Orchestra Final Exam

Vocabulary flashcards for music terminology and composer facts.

Key Signature

Indicates the key of a composition.

Rhythm

A pattern of recurring beats or movements.

Tempo

The speed at which a passage of music is or should be played.

Coda

A concluding section of a piece or movement that brings it to a definitive end.

Diminuendo

Gradual decrease in volume

Divisi

Instrument section split to play different notes in the same passage

Rallentando

Direction to a performer to gradually slow down the tempo

Ritardando

A gradual decrease of speed

Poco a poco

Little by little; gradually.

Crescendo

To increase in sound

Pizzicato

Pluck notes instead of using bow.

Cacophony

A harsh discordant mixture of sounds

Sostenuto

A passage to be played in a sustained or prolonged manner.

Con moto

With movement

Legato e dolce

Play/sing smoothly and sweetly, with a gentle and flowing style

Simile

"Similar" performer continues playing in a similar manner to what's been played before

Accelerando

To gradually increase the speed of the music

Con fuoco

A direction indicating that a passage should be played with fire, passion, or vigor

Espressivo

An instruction used to guide performers to play with an expressive quality

Dolce

Means sweet or tender telling the musicians to play soft and gentle.

Leggiero

"Light" or "nimble" and is a direction to perform a passage in a delicate, graceful, and swift manner

Molto

An Italian term meaning "much" or "very" telling musicians to Intensify.

Sempre

To keep or maintain specific musical characteristics

Articulation

The manner in which notes are performed.

Marcato

A musical instruction indicating a note, chord, or passage is to be played louder or more forcefully than the surrounding music.

Martele

A style of playing "hammering" notes and bowstrokes

Spiccato

A style of staccato playing on stringed instruments involving bouncing the bow on the strings.

Staccato

Performed with each note sharply detached or separated from the others.

Legato

Smooth and flowing in manner, without breaks between notes.

Col legno

Strike the strings with the wooden stick of the bow rather than the hairs

Loure

A bowstroke where notes are played in the same direction, without separation

Ponticello

A bowing technique where the bow is positioned very close to the bridge of the instrument

Slur

Notes played smoothly and connected, without any separation or re-articulation between them.

Tremolo

Notes are rapidly repeated to create a trembling or wavering effect

Pianissimo (pp)

"Very soft" or "as soft as possible."

Piano (p)

Quiet/soft

Mezzo Piano (mp)

Relatively quiet or soft

Mezzo Forte (mf)

Relatively loud

Forte (f)

Loud

Fortissimo (ff)

"Very loud"

Sforzando (sfz)

A dynamic marking that indicates a sudden, loud accent on a specific note or chord

Vivace

Played in a lively and energetic manner

Andante

Moderate tempo/walking pace

Molto allegro

Music played in a very swift and lively fashion, or tempo; speed is between 132-152 beats per minute.

Adagio

To move at a slow tempo

Presto

A tempo marking that indicates a very fast speed

Prestissimo

"Very fast" or "as fast as possible"

Allegretto

Brisk tempo or fast, active, and energetic tempo

Tempo Giusto

Steady Tempo 120-169 bpm

Meno Mosso

Less motion, music played slower than previous tempo

Grave

Very slow and solemn, around 20-40 BPM

Corelli

Known for his influence on the development of violin style, and for establishing the concerto grosso form.

Stravinsky

Born in St. Petersburg, the capital Russia at the time and his father was a famous opera singer.

Richard Meyer

An American folk singer and songwriter, writer, painter, and set designer.

Todd Parrish

Has taught public school orchestras at all levels for over twenty years in Illinois, Virginia, and Florida

Thom Sharp

He's known for his work on animated movies like Aladdin, The Little Mermaid, and Toonsylvania.

Soon Hee Newbold

He began studying piano at age five and violin at age seven.

Billie Eilish

She is a singer, songwriter, and record producer, with her older brother Finneas.

Neal Hefti

Conductor, arranger, and trumpeter, he was educated in high school and through private music study.

Deborah Baker Monday

She's active as a clinician, guest conductor, and adjudicator, she has lots of commissions for her work.

Percy E. Fletcher

British; Learned to play violin, piano, and organ before conducting.

Moussorgsky

He grew up in Russia, learned to play piano and sang in the school choir, served in the army and then worked in government