Music Theory Words to Know

Larghetto

Not quite as broadly as largo.

Largo

Broadly.

Legato

Smoothly.

Lento

Slowly.

Libretto

Literary portion or text of an opera, cantata, or oratorio.

Marcato

Marked or accented.

Meno

Less (minus); meno mosso means slower, literally 'less motion'.

Moderato

Moderately.

Molto

Much (very).

Non troppo

Not too much.

Pesante

Heavily.

Pianissimo

Extremely quietly.

Piano

Softly.

Piu

More (plus); piu andante means faster, literally 'more going'.

Pizzicato

Plucked.

Placido

Peacefully.

Poco

A little, somewhat.

Presto

Quickly.

Prima, primo

First.

Quasi

Almost; like.

Rallentando, ritardando

Becoming gradually slower.

Rubato

Not in strict time (lingering).

Sans

Without.

Scherzando

Playfully, jokingly.

Scherzo

Quick, playful movement in ¾ time.

Segue

Continue; proceed to the next movement without pause.

Sempre

Always.

Spiccato

Bounce the bow off the strings.

Staccato

Short, separated.

Stringendo

Hurrying.

Subito

Suddenly.

Troppo

Too much; non troppo means not too much.

Tutti

All.

Vivace

Lively.

Volti subito, V.S.

Turn the page quickly (literally 'sudden time').

A capella

Unaccompanied.

Accelerando

Accelerating.

Adagio

Slowly.

Agitato

Agitated.

Allargando

Slowing gradually.

Allegro

Cheerfully (fast).

Allegretto

Moderately fast.

Andante

Walking speed.

Animato

Animated, lively.

Appassionato

Passionately.

Arco

With the bow (bowed).

Aria

A solo song in an opera, cantata, or oratorio.

Assai

Very.

A tempo

Back to original tempo.

Attaca

Without pause.

Cadenza

Improvisatory solo passage.

Cantabile

In a singing style.

Col legno

With the wood of the bow.

Con brio

Vigorously.

Concerto

Solo feature piece with large ensemble accompaniment.

Con sordino

With a mute.

Crescendo

Becoming louder.

Da capo, D.C.

Return to the 'head' (beginning) of a piece.

Detache

Detached.

Divisi

Divided parts.

Diminuendo

Becoming quieter.

Dolce

Sweetly.

Espressivo

Expressively.

Fine

The end.

Falsetto

Artificially high male voice.

Finale

Final movement of a composition or final act of an opera.

Forte

Strong (loud).

Fortepiano

Loud then immediately soft.

Fortissimo

Very loudly.

Glissando

Sliding up or down a scale or part of a scale.

Grave

Gravely (seriously).