Question | Answer |
Accelerando | Gradually growing faster |
Accidental | Alteration of a note from the key signature until the next bar line |
Ad libitum | at pleasure |
a due | for two parts |
affetuoso | ternderly, with feeling |
alla breve ( | 2/2 time, cut time |
Allargando | getting slower and louder |
Amoroso | with love, warm feeling |
animato/ con anima | lively, animated |
appassionato/passione | passionate, fervent |
Assai | much, very |
a tempo | return to the original tempo |
attacca | continue without pause |
bravura | great technical skill, virtuosity |
brillante | sparkling, spirited |
cadenza | a brilliant highly technical solo |
cadence | the close melodic or harmonic phrase |
calmando/calmato | quieting down |
cantando/cantabile | in singing style |
capriccioso | fanciful, freely |
coda | a concluding passage added to the form proper |
con | with |
con brio | with vigor |
con forza | with force |
con fuoco | with fire |
con sordino | with mute |
con spirito | with spirit |
crescendo | becoming louder |
da capo (D.C.) | from the beginning |
dal segno (D.S.) | from the sign % |
decrescendo | becoming softer |
diatonic | notes within a given scale |
diminuendo (decresc.) | 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 (pp) | very soft |
piano (p) | soft |
mezzo piano (mp) | medium soft |
mezzo forte (mf) | medium loud |
forte (f) | loud |
fortissimo (ff) | very loud |
fortississimo (fff) | very very floud |
e, ed, et | and |
espressivo | with feeling, with expression |
etude | a study or exercise focusing on a particular technical or musical problem |
fermata | a pause or hold |
finale | last movement |
fine | the end |
forzando | a strong accent |
giocoso | humorous, playful |
giusto | exact, usual tempo |
glissando | a glide from 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 |
marcato | accented, stressed |
marcia | march |
meno | less |
molto | very much |
morendo | fading away |
mosso/moto | moved, motion |
non | no, do not |
nuance | subtle shading in style |
ossia | an alternate version |
pesante | weighty |
piu | more |
pochissimo | as little as possible |
poco a poco | little by little |
pomposo | stately, pompous |
quasi | almost, as if |
rallentando (rall.) | becoming slower |
ritardando (ritard. or rit.) | becoming slower |
ritenuto (riten.) | immediately slower |
rinforzando (rfz) | a sudden accent |
rubato | free use of accel. and rit. within a measure without altering the duration of the measure as a whole |
sans/senza | without |
scherzando | 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 | 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, very very slow |
largo | very slow |
adagio, lento, larghetto | slow |
andante | moderately slow |
andantino | slightly faster than andante |
moderato | moderate, neither fast or slow |
allegretto | moderately fast |
allegro | fast lively |
vivo, vivace | very fast and intense |
presto | the fastest conventional tempo |
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, uno, uno | one |
unison | together on the same part or in octaves |