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Orchestra Terms
Quarter 1 Orchestra Vocabulary
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| accelerando (accel.) | gradually growing faster |
| accidental | chromatic alteration of a note from the key signature until the next barline (can be extended by a tie) |
| ad libitum (ad lib) | at pleasure, at will |
| a due (a 2) | for two parts |
| affetuoso | tenderly, with feeling |
| alla breve | 2/2 time, 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, spirited |
| cadenza | a brilliant (often highly technical) 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 |
| con brio | with vigor, vigorously |
| con forza | with force, strength |
| con fuoco | with fire, passionately |
| con sordino | with mute |
| con spirito or spiritoso | with spirit |
| crescendo (cresc.) | becoming louder |
| da capo (D.C.) | from the beginning |
| dal segno (D.S.) | from the sign |
| decrescendo (decresc.) | 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 |