Conducting Quiz Terminology

Vocabulary flashcards covering all 8 conducting quizzes including musical terms, tempo markings, expressions, instrument names across Italian, German, and French, string technique terms, and choral terminology.

ad libitum (ad lib) or a piacere

at pleasure, at will

a due ( a 2 )

for two parts

affetuoso

tenderly, with feeling

alla breve

2/2 time, cut time

allargando

getting slower and louder

amoroso

with love, with warm feeling

animato or con anima

lively, animated, spirited

appassionato or passione

passionate, fervent

assai

much, very

a tempo

return to the original tempo

attacca

continue without a pause

calmando or calmato

quieting down, subsiding

cantando or cantabile

in a singing style, lyrical

capriccioso

fanciful, freely

con

with

da capo ( D.C.)

from the beginning

dolce

sweet, gentle

doppio movimento

twice as fast

e, ed or et

and

giocoso

humorous, playful

giusto

exact, appropriate or usual tempo

glissando

a glide from one note to the next

grazioso

graceful

largamente

broadly

l’istesso tempo

at the same tempo

loco

return to normal position

marcia

march

meno

less

molto

much, very

morendo

fading away

mosso or moto

moved, motion

non

no, do not (Ex. Non divisi-do not divide the part)

ossia

an alternate version

pesante

weighty, ponderous

piu

more

pochissimo

as little as possible

poco a poco

little by little

pomposo

stately, pompous

quasi

almost, as if

ritenuto ( riten. )

immediately slower

rinforzando ( rfz. )

a sudden accent

sans or senza

without

scherzando

playfully

segue

continue without pausing

sempre

always, throughout

sforzando (sfz. )

a sudden accent

simile

in the same manner

soli

a section solo, a group of soloists

sonore

resounding, loud

sordino

mute (Ex. con sordino-with mute; senza sordino without mute)

sostenuto ( sost. )

sustained

stringendo ( string. )

growing faster

subito ( sub. )

suddenly, at once

tacet

be silent

tenuto ( ten. )

held, sustained for full value

timbre

tone color

troppo

too much

un, una, uno

one

grave

solemn and very, very slow

prestissimo

as fast as possible

Flauto piccolo ottavino

piccolo (Italian)

klein Flöte

piccolo (German)

Petit flûte

piccolo (French)

Flauto

flute (Italian)

Flöteor grosse Flöte

flute (German)

Flǔte

flute (French)

Hoboe

oboe (German)

hautbois

oboe (French)

Corno Inglese

English horn (Italian)

Englisch Horn

English horn (German)

cor anglais

English horn (French)

fagotto

bassoon (Italian)

Fagott

bassoon (German)

basson

bassoon (French)

clarinetto

clarinet (Italian)

Klarinette

clarinet (German)

clarinet

clarinet (French)

Sassofone

saxophone (Italian)

Saxophon

saxophone (German)

Bassklarinette

bass clarinet (German)

bouché

muted or “stopped” French horn, using hand. Indicated by a +

Gestopft

muted or “stopped” French horn using hand. Indicated by a +

corno

horn (Italian)

cor

horn ( French)

tromba

trumpet (Italian

Trompete

trumpet (German)

trompette

trumpet (French)

Posaune

trombone (German)

baritone saxhorn

euphonium (Italian)

Baryton

euphonium (German)

basse à pistons

euphonium (French)

tuba di basso

tuba (Italian)

Basstuba

tuba (German)

tuba basse

tuba (French)

avec sourdine

with mute

sans sourdine

without mute

Mit Dämpfer

with mute

Ohne Dämpfer

without mute

glissando, glissez, or glisser

to slide from one note to another

Flatterzunge

flutter tongue. Make a rapid articulation, similar in sound to a rolled r. (most commonly seen for flutes and trumpets.)