ABRSM Music Theory Grade 1-5 Vocabulary (Terms)

fortissimo (ff)

very loud (-issimo means 'very')

forte (f)

loud

mezzo forte (mf)

moderately loud

pianissimo (pp)

very quiet

piano (p)

quiet

mezzo piano (mp)

moderately quiet

crescendo (cresc. or <)

gradually getting louder

decrescendo (decresc.) / diminuendo (dim.)

gradually getting quieter

allegro

quick

allegretto

fairly quick

moderato

at a moderate speed

andante

at a medium speed

adagio

slow

accelerando (accel.)

gradually getting quicker

rallentando (rall.)

gradually getting slower

ritardando (ritard. or rit.)

gradually getting slower

a tempo

in time (resume the original speed)

cantabile

in a singing style

da capo (D.C.)

repeat from the beginning

dolce

sweet

fine

the end (al fine = up to the end)

legato

smoothly

staccato (stacc.)

detached

fortepiano (fp)

loud, then immediately quiet

presto

fast (quicker than allegro)

vivace, vivo

lively, quick

lento

slow (slower than adagio)

largo

slow, stately (same as, or slower than, lento)

grave

very slow, solemn

più mosso

more movement, quicker

meno mosso

less movement, slower

ritenuto (riten. or rit.)

held back

con moto

with movement

allargando

broadening

dal segno (D.S.)

repeat from the sign 𝄋

espressivo (espress.)

expressive

grazioso

graceful

alla marcia

in the style of a march

molto

very, much

non troppo

not too much

poco, poco a poco

a little, little by little

col, con

with

e, ed

and

ma

but

meno

less

più

more

senza

without

sforzando, sforzato (sf, sfz)

forced, accented

andantino

slightly faster than andante (may also mean slightly slower)

prestissimo

very fast

agitato

agitated

animato

animated, lively

con forza

with force

energico

energetic

giocoso

playful, merry

leggiero

light

maestoso

majestic

marcato (marc.)

emphatic, accented

pesante

heavy

risoluto

bold, strong

scherzando

playful, joking

semplice

simple, plain

sostenuto (sost.)

sustained

tranquillo

calm

triste, tristamente

sad, sorrowful

ben

well

primo, prima

first

sempre

always

simile

in the same way

subito (sub.)

suddenly

comodo / tempo comodo

convenient / at a comfortable speed

con brio

with vigour, lively

larghetto

rather slow

rubato / tempo rubato

with some freedom of time

stringendo

gradually getting faster

affettuoso

tenderly

amabile

pleasant

appassionato

with passion

deciso

with determination

mesto

sad

misterioso

mysterious

ritmico

rhythmically

alla breve

with a minim beat

assai

very (allegro assai = very quick)

come prima

as before

a niente

to nothing

perdendosi, smorzando (smorz.), morendo

dying away

rinforzando (rinf., rfz., or rf)

reinforcing

sotto voce

in an undertone

largamente

broadly

cantando

singing

con dolore

with grief

con spirito

with spirit

doloroso

sorrowful

sonoro

resonant, with rich tone

ad libitum (ad lib.)

at choice

attacca

go straight on (go to next part of the music)

quasi

as if, resembling

pizzicato (pizz.)

pluck with the fingers

arco

play with bow (only used if the player has previously been instructed to pluck)