All-State Band and Orchestra Terminology Sheet.

Accelerando

Gradually growing faster.

Accidental

Chromatic alteration of a note from the key signature until the next bar line.

Ad libitum (ad lib) or a piacere

At pleasure, at will.

Affetuoso

Tenderly, with feeling.

Amoroso

With love, with warm feeling.

Attacca

Continue without a pause.

Cadenza

A brilliant (often highly technical) solo, often found at the end of a movement or piece.

Calmando or calmato

Quieting down, subsiding.

Coda

A concluding passage added to the for proper.

Con

With.

Con sordino

With mute.

Con spirito or spiritoso

With spirit.

Decrescendo (decresc.)

Becoming softer.

Divisi

Divided parts where there is normally one.

Doppio movimento

Twice as fast.

Double sharp

Raise by one full step.

Pianississimo (ppp)

Very, very soft.

Pianissimo (pp)

Very soft.

Piano (p)

Soft.

Mezzo piano (mp)

Medium soft.

Mezzo forte (mf)

Medium loud.

Fortissimo (ff)

Very loud.

Fortississimo (fff)

Very, very loud.

Etude

A study or exercise focusing on a particular technical or musical problem.

Glissando

A glide from one note to the next.

Grazioso

Graceful

Key signature

Sharps or flats placed at the beginning of a section indicating its key.

Legato

Smooth, even, without breaks between notes.

L'istesso tempo

At the same tempo.

Maestoso

Majestic, with dignity.

Nuance

Subtle shading in style.

Piu

More

Pomposo

Stately, pompous.

Rinforzando (rfz.)

A sudden accent.

Sans or senza

Without

Scherzando

Playfully

Sempre

Always, throughout.

Soli

A section solo, a group of soloists.

Sonore

Resounding, loud.

Sordino

Mute

Sostenuto (sost.)

Sustained

Staccato

Detached

Stringendo (string.)

Growing faster.

Tempo

Rate of speed.

Adagio, lento, larghetto

Slow

Moderato

Moderate, neither fast nor slow.

Allegretto

Moderately fast.

Vivo, vivace

Very fast and intense.

Presto

The fastest conventional tempo.

Tranquillo

Quiet, peaceful.

Trill (tr.)

A rapid alteration between the written note and the diatonic second above it.

Natural Minor Scales

Are diatonic scales with half-steps between 2- 3 and 5 - 6.

Harmonic Minor Scales

Are natural minor scales with the 7th scale degree raised a half-step.. This adds a half-step between 7 - 8, and an interval of 1 1/2 steps between 6 - 7.

A due ( a 2 )

For two parts.

Alla breve

2/2 time, cut time.

Allargando

Getting slower and louder.

Animato or con anima

Lively, animated spirited.

Appassionato or passione

Passionate, fervent.

Assai

Much, very.

A tempo

Return to the original tempo.

Bravura

Great technical skill, virtuosity.

Brilliante

Sparkling, spirited.

Cadence

The close of a melodic or harmonic phrase.

Cantando or cantible

In a singing style, lyrical.

Capriccioso

Fanciful, freely.

Con brio

With vigor, vigorously.

Con forza

With force, strength.

Con fuoco

With fire, passionately.

Crescendo

Becoming louder.

Da capo (D.C.)

From the beginning.

Dal segno (D.S.)

From the sign.

Diatonic

Notes within a given scale or key.

Diminuendo (dim.)

Becoming softer.

Dolce

Sweet, gentle.

Double flat (bb)

Lower by one full step.

Dynamics

The level of loudness.

Forte (f)

Loud.

e, ed, or et

and

espressivo

With feeling, with expression.

Fermata

A pause or hold.

Finale

Last movement of a multi-movement work.

Fine

The end.

Forzando

A strong accent.

Giocoso

Humorous, playful.

Giusto

Exact, appropriate or usual tempo.

Interval

Pitch difference between two notes.

Largamente

Broadly

Loco

Return to normal position.

Marcato

Accented, stressed.

Marcia

March

Meno

Less

Molto

Much, very.

Morendo

Fading away.

Mosso or moto

Moved, motion.

Non

No, do not.

Ossia

An alternate version.

Pesante

Weighty, ponderous.

Pochissimo

As little as possible.

Poco a poco

Little by little.

Quasi

Almost, as if.