Piano Italian terms

adagio

slow

allegretto

fairly quick but slower than allegro

da capo (D.C.)

repeat from the beginning

dal segno (D.S.)

repeat from sign

mezzo

half

rallentando

gradually getting slower

ritenuto

held back

al/alla

in the style of

allargando

broadening (slower and louder)

assai

very

fp (fortepiano)

loud then immediately soft

giocoso

playful, merry

grave

very slow, solemn

largo

slow

larghetto

rather slow, but not as slow as largo

ma

but

maestoso

majestic

molto

much

mosso, moto

movement

piú

more

presto

faster than allegro

senza

without

simile

in the same way

sostenuto

sustained

tenuto

held

troppo

too much

vivace, vivo

lively

adagietto

rather slow but faster than adagio

ad libitum

at choice

alla breve

with a minim beat

anima

soul, spirit

ben

well

brio

vigour

comodo

convenient

deciso

with determination

forza

force

largamente

broadly

leggiero

light, nimble

marcato

emphasised, accented

marziale

militaristic

mesto

sad

pesante

heavy

prima

first

risoluto

bold, strong

rubato

with some freedom of time

scherzando, scherzoso

playful, joking

semplice

simple, plain

stringendo

gradually getting faster

tanto

so much

volta

time

affettuoso

tenderly

affrettando

hurrying

calando

getting softer, dying away

fuoco

fire

giusto

proper, exact

l’istesso

the same

morendo

dying away

quasi

as if, resembling

sonoro

resonant, with rich tone

sopra

above

sotto

below

veloce

swift

voce

voice

attacca

go straight on to the next section of music

dolente

sad, mournful

dolore

grief

doppio movimento

twice as fast

estinto

as soft as possible, lifeless

incalzanda

getting quicker

lacrimoso

sad

loco

at the normal pitch

lunga

long

lusingando

coaxing

misura

measure

ossia

or

piacevole

pleasant

piangevole

plaintive

pochettino

rather little

segue

go straight on

smorzando

dying away

teneramente, tenerezza

tenderly

tosto

swift

volante

flying, fast