SCBDA Senior Terms List

a poco

a little; gradually

a tempo

in time; generally implies a return to original rate of speed.

accelerando

(accel.) gradually faster

adagietto

slow, but not as slow as adagio

adagio

very slow

agitato

agitated; rapid

al fine

to the finish

alla

in the style of (such as alla marcia--in march style

allargando

(allarg.) gradually slower and broader

allegretto

light and moderately quick, but not as fast as allegro

allegro

rapid; lively

andante

moderately slow, but moving

andantino

generally a little quicker than andante

animato

animated, spirited

appassionato

intensely; passionately; with deep feeling

arioso

in a vocal style

assai

very (such as allegro-assai--very fast)

ben

well (such as ben marcato--well marked)

brillante

brilliantly

calando

gradually slower and softer

cantabile

in a singing style

chromatic

by semi-tones

coda

the final added measures of a musical composition

con

with

con amore

with tenderness

con anima

with animation; spirited

con brio

with spirit; brilliantly

leggiero

lightly

lento

very slow

maestoso

majestically

marcato

marked: with emphasis

marcia

march style

marziale

martial

meno

less

mezzo

medium; half

moderato

moderately

molto

very

morendo

dying away

mosso

motion; movement

non troppo

not too much

opus

(op.) a musical work or composition

ottava

(ova) an octave

pesante

heavily; with emphasis

pianissimo

(pp) very soft

piano

(p) softly

piu

more

poco

a little

poco a poco

little by little

prestissimo

very fast; more so than presto

presto

very fast

primo

first

rallentando

(rall.) gradually slower

religioso

in solemn style

ritardando

(rit) gradually slower

con forza

with force

con fuoco

with fire, energy

con grazia

with graceful style

con spirito

with spirit; brilliance

crescendo

(cresc.) gradually louder

da capo

(D.C.) from the beginning

dal segno

(D.S.) from the sign

decrescendo

(decresc.) gradually softer

diminuendo

(dim.) gradually softer

dolce

sweetly

energico

energetically

etude

a study

fermata

a hold or pause

forte

(f) loud

fortissimo

(ff) very loud

forzando

forcefully accented

furioso

furiously

giocoso

joyfully

grandioso

grand or noble style

grave

very slow and solemn

grazioso

gracefully

l'istesso

the same

larghetto

slow, but not as slow as largo

larghissimo

very slow; more so than largo

largo

very slow

legato

smooth and connected

ritenuto

a steady pace, but slower than preceding tempo

rubato

temporary irregularity of time, lengthening certain notes at the expense of others

scherzando

in light, playful style

scherzo

playfully

segno

the sign

sempre

always; continually

senza

without

sforzando

(sfz) forced; with emphasis

simile

the same (continue in same manner)

smorzando

(smorz.) dying away

soli

more than one performer in unison

solo

a composition or passage for one performer

sordino

mute

sostenuto

sustained

staccato

separated, detached style

stringendo

(string.) gradually faster

subito

suddenly

tacet

silent

tempo

time; speed

tempo di valse

waltz time