Terms & Signs: ABRSM Grade 1-5 Theory

25+ terms a day, if you miss a day make sure to catch up!!!

a tempo

return to the original tempo

accelerando (accel.)

gradually getting faster

adagio

slowly

allegretto

moderately fast

allegro

fast

andante

walking tempo

cantabile

in a singing style

crescendo (cresc.)

gradually getting louder

Da Capo (D.C.)

repeat from the beginning to the coda

decrescendo (decresc.)

gradually getting quieter

diminuendo (dim.)

gradually getting quieter

dolce

sweetly

Forte (f)

loud

Fortissimo (ff)

very loud

fine

to the end

al fine

up to the end

legato

smoothly

mezzo forte (mf)

moderately loud

moderato

at a moderate tempo

mezzo piano (mp)

moderately quiet

piano

quiet

pianissimo

very quiet

rallentando (rall.)

gradually getting slower

ritardando (ritard., rit.)

gradually getting slower

staccato

detached

gradually getting louder

gradually getting quieter

slur / perform smoothly

tie / hold for the value of both notes

staccato / detached

accent the note

pause / pause on the note or rest

♩= 72

72 crotchet beats per minute

alla marcia

in the style of a march / in a military style

allargando

broadening

con moto

with movement

con, col

with

Dal Segno (D.S.)

repeat from the sign

e, ed

and

espressivo (or espress.)

expressive

fp, fortepiano

loud, then immediately soft

grave

very slow / solemn

grazioso

graceful

largo

slow / stately

lento

slow

ma

but

meno

less

meno mosso

less movement / slower

molto

very / much

non troppo

not too much

più

more

più mosso

more movement / quicker

poco

a little

poco a poco

little by little

presto

fast

ritenuto (riten. , rit.)

held back

senza

without

vivace, vivo

lively / quick

strong accent

slightly separated

staccatissimo

slight pressure

8va - played at an octave higher or lower

agitato

agitated

andantino

slightly faster than andante (but may also mean slightly slower)

animato

animated / lively

ben

well

con forza

with force

energico

energetic

giocoso

playful / merry

leggiero

light

maestoso

majestic

marcato, marc.

emphatic / accented

pesante

heavy

prestissimo

very fast

prima, primo

first

risoluto

bold / strong

scherzando

playful / joking

semplice

simple / plain

sempre

always

sforzando, sforzato, sf, sfz

forced / accented

simile (sim.)

in the same way / similarly

sostenuto, sost.

sustained

subito, sub.

suddenly

tranquillo

calm

triste, tristamente

sad / sorrowful

affettuoso

tenderly

alla breve

with a minim beat / 2/2 time

amabile

pleasant

appassionato

with passion / passionately

assai

very

come prima

as before

comodo, tempo comodo

convenient / at a comfortable speed

con brio

with vigour / lively

deciso

with determination

larghetto

rather slow

mesto

sad

misterioso

mysterious

ritmico

rhythmically

rubato, tempo rubato

with some freedom of time