boldly, robustly
52
Scherzando
Playful
53
Sempre
Always
54
Senza
Without
55
Simile
In a similar manner, same
56
Smorzando
Fading away
57
Spiritoso
Spirited
58
Subito
Suddenly
59
Tranquillo
Peaceful, tranquil, calm
60
Accent
Strong emphasis
61
Legato
Smooth, attached
62
Sforzando
Sudden strong accent
63
Sostenuto
Sustained, legato
64
Staccato
Short, detach
65
Tenuto
Hold full value; slight emphasis
66
Alberti bass
An accompaniment pattern using a three note chord. The notes of the chord are played bottom-top-middle-top.
67
Arpeggio
The notes of a chord played one after another instead of together. The notes of an arpeggio may be written out, or indicated by a wavy line to the left of the chord
68
Chromatic half step
A half step with two notes of the same letter name
69
Diatonic half step
A half step with notes of different letter names
70
D.C. al Fine
Play from the beginning to the fine
71
Fermata
Hold a note longer than its time value
72
Grace note
A note printed in small type. It is not counted in the rhythm; it is played quickly, almost together with the next note
73
Mano destra (m.d.)
Right hand
74
Mano sinistra (m.s.)
Left hand
75
Opus
Work the term is usually used with a number to indicate the chronological order of the music written by a composer
76
Pedal point
A consistent note that is held, repeated, or returned to regularly as harmonies change
77
Pedal sign
A sign that shows when to press and lift the damper as harmonies change
78
Tre corde
Release the soft pedat
79
Una corda
Depress the soft pedal
80
Polyphonic texture
Music with 2 independent parts or voices
81
Homophonic texture
Music with melody and accompaniment
82
Coda
Ending
83
Toccata
Style of composition free in form. Rapid scales, arpeggios, chords, octaves, etc.
84
Retrograde
backwards motion (subject in reverse order)
85
Ostinato
a phrase persistently repeated in one voice
86
Serialism
A Contemporary form of a chromatic scale that doesn't emphasize any note or tone.
(forms include Prime, Retrograde, Inverse, and Retrograde Inverse)
