Conducting Musical Terms

Grave

very slow

largo

very slow

lento

slow

adagio

slow = at ease

andante

walking tempo

moderato

moderately

allegretto

somewhat fast

allegro

fast

vivace

fast=lively

presto

very fast

prestissimo

as fast as possible

ad libitum

free tempo and phrasing (chosen by conductor)

agitato

agitated

alberti bass

broken chord style

alla breve

cut time

allargando

slowing down

anacrusis

upbeat or pickup

animato

animated/spirited

arco

using the bow of an instrument

boca chuisa

“closed mouth” = humming

calando

gradually diminishing

cantabile

singing style

caesura

total stop //

col legno

using wood of bow

colla parte

following soloist (tempo)

con moto

with motion

con sordino

with a mute (often strings)

continuo

baroque accomp ensemble. (Includes KEYBOARD: harpsichord or organ AND BASS: bass viol. cello or bassoon)

con brio

with fire= vigorously

cor anglaise

english horn (not a horn)

corno

horn

de capo

go back to beginning (DC)

dal segno

back to the sign (D.S.)

detache

detached BOWING STYLE. Different direction each note

down bow

pull on bow away from instrument

fermata

hold at directors discretion

Forzando

sudden strong accent

frog

end of the bow where the player holds

glissando

slide between two pitches

grand pause

extended rest for all performers (G.P)

grosse caisse

bass drum

langsam

slowly

largamente

broadly

largando

gradually broadening

legato

smooth connected, no space

leggiero

light

l’istesso tempo

same tempo

luftpause

short/air pause

lunga

long

maestoso

majestically

marcato

marked and accented

messa di voce

slight crescendo and decrescendo on one note

molto

very, much, or a lot

morendo

dying away

ostinato

repeated pattern

parlando

spoken style (clear and crisp)

pauken

timpani

pesante

heavy

picardy third

raised third degree in minor. end of cadence

pizzicato

plucked string

quodlibet

composition developed by combining movements, melodies, or texts

rallentando

gradually slowing

risoluto

bold/decisively (resolved)

ritardando

gradually slowing

rubato

free/elastic tempo

secco recitative

dry accompaniment = no connecting chordal accomp=sparse

segue

follow without break

semplice

simple

sempre

always

senza

without

sforzando

sudden strong accent

simile

continue in similar style

sotto voce

“under voice” (covered tone)

spicatto

separated, staccato BOWING

sprechstimme

speech-like singing with approximated pitches

staccato

short, detached, space between notes

subito

suddenly

sul ponticello

played near bridge of string instrument

sul tasto

played over fingerboard of string instrument

tempo primo

original tempo

tenermente

tenderly

tenuto

note at full value (sometimes emphasize or accent)

tessitura

range of piece and WHERE IT LIES/SITS for instrument or singer

tremolo

rapid REPITITION of 1 note

trill

rapid ALTERATION of 2 notes

tromba

trumpet

tutti

all/everyone

una corda

one string (una corda pedal is soft pedal)

up bow

start at tip of bow and PUSH bow “up” towards instrument

Order tempos from slowest to fastest

grave largo lento adagio andante moderato allegretto allegro vivace presto prestissimo

which is slower adagio or andante

adagio (at ease) andante (walking tempo)