Question | Answer |
a tempo | return to the original tempo |
accelerando | becoming quicker |
accent | a stressed note |
ad libitum | at the liberty of the performer |
adagio | a slow tempo |
agitato | agitated |
alla, all' | in the manner of |
allargando | broadening, becoming slower |
allegretto | a little slower than allegro |
allegro | fast |
andante | moderately slow; walking pace |
andantino | a little faster than andante |
animato | lively, animated |
arco | played with the bow |
assai | much, very |
attacca | proceed without break |
ben, bene | well |
bewegt | moving |
brillante | brilliant |
cantabile | in a singing style |
cluster | a chord consisting of at least three adjacent notes of a scale |
col, coll', colla, colle | with |
comodo | at a comfortable, easy tempo |
con | with |
con brio | with vigour, spirit |
con espressione | with expression |
con fuoco | with fire |
con grazia | with grace |
con moto | with movement |
con pedale | with pedal |
con sordino | with mute |
crescendo, cresc. | becoming louder |
da capo, D.C. | from the beginning |
dal segno, D.S. | from the sign |
decrescendo, decresc. | becoming softer |
diminuendo, dim. | becoming softer |
dolce | sweet, gentle |
dolente | sad |
e, ed | and |
espressivo, espress. | expressive, with expression |
fermata | a pause; hold the note or rest longer than its written value |
fine | the end |
forte | loud |
fortepiano | loud then suddenly soft |
fortissimo | very loud |
giocoso | humorous, jocose |
grandioso | grand, grandiose |
grave | slow and solemn |
grazioso | graceful |
langsam | slow |
largamente | broadly |
larghetto | not as slow as largo |
largo | very slow |
legato | smoothly |
léger | light, lightly |
leggiero | light |
lentement | slowly |
lento | slow |
l'istesso tempo | the same tempo |
loco | return to normal register |
ma | but |
maestoso | majestic |
mano destra, M.D. | right hand |
mano sinistra, M.S. | left hand |
marcato, marc. | marked or stressed |
martellato | strongly accented, hammered |
mässig | moderate, moderately |
meno | less |
meno mosso | less movement, slower |
mesto | sad, mournful |
mezzo forte | moderately loud |
mezzo piano | moderately soft |
mit | with |
mit Ausdruck | with expression |
M.M. | Maelzel's metronome |
moderato | at a moderate tempo |
modéré | at a moderate tempo |
molto | much, very |
morendo | dying, fading away |
mouvement | tempo, motion |
non | not |
non troppo | not too much |
ottava, 8va | the interval of an octave; play note(s) one octave above the written pitch |
pedale, ped. | pedal |
pesante | weighty, with emphasis |
piano | soft |
pianissimo | very soft |
più | more |
più mosso | more movement (quicker) |
pizzicato, pizz. | pluck the string instead of bowing |
poco | little |
poco a poco | little by little |
polychord | a combination of two or more different chords |
presto | very fast |
prestissimo | as fast as possible |
primo, prima | first; the upper part of a duet |
quartal chord | a chord built on a series of 4ths |
quasi | almost, as if |
rallentando, rall. | slowing down |
repeat sign | repeat the music within the double bar lines |
ritardando, rit. | slowing down gradually |
ritenuto, riten. | suddenly slower, held back |
rubato | a flexible tempo using slight variations of speed to enhance musical expression |
scherzando | playful |
schnell | fast |
secondo, seconda | second; second or lower part of a duet |
sehr | very |
semplice | simple |
sempre | always, continuously |
senza | without |
7th chord | a chord consisting of a root, a 3rd, a 5th, and a 7th |
sforzando | a sudden strong accent of a single note or chord |
simile | continue in the same manner as has just been indicated |
slur | connects several notes; play the notes legato |
sonore | sonorous |
sostenuto, sost. | sustained |
sotto voce | soft, subdued, under the breath |
staccato | sharply detached |
strepitoso | boisterous, noisy |
stringendo, string. | pressing, becoming faster |
subito, sub. | suddenly |
tacet | be silent |
tempo | speed at which music is performed |
tempo primo (tempo I) | return to the original tempo |
tenuto | held, sustained |
tie | connects two notes; hold for the combined value of the tied notes |
tranquillo | quiet, tranquil |
tre corde | three strings; release the left pedal |
triad | a chord consisting of a root, a 3rd, and a 5th |
troppo | too much |
tutti | a passage for the ensemble |
una corda | one string; depress the left pedal |
vite | fast |
vivace | lively, brisk |
vivo | lively |
volta | time |
volta subito, v.s. | turn the page quickly |