Tempo Italian terms

Question 1

Pulse

Answer 1

weak/ absent/ strong

Question 2

andante con moto

Answer 2

Faster than andante

Question 3

Adagio

Answer 3

to play slowly and calmly; at ease.

faster than largo.

Question 4

Allegro

Answer 4

quick, lively tempo

Question 5

Allegretto,

Answer 5

slower than allegro

Question 6

Andante

Answer 6

moderate pace

Question 7

Calando/morendo/smorzando

Answer 7

dying away (volume and tempo)

Question 8

Accellerando

Answer 8

speeding up

Question 9

Anacrusis

Answer 9

a note or series of notes that comes before the first complete measure of a composition; prepares you for next measure’s downbeat, referred to as the upbeat.

Question 10

largamente

Answer 10

broadly

Question 11

largo

Answer 11

quite slow

Question 12

moderato

Answer 12

moderate pace

Question 13

presto

prestissimo

Answer 13

play very quickly

extremely fast as possible

Question 14

rallentando

Answer 14

a more lazy slowing of music than ritardando.

Question 15

ritardando

Answer 15

gradually decrease tempo

Question 16

ritenuto

Answer 16

to suddenly (and temporarily) decrease the tempo; to hold back for dramatic effect.

Question 17

rubato

Answer 17

rob the time

Question 18

vivace

Answer 18

very quick and full of life