AP Music Theory Vocab Unit 1

accelerando

a gradual increase in tempo

adagio

a slow tempo, typically slower than andante

allegro

a fast, lively tempo

andante

a moderately slow tempo, often translated as "walking pace"

largo

a very slow tempo, broader than adagio

lento

a slow tempo, similar to adagio but can vary slightly

moderato

a moderate tempo, between adagio and allegro

presto

a very fast tempo

ritardando

a gradual slowing down of the tempo

ritenuto

a sudden, temporary slowing down of the tempo

rubato

a flexible tempo, allowing for expressive timing

vivace

a lively and brisk tempo

hemiola

a rhythmic alteration where two beats are felt as three, or vice versa

borrowed division

using a rhythmic pattern from a different meter or context within a piece

division

a subdivision of a beat into smaller rhythmic units

unit

a basic rhythmic grouping or metric measure in music