Conducting Vocab Block 2: Dynamics & Expression

accentato

accented, emphasized

affettuoso

affectionately, tenderly

agile

nimble, light

agitato

agitated, restless

amabile

amiably, graciously

amoroso / con amore

lovingly, tenderly

apaisé

calmed, peaceful

Ausdruck

expression

ausdrucksvoll

expressively, full of feeling

bellicoso

warlike, martial

bravura

brilliant, bold virtuosity

breit

broad

brilliante

brilliant, sparkling

brio / con brio / brioso

vigor; with spirit and energy

bruscamente

abruptly, brusquely

cantabile / cantando

in a singing style

capriccioso

capriciously, whimsically

colossale

colossal, massive

con affetto

with affection

con effetto

with effect; expressively

con fuoco / fuoco

with fire

con slancio

with impetus, enthusiasm

crescendo (cresc.)

gradually louder

deciso

decisively

decrescendo (decresc.)

gradually softer

delicatamente

delicately

devoto

devoutly, reverently

diminuendo (dim.)

gradually softer; diminishing

dissonante

dissonant, clashing

dolce

sweetly, gently

dolcissimo

very sweetly

dolente / doloroso

sorrowfully, painfully

Empfindung

feeling, sensibility

energico

energetically

enfatico

emphatically

eroico

heroically

espirando

breathing out; fading away

espressivo

expressively

estinto

extinguished; barely audible

facile

easily, lightly

feroce

fiercely

fieramente

proudly, fiercely

flebile

mournfully, plaintively

focoso / fuocoso

fiery, impassioned

forte (f)

loud, strong

fortepiano (fp)

loud attack followed immediately by soft

fortissimo (ff)

very loud

freddo

coldly, without warmth

fresco

freshly

furioso

furiously

gaudioso

joyfully

gentile

gently, gracefully

geschwind

swift, rapid

giocoso

playfully

giusto

strict, exact, appropriate

grandioso

grandly

grave

solemn, weighty; often slow

grazioso

gracefully

gustoso

with taste and zest

imperioso

imperiously, commandingly

impetuoso

impetuously

intimo

intimately

irato

angrily

kräftig

strong, vigorous

lacrimoso

tearfully

lamentando / lamentoso

lamenting, mournful

leggiero

lightly, delicately

liberamente / libero

freely

lugubre

gloomy, mournful

luminoso

luminous, radiant

lusingando

coaxingly, caressingly

maestoso

majestically

magico

magically

magnifico

magnificently

malinconico / melancolico

melancholically

marcatissimo

very strongly marked

mesto

sadly, mournfully

mezzo forte (mf)

moderately loud

mezzo piano (mp)

moderately soft

misterioso

mysteriously

mobile

flexible, changeable, moving

modesto

modestly, simply

morendo

dying away in sound and often tempo

narrante

in a narrative manner

nobile

nobly

omaggio

homage, tribute

passionato

passionately

pesante

heavily, weightily

peu à peu

little by little

piacevote

pleasantly, agreeably

piangevole

plaintively, tearfully

pianissimo (pp)

very soft

piano (p)

soft

posato

settled, composed

religioso

reverently, solemnly

repente

suddenly

rinforzando (rf, rfz)

reinforcing; a sudden or brief increase

risoluto

resolutely

sanft

soft, gentle

scherzando

playfully, jokingly