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a poco |
a little; gradually |
a tempo |
in time; generally implies a return to original rate of speed |
accelerando |
(accel.) gradually faster |
adagietto |
slow, but not as slow as adagio |
adagio |
very slow |
agitato |
agitated; rapid |
al fine |
to the finish |
alla |
in the style of (such as alla marcia-in the style of a march) |
allargando |
(allarg.) gradually slower and broader |
allegretto |
light and moderately quick, but not as fast as allegro |
allegro |
rapid; lively |
andante |
(andte) moderately slow, but moving |
andantino |
generally a little quicker than andante |
animato |
spirited |
appassionato |
intensely; passionately; with deep feeling |
arioso |
in vocal style (also see "cantabile") |
assai |
very (such as allegro assai-very fast) |
ben |
well (such as ben marcato-well marked) |
brilliante |
brilliantly |
calando |
gradually slower and softer |
cantabile |
in a singing style |
chromatic |
by semi-tones |
coda |
the final added measures of a musical composition usually marked with |
con |
with |
con amore |
with tenderness |
con anima |
with animation; spirited |
con brio |
with spirit; brilliantly |
con forza |
with force |
con fuoco |
with fire, energy |
con grazia |
with graceful style |
con spirito |
with spirit, brilliance |
crescendo |
(cres.) ()-gradually louder |
da capo |
(D.C.) from the beginning |
dal segno |
(D.S.) from the sign |
decrescendo |
gradually softer |
diminuendo |
gradually softer |
dolce |
sweetly |
energico |
energetically |
etude |
a study |
fermata |
a hold or pause |
forte |
loud |
fortissimo |
(ff) very loud |
forzando |
forcefully accented |
furioso |
furiously |
giocoso |
joyfully |
grandioso |
grand or noble style |
grave |
very slow and solemn |
grazioso |
gracefully |
l'istesso |
the same (such as l'istesso tempo- the same speed) |
larghetto |
slow, but not as slow as largo |
larghissimo |
very slow; more so than largo |
largo |
very slow |
legato |
smooth and connected |
leggiero |
lightly |
lento |
very slow |
maestoso |
majestically |
marcato |
marked; with emphasis |
marcia |
march style |
marziale |
martial |
meno |
less (such as meno mosso-less movement; slower) |
moderato |
moderately |
molto |
very |
morendo |
dying away |
mosso |
motion; movement |
moto |
motion; movement |
non troppo |
not too much |
opus |
(op.) a musical work or composition |
ottava |
(8va)-an octave (such as ottava alta-octave higher; ottava bassa-octave lower) |
pesante |
heavily; with emphasis |
pianissimo |
(pp) very softly |
piano |
softly |
piu |
more (such as piu lento-slower; piu mosso-faster) |
poco |
a little (such as poco animato-a little more animated; poco meno -a little less) |
poco a poco |
little by little |
prestissimo |
very fast; more so than presto |
presto |
very fast |
primo |
first |
rallentando |
(rall.) gradually slower |
religioso |
in solemn style |
ritardando |
(rit.) gradually slower |
ritenuto |
a steady pace, but slower than preceding tempo |
rubato |
temporary irregularity of time, lengthening certain notes at the expense of others |
scherzando |
in light, playful style |
scherzo |
playfully; usually in rapid tempo with rhythmic and dynamic contrasts |
segno |
the sign |
sempre |
always; continually |
senza |
without |
sforzando |
(sfz) forced; with emphasis |
simile |
the same; continue in same manner |
smorzando |
(smorz.) dying away |
soli |
more than one performer in unison |
solo |
a composition or passage for one performer |
sordino |
mute (con sordino- with mute; senza sordino- without mute) |
sostenuto |
sustained |
staccato |
separated, detached style |
stringendo |
(string.) gradually faster |
subito |
suddenly |
tacet |
silent |
tempo |
time; speed |
tempo di valse |
waltz time |
tenuto |
(ten.) sustain full value; also marked |
valse |
waltz |
veloce |
very fast |
vivace |
vivacious; lively |
vivo |
lively, brisk |
mezzo |
medium; half (such as mezzo-forte-medium loud; mezzo-piano-medium soft) |