music theory grade 5 - terms

a niente

to nothing

a tempo

in time, a return to the original speed (especially after rit. or rall.)

aber

but

accelerando

gradually becoming faster, accelerating. (often abbreviated to 'accel.')

ad libitum

at will, optional (often abbreviated to 'ad lib')

adagiettio

fairly slow, but faster than 'adagio'

adagio

At ease, slow and leisurely (a speed faster than largo but faster than 'andante')

affettuoso

affectionate, tender

affrettando

hastening, hurrying (often abbreviated to 'affret'.)

agitato

agitated, excited

alla

at the, to the, in the manner of (same as 'al.')

alla breve

a tempo marking which means the music should be played twice as fast as its notation

alla marcia

in the manner of a march

alla misura

in strictly measured time

allargando

broadening, getting slower and louder

allegretto

moderately fast, but not as fast as allegro

allegro

quickly, cheerful, lively, indicating a fairly quick speed

allegro assai

very quick

allegro ma non troppo

quick but not too quick

allegro moderato

moderately quick

amabile

lovable, amiable, pleasant

amore

love

amoroso

loving, affectionate

andante

at a walking pace, at a moderate speed, walking along

andantino

a speed slightly faster than andante

anima

soul, spirit (with emotion)

animando

becoming livelier

animato, animé, lebhaft, vif, vivace/vivement, vivo

lively, animated, alive

appassionato

passionate, with passion

arco

bow, a direction after 'pizzicato' passage

assai

very, much, extremely

assez

enough, sufficiently, fairly

attacca

go straight on to the next section without a pause

ausdruck

expression

avec

with

ben

well, very (same as 'bene')

bene

well, very (same as 'ben')

bewegt

moved, agitated

breit

broad

brio

vigour, spirit

calando

becoming slower and softer, dying away

cantabile

in a melodious, singing style

cantando

singing

cédez

slow the speed, give way

col

with the

come

as, like, similar to, as if

come prima

as at first, as before

come sopra

as above, as before

comodo

comfortable, leisurely

con anima

with emotion

con brio

with vigour

con moto

with movement

con sordini

with mutes (often abbreviated to 'con sord')

crescendo

growing, gradually increasing in volume. (often abbreviated to 'cres')

da

from

da capo

repeat from the beginning (often abbreviated to 'D.C.')

da segno

from the sign x (often abbreviated to 'D.S.')

deciso

decisively

decrescendo

gradually becoming softer (often abbreviated to 'decres' or 'decresc')

dehors

out, outside (made prominent, standing out)

delicato

delicate

diminuendo

gradually becoming softer (often abbreviated to 'dim.' or 'dimin')

dolce

gentle, sweet, soft

dolore

grief, sorrow

doloroso, dolente, traurig, tristamante/triste

sad, sorrowful, mournful

doppio movimento

double the speed, twice as fast

douce

gentle, sweet, soft

e

and

ed

and

ein

A, one

einfach

simple, in a simple manner

en dehors

made prominent, standing out

en pressant

pressing, urgent, hurrying up

en retenant

holding back, slackening the time, slowing down

energico

energetic, vigorous

espressivo

expressive

estinto

extinct, as softly as possible

et

and

etwas

some, somewhat, a little, rather

facile

in an easy manner

fine

end, conclusion

sin'al fine

until the end

forte

loud, loudly

mezzo forte

moderately loud

fortepiano (fp)

first loudly, then immediately softely

fortissimo (ff)

very loud, very loudly

fortississimo (fff)

extremely loud

forza

force

forzando (fz)

forcing

sforzando (sfz)

forcing

frohlich

cheerful

fuoco

fire

giocoso

playful, jesting, humorous

giusto

just, correct, proper, exact

tempo guisto

in strict time, or at the proper speed

grave

solemn, very slow

grazioso

graceful, charming

immer

always

incalzando

urging, forward, becoming quicker

lacrimoso/lagrimoso/lagrimando

sad, tearful, mournful