Music Terms
accelerando, accel.
becoming quicker
accent
a stressed note
ad libitum, ad lib.
at the liberty of the performer
adagio
slow
agitato
agitated
alla, all'
in the manner of
allegretto
fairly fast (a little slower than allegro)
allegro
fast
andante
moderately slow; at a walking pace
andantino
a little faster than andante
animato
lively, animated
a tempo
return to the original tempo
ben, bene
well
cantabile
in a signing style
col, coll', colla, colle
with
con
with
con brio
with vigor, spirit
con espressione
with expression
con fueco
with fire
con grazia
with grace
con moto
with motion
crescendo, cresc.
becoming louder
da capo, D.C.
from the beginning
dal segno, D.S.
from the sign
D.C. al Fine
repeat from the beginning and end at Fine
decrescendo, decresc.
becoming softer
diminuendo, dim.
becoming softer
dolce
sweet, gentle
dolente
sad
e, ed
and
espressivo, espress.
expressive, with expression
fine
the end
forte, f
loud
fortepiano, fp
loud, then suddently soft
fortissimo, ff
very loud
giocoso
humorous, jacose
grandioso
grand, grandiose
grave
slow and solemn
grazioso
graceful
larghetto
fairly slow, but not as slow as largo
largo
very slow
legato
smooth
leggiero
light, nimble, quick
lento
slow
loco
return to the normal register
ma
but
maestoso
majestic
mano destra, m.d.
right hand
mano sinistra, m.s.
left hand
marcato
marked or stressed
martellato
strongly accented, hammered
meno
less
meno mosso
less mouvement, slower
mesto
sad, mournful
mezzo forte, mf
moderately loud
mezzo piano, mp
moderately soft
moderato
at a moderate tempo
molto
much, very
morendo
dying, fading away
non
not
ottava, 8va
the interval of an octave
pedale, ped.
pedal
pesante
weighty, with emphasis
pianissimo, pp
very soft
piano, p
soft
più
more
più mosso
more movement (quicker)
poco
little
poco a poco
little by little
prestissimo
as fast as possible
presto
very fast
primo, prima
first; the upper part of a duet
quasi
almost, as if
quindicesima alta, 15ma
two octaves higher
rallentando, rall.
slowing down
risoluto
resolute
ritardando, rit.
slowing down gradually
rubato
with some freedom of tempo to enhance musical expression
scherzando
playful
secondo, seconda
second; second or lower part of a duet
semplice
simple
sempre
always, continuously
senza
without
sforzando, sf, sfz
sudden strong accent of a single note or chord
simile
continue in the same manner as has just been indicated
sonore
sonorous
sopra
above
sostenuto
sustained
sotto voce
soft, subdued, under the breath
spiritoso
spirited
staccato
detached
subito
suddenly
tacet
be silent
tempo
speed at which music is performed
Tempo primo (Tempo I)
return to the original tempo
tranquilo
quiet, tranquil
tre corde
three strings; release the left pedal (on the piano)
troppo
too much
tutti
a passage for the ensemble
una corda
one string; depress the left pedal (on the piano)
vivace
lively, brisk
vivo
lively
volta
time
volti subito, v.s.
turn the page quickly