Musical Terminology: Tempo, Dynamics, and Expression

larghissimo

very broad, q = 40-50

adagissimo

very relaxed, q = 40-50

lentissimo

very slow, q = 40-50

lento

slow, q = 46-66

adagio

at ease, q = 46-66

largo

broad, q = 46-66

larghetto

rather broad, q = 52.69

adagietto

rather relaxed, q = 52.69

andante

walking, q = 60-72

moderato

moderately, q = 66-84

animato

animated, q = 76-92

allegro

happy, q = 92-132

allegretto

cheerful, q = 72-88

vivace

lively, q = 92-132

vivo

alive, q = 92-132

presto

fast, q = 96-138

allegrissimo

ecstatic, q = 138-208

vivacissimo

very lively, q = 138-208

prestissimo

very fast, q = 138-208

assai

very

lunga

long

ma non troppo

but not too much

meno

less

molto

much/very

mosso

motion

moto

motion

non troppo

not too much

più

more

poco

little

sehr

very

stesso movimento

same tempo

subito

immediately

très

very

accelerando

accelerating

animando

with growing animation

affrettando

quicken the tempo

belebend

with growing animation

en animant

with increasing animation

poco a poco animato

more animated little by little

pressez

gradually faster

più allegro

more quickly

più animato

more animated

più presto

more quickly

più stretto

more tightness

più tosto

more forthwith

poco più mosso

a little more motion

un poco animato

a little more animated

stringendo

Squeezing

cédez

giving way/yielding

langsamer

slower

lentando

slowing

nach gebend

becoming slower

Rallentando

slowing

ritardando

slowing/delaying

slargando

suddenly slowing

slentando

suddenly slowing

tardando

slowing/delaying

trattenuto

held back

meno mosso

less motion

meno moto

less motion

più lento

more slowly

ritenuto

withheld

zurückhaltend

restrained

allargando

enlarging

en élargissant

expanding

espansione

broadening

largando

enlarging

calando

falling away

morendo

dying away

perdendosi

gradually dying away

smorzando

fading away

a piacere

at pleasure

ad libitum (ad lib.)

at one's liberty

senza misura

unmeasured

tempo giusto

exact time/strict time

tempo rubato

freely/robbed time

a tempo

at the preceding tempo

alla breve

at the breve or 2/2

alla marcia

march tempo

allmählich

gradually

doppio movimento

twice as fast

l'istesso tempo

same tempo

misurato

measured/strict time

tempo I

at the original tempo

tempo primo

at the original tempo

[il] più piano/forte

more softly/loudly

piano/forte assai

very soft/loud

piano/forte possible

as soft/loud as possible

pianissimo

very soft

piano

soft

mezzo piano

medium soft

mezzo forte

medium loud

forte

loud

fortissimo

very loud

n. [al] niente

dying away

decrescendo

gradually softer

diminuendo

gradually softer

forte-piano

loud then suddenly soft

poco a poco

little by little

crescendo

gradually louder