ALL STATE BAND TERMS

accelerando (accel.)

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

a due (a 2)

for two parts

affetuoso

tenderly, with feeling

alla breve

2/2 time, cut time

allargando

getting slower and louder

amoroso

with love, with warm feeling

animato or con anima

lively, animated, spirited

appassionato or passione

passionate, fervent

assai

much, very

a tempo

return to the original tempo

attacca

continue without a pause

bravura

great technical skill, virtuosity

brillante

sparkling, spirited

cadenza

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

cadence

the close of a melodic or harmonic phrase

calmando or calmato

quieting down, subsiding

cantando or cantabile

in a singing style, lyrical

capriccioso

fanciful, freely

coda

a concluding passage added to the form proper

con

with

con brio

with vigor, vigorously

con forza

with force, strength

con sordino

with mute

con spirito or spiritoso

with spirit

crescendo

becoming louder

da capo (D.C.)

from the beginning

dal segno (D.S.)

from the sign

decrescendo

becoming softer

diatonic

notes within a given scale or key

diminuendo (dim.)

becoming softer

divisi

divided parts where there is normally one

dolce

sweet, gentle

doppio movimento

twice as fast

double flat (bb)

lower by one full step

double sharp (x)

raise by one full step

dynamics

the level of loudness

e, ed, or et

and

espressivo

with feeling, with expression

etude

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

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

glissando

a glide from one note to the next

grazioso

graceful

interval

pitch difference between two notes

key signature

sharps or flats placed at the beginning of a selection indicating its key

largamente

broadly

legato

smooth, even, without breaks between notes

l'istesso tempo

at the same tempo

loco

return to normal position

maestoso

majestic, with dignity

marcato

accented, stressed

marcia

march

meno

less

molto

much, very

morendo

fading away

mosso or moto

moved, motion

non

no, do not

nuance

subtle shading in style

ossia

an alternate version

pesante

weighty, ponderous

piu

more

pochissimo

as little as possible

poco a poco

little by little

pomposo

stately, pompous

quasi

almost, as if

rallentando (rall.)

becoming slower

ritardando (ritard. or rit.)

becoming slower

ritenuto (riten.)

immediately slower

rinforzando (rfz.)

a sudden accent

rubato

free use of accel. and rit. within a measure without altering the duration of the measure as a whole

sans or senza

without

scherzando

playfully

segue

continue without pausing

sempre

always, throughout

sforzando (sfz)

a sudden accent

simile

in the same manner

soli

a section solo, a group of soloists

solo

a part for one performer

sonore

resounding, loud

sordino

mute

sostenuto (sost.)

sustained

staccato

detached

stringendo (string.)

growing faster

subito (sub.)

suddenly, at once

tacet

be silent

tempo

rate of speed

different tempos:

... grave - solemn and very, very slow
... largo - very slow
... adagio, lento, larghetto - slow
... andante - moderately slow
... andantino - slightly faster that andante
... moderato - moderate, neither fast nor slow
... allegretto - moderately fast
... allegro - fast and lively
... vivo, vivace - very fast and intense
... presto - the fastest conventional tempo
... prestissimo - as fast as possible

tenuto (ten.)

held, sustained for full value

timbre

tone color

tranquillo

quiet, peaceful

trill (tr.)

a rapid alteration between the written note and the diatonic second above it

troppo

too much

tutti

all, with all performers

un, una, uno

one