Grade 1 - 5 Theory Latest Terms

accelerando (accel.)

gradually getting quicker

adagio

slow

allegretto

fairly quick (but not as quick as allegro)

allegro

quick (or cheerful)

andante

at a walking speed (or medium speed)

cantabile

in a singing style

crescendo (cresc.)

gradually getting louder

da capo (D.C.)

repeat from the beginning

decrescendo (descrec.)

gradually getting quieter

diminuendo (dim.)

gradually getting quieter

dolce

sweet

fine

the end

forte (f)

loud

fortissimo (ff)

very loud

legato

smoothly

mezzo forte (mf)

moderately loud

mezzo piano (mp)

moderately quiet

moderato

moderately

piano (p)

soft

pianissimo (pp)

very soft

rallentando (rall.)

gradually getting slower

ritardando (ritard. or rit.)

gradually getting slower

staccato (stacc.)

detached

a tempo

in time

allegro moderato

moderately quick

al fine

to the end

allargando

broadening (getting a little slower and probably a little louder)

con, col

with

dal segno (D.S.)

repeat from the sign

e, ed

and

espressivo (espress)

expressive

fortepiano (fp)

loud, then immediately soft

grave

very slow, solemn

grazioso

graceful

largo

slow, stately

lento

slow

ma

but

meno

less

molto

very, much

più

more

poco

a little

presto

fast (faster than allegro)

ritenuto (riten. or rit.)

held back

senza

without

vivace, vivo

lively, quick

alla marcia

in the style of a march

meno mosso

slower

con moto

with movement

non troppo

not too much

più mosso

quicker (literally "more movement")

poco a poco

little by little

agitato

agitated

andantino

slightly faster than andante (but may also mean slightly slower)

animato

animated, lively

ben

well

energico

energetic

giocoso

playful, merry

leggiero

light, nimble

maestoso

majestic

marcato, marc.

emphatic, accented

pesante

heavy

prestissimo

very fast

prima, primo

first

risoluto

bold, strong

scherzando, scherzoso

playful, joking

semplice

simple, plain

sempre

always

sforzando / sforzato (sf, sfz)

forced, accented

simile (sim.)

in the same way

sostenuto, sost.

sustained

subito, sub.

suddenly

tranquillo

calm

triste, tristamente

sad, sorrowful

con forza

with force

affettuoso

tenderly

alla breve

with a minim beat, equivalent to ( ), implying a faster tempo than the note values might otherwise suggest

amabile

amiable, pleasant

appassionata

with passion

assai

very

comodo

convenient

deciso

with determination

larghetto

rather slow (but not as slow as largo)

mesto

sad

misterioso

mysterious

ritmico

rhythmically

rubato, tempo rubato

with some freedom of time

stringendo

gradually getting faster

come prima

as before

con brio

with vigour, lively

tempo comodo

at a comfortable speed

tempo rubato

with some freedom of time

attaca

go straight on to the next section of the music

contando

singing

doloroso

sorrowful

largamente

broadly

morendo

dying away

perdendosi

dying away

quasi

as if, resembling

rinforzando, rf, rfz, rinf.

reinforcing

smorzando, smorz.

dying away in tone and speed