accelerando

gradually increasing tempo

ad libitum

at pleasure, at will

adagio

slowly, usually conducted in divided meter

agogic accent

sustaining or stretching for accent, tension, or stress

allargando

becoming broader, slowing

allegretto

moderately fast

allegro

lively, brisk, rapid

andante

moderately slow, walking pace

andantino

a little slower than andante, but often used as meaning a little faster

assai

very

caesura

a break in the musical line //

cantabile

singing, or vocal style

cantando

singing, smooth, and flowing

con brio

with fire and dash

con moto

with motion

crescendo

increasing in loudness

diminuendo

becoming gradually softer

dolce

sweetly, softly

doppio valore

twice as slow

espressivo

expressively

fermata

hold, sustain for expressive tension

feroce

wildly, fiercely

forte

loud, strong

fortissimo

extremely loud

fuoco

with fire

grave

heavy, slow, serious

grazia

gracefully, elegantly

grazioso

gracefully, elegantly

ictus

point of beat

langsum

slow

larghetto

a little faster than largo

largo

very slow, broad, stately

legato

smooth, connected

leggiero

light, airy

lento

slowly

maestroso

majestic, dignified

marcato

"marked" with emphasis, heavy, usually separated

marcia

march style

meno

less

mezzo

half

moderato

moderate tempo

modere

moderate tempo

molto

very, much

mosso

movement

non troppo

not too much

nuance

shading, subtle, expressive changes

in musical phrase or line

ostinato

"obstinate" incessant repetition

of musical pattern or bass line

pesante

heavy, ponderous, firm, vigorous

pianissimo

very soft

piano

softly

piu

more

pizzicato

plucked

pochissimo

very little

poco

little

prestissimo

very rapidly

presto

fast, rapidly

quasi

as if it were, nearly

rallentando

growing slower

recitative

vocal declamations, free in tempo and rhythm

retenu

held back

ritardando

gradually slowing

ritenuto

suddenly slowing rate of speed, held back

ritmico

rhythmical

rubato

phrasing give and take, shading of tempo

scherzando

playfully, light

schmachtend

languishing, longing

sempre

always

sforzando

sudden emphasis

simile

in a similar manner

smorzando

dying away

soli

several players on a part

solo

alone, one player on the part

sostenuto

sustained

sotto voce

soft voice

spiccato

springing, bouncing bow off the string, staccato

staccatissimo

very detached, separated

staccato

detached, separated

stringendo

accelerating movement, intensifying tempo

subito

suddenly, immediate

takt

beat, regular measurement of time

tempo primo

original tempo

tenuto

stretched, sustaned, held back

tessitura

range within which most notes lie

tranquillo

calmly, quietly

tres

very

troppo

too much

tutti

all, the entire ensemble

valse

Waltz

vivace

quickly, lively, very fast

vivo

lively, brisk, spirited