Score Terminology Flashcards
A due (a 2)
To be played by both, as by first and second flute
Avec
With
Colla parte
With the other part; often refers to accommodating the soloist at that place in the score
Come prima
As before
Con
With; seen in other forms as a contraction with the article in Italian, thus: col, coi, colle,
cogli, colla (depending upon the gender and number).
En dehors
Out in front of; means the part so marked should be projected through the
ensemble; it must be heard.
Erstes Mal
The first time.
Etwas
Somewhat.
Forte possible
As loud as possible
Frappe; frapper
The downbeat; to beat in time
Gleich
Quickly
Glissez; glisser
Slide; to slide
Immer
Always
L’istesso (lo stesso)
The same; used usually with the word tempo, meaning that the new part
should be in the same tempo as the preceding part
Marcato
Marked, accented
Meno
Less
Mezzo
Half; usually mezza voce, softly.
Modo
Style, manner
Morendo
Dying away.
Moto
Motion
Murky bass
Broken octaves, lower note coming first.
Muta
Change; usually reads muta in _____, meaning change the instrument to the pitch
designated. Most often seen in timpani and French horn parts.
Ohne
Without; usually ohne Dämpfer, without mute
Ossia
Otherwise; often refers to a simplified part – otherwise do it so.
Partitur; Partitura –
Full score.
Petit
Little
Peu
A little
Piacere, a piacere
At pleasure, denoting a passage executed at the discretion of the
performer.
Pieno
Full.
Piu
More; most often seen with mosso, meaning more motion, slightly quicken the tempo.
Also, plus
Pult
Desk, a music stand. Usually refers to number of stands that are to play the part.
Ripieno
Similar to tutti, it distinguishes the accompanying instruments from the soloist.
Ruhig
Tranquil.
Sans
Without
Schnell
Quick, rapid, presto
Sciolto
Fluently
Scordatura
Tuning contrary to the normal, addressed to the strings.
Sec, secco
Dry, very short, no after-ring
Segue
Follow, continue in the same manner.
Sehr
Very
Senza
Without; usually senza sordini, without mutes
Smorzando
Suddenly dying away.
Sotto voce
In an undertone, soft voice.
Spianar la voce
With smooth voice.
Stentato
Labored
Stimme
A single voice or part in the score.
Strepitoso
Noisily
Strisciando, strisciato
Legato motion, smooth.
Subito
Suddenly, referring to a dynamic change
Troppo
Too much.
Tutti
The whole ensemble, everybody
Unisoni
In unison; as violini unisoni, all violins in unison
Vide
A cut; VI is printed where the cut starts and DE is shown at the end of the cut, thus:
VI…DE.
Virgula
The old terminology for the baton
Voci pari
Equal voices.
Accelerando
Gradually increasing the tempo
Ad libitum
At liberty; take time, permit liberties here.
Affrettando
Excitedly, increasing the tempo.
A punto
Exactly in rhythm
Con alcuna licenza
With some license; not perfectly rhythmic.
Etwas langsamer
Somewhat slower.
Im Takt
In tempo
Langsam, Langsamer
Slow, slower
Mässig
Moderato
Pressando
Hurrying, pressing forward.
Rythmé
Rhythmic feeling emphasized
Rubato
Varying the note values within the rhythm, not strictly as written
Stretto
Condensing, accelerating the tempo. (Do not confuse with the stretto of the fugue
form, which is only a condensing of the distance between subject and answer.)
Stringendo
Accelerating the tempo
Suivez
Follow; usually refers to following the soloist who may take some liberties with the
tempo for expression.
Tacet
Silent; usually means the particular instrument does not play in that movement of the
work.
Taglio
A cut
Takt
The time, the measure, rhythmically; sometimes, an accenting of the first beat in the
measure.
Tempo rubato
Not strictly in tempo
Zurückhalten
Literally, holding back. Ritard.
