SLHS Orchestra Terminology

andante

slow, walking tempo

ritardando

gradually slow down

tempo

rate of speed

ledger lines

lines that extend the staff

tie

curved line that connects notes of the same pitch

pizzicato

pluck the string

arco

play with the bow

solo

piece for one person, one person plays

ensemble

piece for a group, a group playing

crescendo

gradually get louder

decrescendo

gradually get softer

scale

series of consecutive notes, ascending and descending, starting and ending on the same note

half step

smallest musical interval

whole step

two half steps

slur

curved line that connects notes of different pitches

dynamics

volume levels

piano

soft volume

forte

loud volume

mezzo

medium volume

allegro

fast, happy tempo

simile

play in the same style as previous

cantabile

singing

dolce

sweetly

rallentando

gradually get slower

fermata

hold note or rest until director indicates

adagio

slow tempo

fine

the end

divisi

divide

accidental

flats/sharps/naturals not in the key signature

luftpaus

lift & pause

con

with

senza

without

sordino

mute

de capo

from the beginning

dal segnore

from the sign

coda

tag

moderato

moderate tempo

al fine

through the end

syncopation

stress the off or weak beats

andantino

slightly slower or faster than andante

molto

much

piu

more

a tempo

previous tempo

accelerando

gradually get faster

grand pause

a pause or rest for the entire ensemble

poco

little

sul

on, near

trill

fastest oscillation between two notes

enharmonic

two notes that sound the same but spelled differently

ponticello

near the bridge

tasto

fingerboard

maestoso

majestically

agitato

agitatedly

espressivo

expressively

subito

suddenly

presto

very fast

tranquillo

tranquil, calm

tonic

1st scale degree

dominant

5th scale degree

duet

piece for 2 people, 2 people playing

volta

turn, time

tutti

everyone plays

niente

fade to nothing

allargando

stretch of time

tenuto

stress/stretch the note

sempre

always

morendo

dying away

largo

very slow

pesante

heavy

cadenza

brilliant solo passage

glissando

slide between 2 notes

interval

distance between 2 notes

tacet

don't play/rest for a movement

major scale

scale that follows the pattern wwhwwwh

meno

less

mosso/moto

motion

turn

embellishment that rotates around the primary tones

grace note

embellishment that comes before/after primary note

leading tone

7th scale degree

non troppo

not too much

con brio

with zest

con fuoco

with fire

attaca

continue without pause

prima

first

leggiero

lightly

grazioso

gracefully

assai

very

stringendo

to press forward

sforzando

second degree of accent

scherzando

Playful manner

adagietto

slightly slower/faster than adagio

mediant

3rd scale degree

submediant

6th scale degree

hemiola

3 against 2 or 2 against 3

natural minor scale

scale that follows the pattern WHWWHWW

harmonic minor scale

natural minor scale with a raised 7th scale degree

melodic minor scale

natural minor scale that has a raised 6th and 7th scale degree ascending & a natural minor scale descending

Gusto

With relish, with zest

Con calore

With warmth

Giocoso

Joyful