all state exam hs vocab

Musical Terms Outline

Tempo Terms

  1. A tempo - Return to the original tempo after some deviation

  2. Accelerando - Becoming gradually faster

  3. Allargando - Slowing of tempo, usually with increasing volume; typically toward the end of a piece

  4. Allegro con spirito - Fast tempo with spirit

  5. Andante - Rather slow, at a moderate walking speed

  6. Largo - Very slow and broad

  7. Presto - Very fast; faster than allegro

  8. Rallentando - Gradually slowing down

  9. Rubato - Flexible tempo, accelerating and slowing down expressively

Dynamic and Expression Terms

  1. Dolce - Sweetly, usually also softly

  2. Espressivo - To play or sing with expression

  3. Grandioso - Grand, majestic

  4. Mezzo forte - Medium loud

  5. Sforzando - Strongly accented; forced

  6. Sotto voce - Softly; with subdued sound

Structural and Form Terms

  1. Binary form - AB form of composition with two distinct sections

  2. Form - Organization and structure of a composition

  3. Strophic - A song where all stanzas are sung to the same music

Vocal Techniques and Styles

  1. Bel canto - “Beautiful singing”; an Italian Opera term

  2. Falsetto - Vocal phonation allowing for notes beyond normal range

  3. Legato - Smooth, connected manner of playing or singing

  4. Vibrato - Rapid fluctuation of pitch above or below the main pitch

Miscellaneous Terms

  1. Anacrusis - Upbeat or pickup

  2. Arpeggio - Notes of a chord played in succession

  3. Cantabile - In a singing style; singable

  4. Interval - Relationship between two pitches

  5. Motif - A short musical idea or theme

  6. Tranquillo - To perform in a relaxed tempo

  7. Divisi - Performers singing the same part are divided to sing different parts