SD All-State Music Terminology Flashcards
accelerando
gradually growing faster
accidental
chromatic alteration of a note from the key signature until the next bar line (can be extended by a tie
ab libitum (ab lib) or a piacere
at pleasure, at will
affetuoso
tenderly, with feeling
a due ( a 2)
for two parts
alla breve
2/2 cut time
allargando
getting slower and louder
amoroso
with love, with warm feeling
animato or con anima
lively, animated, spirited
appassionato or passione
passionate, fervent
assai
much, very
a tempo
return to the original tempo
attacca
continue without a pause
bravura
great technical skill, virtuosity
brillante
sparkling, spirtited
cadenza
a brilliant solo, often found at the end of a movement or a piece
cadence
the close of a melodic or harmonic phrase
calmando or calmato
quieting down, subsiding
cantando or cantabile
in a singing style, lyrical
capriccioso
fanciful, freely
coda
a concluding passage added to the form proper
con
with
conbrio
with vigor, vigorously
con forza
with force, strength
con fuoco
with fire, passionately
con sordino
with mute
con spirito or spiritoso
with spirit
crescendo
becoming louder
da capo (D.C.)
form the beginning
dal segno (D.S.)
from the sign
decrescendo
becoming softer
diatonic
notes within a given scale or key
diminuendo (dim.)
becoming softer
divisi
divided parts where there is normally one
dolce
sweet, gentle
doppio movimento
twice as fast
double flat
lower by one full step
double sharp
raise by one full step
dynamics
the level of loudness
pianississimo (ppp)
very, very, soft
pianissimo
very soft
piano
soft
mezzo piano
medium soft
mezzo forte
medium loud
forte
loud
fortissimo
very loud
fortississimo
very very loud
e, ed or et
and
espressivo
with feeling, with expression
etude
a study or exercise focusing on a particular technical or musical problem
fermata
a pause or a hold
finale
last movement of a multi-movement work
fine
the end
forzando
a strong accent
giocoso
humorous, playful
giusto
exact, appropriate or usual tempo
glissando
a glide form one note to the next
grazioso
graceful
interval
pitch difference between two notes
key signature
sharps or flats placed at the beginning of a selection indicating its key
largamente
broadly
legato
smooth, even, without breaks between notes
l’istesso tempo
at the same tempo
loco
return to normal position
maestoso
majestic, with dignity
marcato
accented, stressed
marcia
march
meno
less
molto
much, very
morendo
fading away
mosso or moto
moved, motion
non
no, do not
muance
subtle shading in style
ossia
an alternate version
pesante
weighty, ponderous
piu
more
pochissimo
as little as possible
poco a poco
little by little
pompso
statly, pompous
quasi
almost, as if
rallentando (rall.)
becoming slower
ritardando (ritard o r rit.)
becoming slower
ritenuto (riten.)
immediately slower
rinforzando (rfz)
a sudden accent
rubato
free use a accel. and rit. within a measure
sans or senza
without
scherazando
playfully
segue
continue without pausing
sempre
always, throughout
sforzando (sfz.)
a sudden accent
simile
in the same manner
soli
a section solo, a group of soloists
solo
a part for one performer
sonore
resounding, loud
sordino
mute
sostenuto (sost.)
sustained
staccato
detached
stringendo (string.)
growing faster
subito (sub.)
suddenly, at once
tacet
be silent
tempo
rate of speed
grave
solemn an very very slow
largo
very slow
adagio, lento, larghetto
slow
andante
moderately slow
andantino
slightly faster then andante
moderato
moderate neither fast nor slow
allegretto
moderately fast
allegro
fast and lively
vivo, vivace
very fast and intense
presto
the fastest conventional speed
prestissimo
as fast as possible
tenuto (ten.)
held, sustained for full value
timbre
tone color
tranquillo
quiet, peaceful
trill (tr.)
a rapid alteration between the written note and the diatonic second above it
troppo
too much
tutti
all, with all performers
un, una, uno
one
unison
together on the same part or in octaves
major scales
are diatonic scales with half-steps between 3-4 and 7-8
Natural Minor scales
are diatonic scales with half steps between 2-3 and 5-6
harmonic Minor scales
are natural minor scales with the 7th scale degree raised a half step. This adds a half step between 7-8, and an interval of 1 1/2 steps between 6-7
Melodic Minor Scales
are natural scales where the 6th and 7th scale degrees are raised one half step in the ascending form creating half steps between 2-3 and 7-8, these notes are lowered to their natural state in the descending scale, making it identical to the natural minor
Chromatic scale
are scales which proceed by half step from the first note to the last note
