RCM Level 8 Theory Terms

a tempo

return to the original tempo

accelerando

accel

becoming quicker

accent

stressed note/chord

adagio

a slow tempo (between LARGO + ANDANTE)

ad libitum

ad lib

at the liberty of the performer

agitato

agitated

alla

all'

in the manner of

allargando

allarg

broadening, becoming slower

allegretto

fairly fast (a little slower than ALLEGRO)

allegro

fast

andante

moderately slow; at a walking pace

andantino

a little faster than ANDANTE

animato

lively, animated

arco

for stringed instruments: resume bowing after PIZZICATO passage

assai

much, very much
Ex. allegro assai: very fast

attacca

proceed without a break

ben

bene

well
Ex. ben marcato: well marked

bewegt

agitated/excited

brilliante

brilliant

calando

becoming slower and softer

cantabile

in singing style

cédez

yield; hold the tempo back

cluster

chord consisting of a combination of at least three adjacent notes of any scale

col

coll', colla, colle

with
Ex. coll'ottava: with an added octave

comodo

commodo

at a comfortable, easy tempo

con

with

con brio

with vigor/spirit

con espressione

with expression

con fuoco

with fire

con grazio

with grace

con moto

with movement

con pedale

con ped.

with pedal

con sordino

with mute

crescendo

cresc.

becoming louder

da capo

D.C.

From the beginning

da capo al fine

D. C. al fine

repeat from the beginning and end at fine

dal segno

D. S.

from the sign

decrescendo

decresc.

becoming softer

diminuendo

dim

becoming softer

dolce

sweet

dolente

sad

e, ed

ed, e

and

espressivo

expression, with expression

fermato

pause; hold the note/rest longer than written value

fine

the end

forte

loud

fortepiano

loud, then suddenly soft

fortissimo

very loud

giocoso

humorous/joyful

grandioso

grand/grandiose

grave

slow and solemn

grazioso

graceful

langsam

slow

Largamente

broadly

larghetto

not as slow as LARGO

largo

very slow and broad

lagato

smooth

léger

light/lightly

leggiero

light/nimble/quick

lentement

slowly

lento

slow

I'istesso tempo

the same tempo

loco

return to normal register

ma

but
Ex. ma non troppo: but not too much

maestroso

majestic

mano destra

M. D.

right hand

mano sinistra

M. S.

left hand

marcato

marc

marked or stressed

martellato

strongly accented/hammered

mässig

moderate/moderately

meno

less

meno mosso

less movement, slower

mesto

sad, mournful

mezzo forte

moderately loud

mezzo piano

moderately soft

mit

with

mit Ausdruck

with expression

M. M.

metronome marking (Maelzels Metronome)

moderato

at a moderate tempo

modere

at a moderate tempo

molto

much, very

morendo

dying, fading away

mouvement

tempo, motion

non

not

no troppo

no too much

ottava

8va

the interval of an octave

pedale

ped,pedal

pesante

weighty with emphasis

pianissimo

very soft

piano

soft

piu

more

piu mosso

more movement, quicker

pizzicato

for stringed instruments: pluck the string instead of bowing

poco

little

poco a poco

little by little

poly chord

a combination of two or more different chords

prestissimo

as fast as possible

presto

very fast

prima

primo

first; the upper part of the duet

prima volta

first time