Clay County, Florida All County Chorus Vocab

A tempo

return to the original tempo after some deviation

A cappella

Without instrumental accompaniment

Accent mark

symbols that indicate a note is strongly played or sung

Accidentals

symbol used to raise or lower a given pitch by 1 or 2 semi-tones, or to cancel a previous sign or part of a key signature

Al fine

to the end, generally used after a repetition

Allargando

slowing of tempo, usually with increasing volume;most frequently occurs toward the end of a piece

Allegretto

slightly slower than allegro often implying lighter texture and character as well

Allegro com spirito

Fast tempo with spirit

Amabile

sweet, loveable

Andante

rather slow, at a moderate walking speed

Arpeggio

the notes of the chord played in succession to one another, rather than simultaneously; a broken chord

Atonal

music that lacks a tonal center; absence of key

Augmented

raised or enlarged. Generally refers to the raising of a pitch by one half-step

Bel canto

“Beautiful singing”; an Italian Opera term

Binary form/AB

A form of a composition that has two distinct sections

Cadenza

An improvised or written-out ornamental passage performed by a soloists usually near the final cadence

Caesura

grand paise; an interruption or break in the line

Cantabile

In a singing style; singable

Chromatic

Motion by half steps; also describes harmony or melody that employs some of the sequential 12 pitches (semi-tones) in an octive

Coda

A passage that brings a piece of music to its conclusion; an ending

Concerto

Composition for instruments in which a solo instrument is set against orchestral ensemble

D.C./Da Capo

Repeat from the beginning of the composition

Diminished

Lowered, or reduced; generally refers to the lowering of a pitch chromatically by one half step

Diminuendo

Gradually reduce volume, getting softer

Divisi

Performers singing the same part are divided to sing different parts

Dolce

Sweetly, usually also softly

Espressivo

To play or sing with expressionFal

Falsetto

Type of vocal phonation that enables the singer to sing notes beyond the normal vocal range

Fermata

A pause or hold

Fortessimo

Very loud

Grave

solemn, with dignity

Grazioso

Graceful

Half-step

A semi-tone. There are 12 half-steps in an octave

Harmonic minor

A minor scale with a raised seventhIt

Interval

The relationship between two pitches, the distance between an upper and a lower pitch

Key Signature

Sharps or flats at the beginning of each staff to indicate which pitches are to be raised or lowered from their natural state during the pieceL

Largo

Very slow and broad

Legato

To play or sing in a smooth, connected manner

Leading tone

The seventh degree of the diatonic scale, when it is only a half-step below the tonic, gives the feeling of wanting to move up to the tonicL

eggiero

Lightly

Lunga

A long pause that is determined by the performer or director

Marcato

Marked, stressed

Meno mosso

Less motion

Meter

Indicated by a time signature, can be simple or compound

Mezzo Forte

Medium loud

Mezzo piano

Medium soft

Misterioso

Play or sing in a mysterious manner

Motif

A short musical idea or melodic theme, usually shorter than a musical phrase

Niente

Dying away to nothing

Octave

An interval eight diatonic scale degrees a pitch. Two notes an octave apart have the same letter name, and form the most consonant interval possible

Opera

A major vocal work that involves theatrical elements

Opus

A creative work, numbered to designate the order of the composer’s works

Oratorio

Large scale musical composition on a sacred subject

Pesante

Heavy, ponderous

Perdendosi

Gradually dying away, softer and softer

Phrase

A single musical idea or element which is often defined as a repeated, rhythmic pattern, or a melodic contour

Poco pui mosso

A little more motion

Portamento

Special manner of singing where the voice glides from one tone to the next through all the intermediate pitches

Presto

Very fast; faster than allegro

Premo

First or upper part

Rallentando

Gradually slowing down

Rondo form ABACA

Form of a composition that has a recurring “A” section

Rubato

Making the established pulse flexible by accelerating and slowing down the tempo; an expressive device

Senza

Without

Sequence

The repetition of a phrase at different pitch levels using the same or similar intervals

Sforzando

Strongly accented; forced

Simile

Continue to perform in a similar manner

Slur

curved line that indicates sing or play in a legato manner; without separation

Solfege

A system used for teaching sight-singing (Do-Re-Mi)

Sollo voce

Softly; with subdued sound; performed in an undertone

Sostenuto

In a sustained mannerS

Staccato

Detached; crisply played

Strophic

Describes a song where the stanzas are all sung to the same music

Subito

suddenly; quickly

Tempo primo

The original speed

Tenuto

Fully sustained; occasionally even a bit longer than the note value requires

Tessitura

Most widely used range of pitches in a piece of music

Triad

Three note chord consisting of the root, third, and fifth

Tutti

In a choral work, indicate all voices

Vivace

Lively; briskly