Grade 5 Music Theory Terms ABRSM

In time

A tempo

Gradually getting faster

Accelerando (Accel.)

At choice

Ad libitum (Ad lib.)

Slow

Adagio

Tenderly

Affettuoso

Agitated

Agitato

In the style of ...

Al, alla

With a minim (half note) beat

Alla breve

Broadening

Allargando

Fairly quick

Allegretto

Fast

Allegro

Very fast

Allegro assai

Moderately fast

Allegro moderato

Amiable, pleasant

Amabile

At a walking pace

Andante

Slightly faster than andante

Andantino

Animated, lively

Animato

Animated, lively

Animé

With passion

Appassionato

Very

Assai

Go immediately to next section

Attacca

Well

Ben

Vigour

Brio

In a singing style

Cantabile

Singing

Cantando

As, similar to

Come

At a comfortable speed

Comodo

With

Con, col

Gradually getting louder

Crescendo (Cresc.)

Repeat from beginning

Da capo (DC)

Repeat from "S" sign

Dal segno (DS)

With detemination

Deciso

Gradually getting quieter

Decrescendo (Decresc.)

Gradually getting quieter

Diminuendo (Dim.)

Sweet, soft

Dolce

Sorrowful

Doloroso

Sweet

Douce

And

E, ed

Energetic

Energico

Expressive

Espressivo

The end

Fine

Loud

Forte (F)

Loud, then immediately soft

Fortepiano (FP)

Very Loud

Fortissimo (FF)

Force

Forza

Playful, merry

Giocoso

Graceful

Grazioso

Slow

Langsam

Broadly

Largamente

Rather slow

Larghetto

Slow and stately

Largo

Lively

Lebhaft

Smoothly

Legato

Light, nimble

Leggiero

Slow

Lent

Slow

Lento

But

Ma

Majestic

Maestoso

Emphatic, accented

Marcato

At a moderate speed

Mässig

Less

Meno

Sad

Mesto

Moderately loud

Mezzo forte (MF)

Moderately quiet

Mezzo piano (MP)

Moderate speed

Moderato

At a moderate speed

Modéré

Very much

Molto

Dying away

Morendo

Movement

Mosso

Nothing (silence)

Niente

Not

Non

Dying away

Perdendosi

Heavy

Pesante

Very quiet

Pianissimo (PP)

Quiet

Piano (P)

More

Piu

More

Plus

A little

Poco

Fast (faster than allegro)

Presto

First

Prima, primo

As if, resembling

Quasi

Gradually getting slower

Rallentando (Rall.)

Held back

Retenu

Reinforcing

Rinforzando (rf, rfz.)

Bold, strong

Risoluto

Gradually getting slower

Ritardando (Rit.)

Held back

Ritenuto (Rit.)

Rhythmically

Ritmico

With some freedom of time

Rubato

Peaceful

Ruhig

Playfully, joking

Scherzando

Fast

Schnell

Simple, plain

Semplice

Always

Sempre

Without

Senza

Forced, accented

Sforzando (sf)

Forced, accented

Sforzato (sfz)

In the same way

Simile (sim.)

Dying away in tone and speed

Smorzando

Resonant, with a rich tone

Sonoro