RCM Italian Terms by JANETTE MORRISON Flashcards
a tempo
return to the original tempo
accelerando, accel.
becoming quicker
accent
a stressed note or chord
ad libitum
at the liberty of the performer
adagio
slow (slower than andante, but not as slow as largo) (between andante and largo)
agitato
agitated, excited
alla, all’
in the manner of
allargando, allarg.
broadening, becoming slower
allegretto
fairly fast (a little slower than allegro)
allegro
fast
andante
moderately slow; at a walking pace
andantino
a little faster than andante
animato
lively, animated
arco
for stringed instruments: resume bowing after a pizzicato passage
assai
much, very much (for example, allegro assai: very fast)
attaca
proceed without a break
ben, bene
well (for example, ben marcato: well marked)
brillante
brilliant
calando
becoming slower and softer
cantible
in a singing style
cédez
yield; hold the tempo back
cluster
chord consisting of a combination of at least three adjacent notes of any scale
col, coll’, colla, colle
with (for example, coll’ottava: with an added octave)
comodo, commodo
at a comfortable, easy tempo
con
with
con brio
with vigor, spirit
con espressione
expressive, with expression
con fuoco
with fire
con grazia
with grace
con moto
with movement
con pedale, con ped.
with pedal
con sordino
with mute
crescendo, cresc.
becoming louder
da capo, D.C.
from the beginning
D.C. al Fine
repeat from the beginning and end at Fine
dal segno, D.S. al S/S
from the sign
descrescendo, descresc.
becoming softer
diminuendo, dim.
becoming softer
dolce
sweet
dolente
sad, mournful
e, ed
and
expressivo
expression, with expression
fermata
a pause; hold the note or rest longer than its written value
fine
the end
forte, f
loud
fortepiano, fp
loud, then suddenly soft
fortissimo, ff
very loud
GERMAN bewegt
agitated, excited
GERMAN langsam
slow
GERMAN massig
moderate, moderately
GERMAN mit Ausdruck
with expression
GERMAN schnell
fast
GERMAN sehr
very
giocoso
humorous, jocose
grandioso
grand, grandiose
grave
slow and solemn
grazioso
graceful
largamente
broadly
larghetto
not as slow as largo
largo
very slow and broad
legato
smooth
léger
light, lightly
leggiero
light, nimble, quick
lentement
slowly
lento
slow
l’istesso tempo
the same tempo
loco
return to the normal register
M.M.
metronome marking (Maelzel’s Metronome)
ma
but
maestoso
majestic pace
mano destra, M.D.
right hand
mano sinistra, M.S.
left hand
marcato, marc.
marked or stressed
martellato
strongly accented, hammered
mässig
moderate, moderately
meno
less
meno mosso
less movement, slower
mesto
sad, mournful
mezzo forte, mf
moderately loud
mezzo piano, mp
moderately soft
mit
with
moderato
at a moderate tempo
modéré
at a moderate tempo
molto
much, very
morendo
dying, fading away
mouvement
tempo, motion
non
not
non troppo
not too much
ottava, 8va
the interval of an octave
ottava, 8va ———|
play one octave above the written pitch
ottava, 8va______]
play one octave below the written pitch
pedale, ped, Ped.
pedal
pesante
weighty, with emphasis
pianissimo, pp
very soft
piano, p
soft
più
more
più mosso
more movement (quicker)
pizzicato
for stringed instruments: pluck the string instead of bowing
poco
little
poco a poco
little by little
polychord
combination of two or more different chords
prestissimo
as fast as possible
presto
very fast
prima, primo
first; the upper part of a duet
prima volta
first time
quartal chord
chord built on a series of 4ths
quasi
almost, as if
quindicesima alta, 15ma
two octaves higher
rallentando, rall.
slowing down
repeat signs
repeat the music within the double bars
risoluto
resolute
ritardando, rit.
slowing down gradually
ritenuto, riten.
suddenly slower, held back
rubato
a flexible tempo using slight variations of speed to enhance musical expression
scherzando
playful
schnell
fast
seconda, secondo
second; the lower part of a duet
seconda volta
second time
sehr
very
semplice
simple
sempre
always, continously
senza
without
seventh (7th) chords
chords consisting of a root, third, fifth and seventh
sforzando, sf, sfz
a sudden strong accent of a single note or chord
simile
continue in the same manner as indicated
slur
play the notes legato
sonore
sonorous
sopra
above
sostenuto
sustained
sotto voce
softy, subdued, under the breath
spiritoso
spirited
staccato
play the notes detached
stringendo
pressing, becoming faster
subito
suddenly
tacet
be silent
tempo
speed at which the music is performed
Tempo primo, Tempo I
return to the original tempo
tenuto
held, sustained
tie
hold for the combined value of the tied notes
tranquillo
quiet, tranquil
tre corde
three strings: release the left piano pedal
triad
chord consisting of a root, third, and fifth
troppo
too much
tutti
a passage for the entire ensemble
una corda
one string: depress the left piano pedal
vite
fast
vivace
lively, brisk
vivo
lively
volta
time (for example, prima volta, first time; seconda volta, second time)
volti subito, v.s.
turn the page quickly
