Musical Expressions, Dynamics, Tempo, and Techniques

8va / 8vb

play an octave higher/lower

ad libitum / ad lib

at choice, meaning that a passage may be played freely

affettuoso

tenderly

agitato

agitated

al / alla

to the, in the manner of

allargando

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

amabile

amiable, pleasant

amore

love (amoroso - loving)

anima

soul, spirit

animando

becoming lively

animato

animated, lively

animé

animated, lively

appassionato

with passion

assai

very

assez

fairly, enough, sufficient

ausdruck

expression

ben

well

bewegt

with movement, agitated

breit

broad, expansive

brio

vigour

calando

getting softer, dying away

cantabile

in a singing style

cantando

singing

cédez

yield, relax the speed

come

as, similar to (come prima - as before; come sopra - as above)

comodo

convenient, comfortable

deciso

with determination

delicato

delicate

dolce

sweet, soft

dolente

sad, mournful

dolore

grief (doloroso - sorrowful)

douce

sweet

einfach

simple

en dehors

prominent (a direction to make a melody stand out)

energico

energetic

espressivo / express. / espr.

expressive

estinto

as soft as possible, lifeless

etwas

somewhat, rather

facile

easy

forza

force

fröhlich

cheerful, joyful

fuoco

fire; con fuoco: literally 'with fire'

giocoso

playful, merry

grazioso

graceful

immer

always

l'istesso

the same (l'istesso tempo - the same speed)

lacrimoso

sad

largamente

broadly

légèrement

light

leggiero

light, nimble

loco

at the normal pitch (used often to cancel an 8va direction)

lunga

long (lunga pausa - long pause)

lusingando

coaxing, in a sweet and persuasive style

maestoso

majestic

marcato / marc.

emphatic, accented

marziale

in a military style

meno

less

mesto

sad

mezzo

half

misura

measure (alla misura - in strict time; senza misura - in free time)

moderato

moderately

moins

less

molto

very, much

morendo

dying away

mosso / moto

movement

niente

nothing

nobilmente

nobly

perdendosi

dying away

pesante

heavy

peu

little

piacevole

pleasant

piangevole

plaintive, in the style of a lament

più

more

plus

more

pochettino / poch.

rather little

poco

a little

possibile

possible (presto possibile - as fast as possible)

prima / primo

first

quasi

as if, resembling

retenu

held back (en retenant - holding back, slowing a little)

rinforzando / rf / rfz

reinforcing

risoluto

bold, strong

ritmico

rhythmically

ruhig

peaceful

scherzando / scherzoso

playful, joking

seconda / secondo

second

sehr

very

semplice

simple, plain

sempre

always

simile / sim.

in the same way

smorzando / smorz.

dying away in tone and speed

sonoro

resonant, with rich tone

sostenuto

sustained

subito

suddenly (often used with a dynamic marking, e.g. subito piano)

süss

sweet

tanto

so much

teneramente / tenerezza

tenderly, tenderness

tenuto

held

tranquillo

calm

traurig

sad