All State Band Terms

accelerando (accel.) - gradually growing faster

e, ed or et – and

accidental – chromatic alteration of a note from the key signature until the next bar line

espressivo – with feeling, with expression

etude – a study or exercise focusing on a particular (can be extended by a tie) technical or musical problem

ad libitum (ad lib) or a piacere – at pleasure, at will

fermata – a pause or hold ( )

a due ( a 2 ) – for two parts

finale – last movement of a multi-movement work

affetuoso – tenderly, with feeling

fine – the end

alla breve ( ) – 2/2 time, cut time

forzando – a strong accent

allargando – getting slower and louder

giocoso – humorous, playful

amoroso – with love, with warm feeling

giusto – exact, appropriate or usual tempo

animato or con anima – lively, animated, spirited

glissando – a glide from one note to the next

appassionato or passione – passionate, fervent

grazioso - graceful

assai – much, very

interval – pitch difference between two notes

a tempo – return to the original tempo

key signature – sharps or flats placed at the beginning

attacca – continue without a pause of a selection indicating its key

bravura – great technical skill, virtuosity

largamente - broadly

brillante – sparkling, spirited

legato – smooth, even, without breaks between notes

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

l’istesso tempo – at the same tempo

loco – return to normal position

cadence – the close of a melodic or harmonic phrase

maestoso – majestic, with dignity

calmando or calmato – quieting down, subsiding

marcato – accented, stressed

cantando or cantabile – in a singing style, lyrical

marcia - march

capriccioso – fanciful, freely

meno - less

coda – a concluding passage added to the form proper

molto – much, very

con – with

morendo – fading away

con brio – with vigor, vigorously

mosso or moto – moved, motion

con forza – with force, strength

non – no, do not

con fuoco – with fire, passionately

nuance – subtle shading in style

con sordino – with mute

ossia – an alternate version

con spirito or spiritoso – with spirit

pesante – weighty, ponderous

crescendo – becoming louder

piu - more

da capo ( D.C.) – from the beginning

pochissimo – as little as possible

dal segno (D.S.) – from the sign

poco a poco – little by little

decrescendo (decresc.) – becoming softer

pomposo – stately, pompous

diatonic – notes within a given scale or key

quasi – almost, as if

diminuendo (dim.) – becoming softer

rallentando ( rall. ) – becoming slower

divisi – divided parts where there is normally one

ritardando (ritard. or rit. ) – becoming slower

dolce – sweet, gentle

ritenuto ( riten. ) – immediately slower

doppio movimento – twice as fast

rinforzando ( rfz. ) – a sudden accent

double flat ( ) – lower by one full step

rubato – free use of accel. and rit. within a measure

double sharp ( ) -- raise by one full step without altering the duration of the measure as a whole

dynamics – the level of loudness

sans or senza - without

pianississimo (ppp) – very, very soft

scherzando - playfully

pianissimo (pp) – very soft

segue – continue without pausing

piano (p) – soft

sempre – always, throughout

mezzo piano ( mp) – medium soft

sforzando (sfz. ) – a sudden accent

mezzo forte ( mf ) – medium loud

simile – in the same manner

forte ( f ) – loud

soli – a section solo, a group of soloists

fortissimo ( ff ) – very loud

solo – a part for one performer

fortississimo ( fff ) – very, very loud

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

grave – solemn and very, very slow

largo – very slow

adagio, lento, larghetto – slow

andante – moderately slow

andantino – slightly faster than 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 – 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

unison – together on the same part or in octaves

\