ABRSM Music Terms: Grades 1-6

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering Italian, French, and German musical terms, tempo markings, dynamic signs, and directions required for ABRSM Grades 1 through 6.

a tempo

back to the original speed

accelerando (accel.)

gradually getting faster

adagio

slow

allegretto

fairly fast

allegro

fast

andante

at a walking pace

cantabile

in a singing style

crescendo (cresc.)

gradually getting louder

da capo (D.C.)

from the beginning

decrescendo (decresc.) / diminuendo (dim.)

gradually getting quieter

dolce

sweetly

f (forte)

loud

ff (fortissimo)

very loud

fine, al fine

the end, to the end

legato

smoothly

mf (mezzo forte)

moderately loud

moderato

at a moderate speed

mp (mezzo piano)

moderately quiet

p (piano)

quiet

pp (pianissimo)

very quiet

rallentando (rall.)

gradually getting slower

ritardando (ritard., rit.)

gradually getting slower

staccato (stacc.)

detached

alla marcia

in the style of a march

allargando

getting slower (and broader)

con moto

with movement

con, col

with

dal segno (D.S.)

from the sign

e, ed

and

espressivo (espress.)

expressively

fp (fortepiano)

loud, then immediately quiet

grave

very slow, solemn

grazioso

graceful

largo

slow and 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 (faster)

poco, poco a poco

a little, little by little

presto

very fast

ritenuto (riten., rit.)

held back

senza

without

vivace, vivo

lively, quick

volta brackets

first-time and second-time bars

agitato

agitated

andantino

a little faster than andante (usually)

animato

animated

ben

well

con forza

with force

energico

energetic

giocoso

playful

leggiero

light

maestoso

majestic

marcato, marc.

marked, emphasised

pesante

heavy

prestissimo

as fast as possible

prima, primo

first

risoluto

bold

scherzando

playful

semplice

simple

sempre

always

sforzando, sforzato, sfz, sf

forced

simile (sim.)

in the same way

sostenuto, sost.

sustained

subito, sub.

suddenly

tranquillo

calm

triste, tristamente

sad, sadly

affettuoso

tenderly

amabile

gentle

appassionato

passionately

assai

very

come prima

as at first

comodo, tempo comodo

at a comfortable speed

con brio

with vigour

deciso

with determination

larghetto

fairly slow (a little faster than largo)

mesto

sad

misterioso

mysterious

ritmico

rhythmic

rubato, tempo rubato

with some freedom of time

stringendo

gradually getting faster

animé

lively

douce

sweet

lent

slow

modéré

at a moderate speed

retenu

held back

vite

fast

a niente

to nothing

ad libitum, ad lib.

at liberty

attacca

go straight on

cantando

in a singing style

con dolore

with sadness

con spirito

with spirit

doloroso

sorrowful

largamente

broadly

morendo

dying away