Studied by 15 peopleaccelerando (accel.)
gradually growing faster
accidental
chromatic alteration of a note from the key signature until the next bar line (can be extended by a tie)
ad libitum (ad lib) or a piacere
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)
a tempo
return to the original tempo
attacca
continue without a pause
bravura
great technical skill, virtuosity
brilliante
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 piece
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
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 quieter (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 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 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 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, with dignity
marcato
accented, stressed
marcia
march
meno
less
molto
much, very (m)
morendo
fading away
mosso or moto
moved, motion
non
no, do not
nuance
subtle shading in style
ossia
an alternate version
pesante
weighty, ponderous
piu
more
pochissimo
as little as possible
poco a poco
little by little
pomposo
stately, pompous
quasi
almost, as if
rallentando (rall.)
becoming slower (rall.)
ritardando (ritard or rit)
becoming slower (rit)
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 or senza
without
scherzando
playfully
segue
continue without pausing
sempre
always, throughout
sforzando (sfz)
a sudden accent (sfz.)
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
Note
Flashcard