all state band vocab

accelerando (accel.)

gradually growing faster

accidental

chromatic alteration of a note from the key signature until the next bar line (can be extended by a tie)

ad libitum (ad lib) or a piacere

at pleasure, at will

a due (a 2)

for two parts

affetuoso

tenderly, with feeling

alla breve

2/2 time, cut time

allargando

getting slower and louder

amoroso

with love, with warm feeling

animato or con anima

lively, animated, spirited

appassionato or passione

passionate, fervent

assai

much, very (a)

a tempo

return to the original tempo

attacca

continue without a pause

bravura

great technical skill, virtuosity

brilliante

sparkling, spirited

cadenza

a brilliant (often highly technical) solo, often found at the end of a movement or a piece

cadence

the close of a melodic or harmonic piece

calmando or calmato

quieting down, subsiding

cantando or cantabile

in a singing style, lyrical

capriccioso

fanciful, freely

coda

a concluding passage added to the form proper

con

with

con brio

with vigor, vigorously

con forza

with force, strength

con fuoco

with fire, passionately

con sordino

with mute

con spirito or spiritoso

with spirit

crescendo

becoming louder

da capo (D.C.)

from the beginning

Dal Segno (D.S.)

from the sign

decrescendo (decresc.)

becoming softer

diatonic

notes within a given scale or key

diminuendo (dim.)

becoming quieter (softer)

divisi

divided parts where there is normally one

dolce

sweet, gentle

doppio movimento

twice as fast

double flat

lower by one full step

double sharp

raise by one full step

dynamics

the level of loudness

pianississimo (ppp)

very, very soft

pianissimo (pp)

very soft

piano (p)

soft

mezzo piano (mp)

medium soft

mezzo forte (mf)

medium loud

forte (f)

loud

fortissimo (ff)

very loud

fortississimo (fff)

very, very loud

e, ed or et

and

espressivo

with feeling, with expression

etude

a study or exercise focusing on a particular technical or musical problem

fermata

a pause or hold

finale

last movement of a multi-movement work

fine

the end

forzando

a strong accent

giocoso

humorous, playful

giusto

exact, appropriate or usual tempo

glissando

a glide from one note to the next

grazioso

graceful

interval

pitch difference between two notes

key signature

sharps or flats placed at the beginning of a selection indicating its key

largamente

broadly

legato

smooth, even, without breaks between notes

l'istesso tempo

at the same tempo

loco

return to normal position

maestoso

majestic, with dignity

marcato

accented, stressed

marcia

march

meno

less

molto

much, very (m)

morendo

fading away

mosso or moto

moved, motion

non

no, do not

nuance

subtle shading in style

ossia

an alternate version

pesante

weighty, ponderous

piu

more

pochissimo

as little as possible

poco a poco

little by little

pomposo

stately, pompous

quasi

almost, as if

rallentando (rall.)

becoming slower (rall.)

ritardando (ritard or rit)

becoming slower (rit)

ritenuto (riten)

immediately slower

rinforzando (rfz.)

a sudden accent

rubato

free use of accel. and rit. within a measure without altering the duration of the measure as a whole

sans or senza

without

scherzando

playfully

segue

continue without pausing

sempre

always, throughout

sforzando (sfz)

a sudden accent (sfz.)

simile

in the same manner

soli

a section solo, a group of soloists

solo

a part for one performer

sonore

resounding, loud

sordino

mute

sostenuto (sost.)

sustained

staccato

detached

stringendo (string.)

growing faster

subito (sub.)

suddenly, at once

tacet

be silent