Grade 5 music theory terms and signs

There’s a lot

A tempo

In time (resume the original speed)

Accelerando (accel.)

Gradually getting quicker

Adagio

Slow

Allargando

Broadening

Allegretto

Fairly quick

Allegro

Lively, quick

Andante

At a walking/ medium speed

Andantino

Slightly faster than andante

Comodo/ tempo comodo

Convenient/ at a comfortable speed

Con brio

With vigor, lively

Con moto

With movement

Grave

Very slow, solemn

Largamente

Broadly

Larghetto

Rather slow

Largo

Slow, stately

Lento

Slow

Meno Mosso

Less movement

Moderato

At a moderate speed

Più mosso

More movement

Presto

Fast

Prestissimo

Very fast

Rallentando (Rall.)

Gradually getting slower

Ritardando (Ricardo., rit.)

Gradually getting slower

Ritenuto (riten.,rit.)

Held back

Rubato/ tempo Rubato

With some freedom of time

Stringendo

Gradually getting faster

Lent

Slow

Vite

lively, quick

Modéré

at a moderate speed

Retenu

Held back

Langsam

Slow

Schnell

Lively, quick

Mässig

At a moderate speed

Lebhaft

Lively, quick

Affettuoso

tender

Agitato

Agitated

Alla marcia

In the style of a March

Amabile

Pleasant

Animato

Animated, lively

appassionato

With passion

Cantando

Singing

Cantabile

In a singing style

Con dolore

with grief

Con forza

With force

Con spirito

With Spirit

deciso

With determination

Dolce

Sweet

Doloroso

sorrowful

energico

Energetic

espressivo

Expressive

Giocoso

playful, Merry

grazioso

Graceful

Leggiero

light

Maestoso

Majestic

Marcato

Emphatic, accented

Mesto

Sad

misterioso

Mysterious

Pesante

Heavy

Risoluto

Bold, strong

Ritmico

Rhythmically

Animé

Animated, lively

douce

Sweet

Süss

Sweet

Traurig

Sad

scherzando

Playful, joking

semplice

Simple, plain

Sonoro

Resident, with rich tone

Sostenuto

sustained

Tranquillo

Calm, peaceful

Triste, tristemente

Sad, sorrowful

Ruhig

Calm, peaceful

pp (pianissimo)

Very quiet

p (piano)

Quiet

Mp (mezzo piano)

Moderately quiet

Mf (mezzo forte)

Moderately loud

f (forte)

Loud

Fortissimo

Very loud

sf, sfz (sforzando, sforzato)

Forced, accented

fp (forte piano)

Loud, then immediately quiet

rf, rfz rinforzando

Reinforcing

Gradually getting louder

Gradually getting quieter

A niente

To nothing

Morendo

Dying away

Perdendosi

Dying away

Smorzando

Dying away

Sotto voce

In an undertone (quietly, in a whisper

ad libitum

At choice

Alla breve

With a minim beat

Assai

Very

Allegro assai

Very fast

Attacca

Go straight on

Ben

Well

Come prima

As before

Col, con

With

E, Ed

And

Ma

But

Meno

Less

Molto

Very, much

Non troppo

Not too much