Studied by 44 PeopleTags & Description
A tempo
return to the original tempo after some deviation
Accelerando
becoming gradually faster
Allargando
slowing of tempo, usually with increasing volume; most frequently occurs toward the end of a piece
Allegro con spirito
fast tempo with spirit
Anacrusis
upbeat or pickup
Andante
rather slow, at a moderate walking speed
Arpeggio
the notes of the chord played in succession to one another, rather than simultaneously; a broken chord
Bel canto
"beautiful singing"; an Italian Opera term
Binary form
(AB) form of a composition that has two distinct sections
Cantabile
in a singing style; singable
Chromatic
motion by half steps; also describes harmony or melody that employs some of the sequential 12 pitches (semi-tones) in an octave
D. C. or Da Capo
repeat from the beginning of the composition
Descant
a high obligato part above the melody
Divisi
performers singing the same part are divided to sing different parts.
Dolce
sweetly, usually also softly
Espressivo
to play or sing with expression
Falsetto
type of vocal phonation that enables the singer to sing notes beyond the normal vocal range.
Fermata
a pause or hold
Form
the organization and structure of a composition
Grandioso
grand, majestic
Improvisation
music that is created spontaneously
Interval
the relationship between two pitches, the distance between an upper and a lower pitch
Largo
very slow and broad
Ledger lines
short horizontal lines used to extend a staff either higher or lower
Legato
to play or sing in a smooth, connected manner
L'istesso
the beat remains constant when the meter changes
Meno mosso
less motion
Meter
indicated by a time signature, can be simple or compound
Mezzo forte
medium loud
Modulation
to change key within a composition
Motif
a short musical idea or melodic theme, usually shorter than a musical phrase
Niente
dying away to nothing
Opera
a major vocal work that involves theatrical elements
Oratorio
large scale musical composition on a sacred subject.
Part song
an unaccompanied homophonic choral composition for three or more voices
Poco piu mosso
a little more motion
Presto
very fast; faster than allegro
Rallentando
gradually slowing down
Rubato
Making the established pulse flexible by accelerating and slowing down the tempo; an expressive device
Senza
without
Sforzando
strongly accented; forced
Solfege
a system used for teaching sight-singing (Do-Re-Mi)
Sotto voce
Softly; with subdued sound; performed in an undertone
Strophic
describes a song where the stanzas are all sung to the same music
Subito
suddenly; quickly
Tessitura
most widely used range of pitches in a piece of music
Tranquillo
to perform in a relaxed tempo
Triad
three note chord consisting of the root, third, and fifth
Vibrato
a rapid fluctuation of pitch slightly higher or lower than the main pitch
Vivace
lively; briskly