Musical Terms

Q: What does "a, à (Fr)" mean?
A: At, to, by, for, in, in the style of.

Q: What does "aber (Ger)" mean?
A: But.

Q: What does "a bene placito" mean?
A: Up to the performer.

Q: What does "a cappella" mean?
A: In the manner of singing in a chapel; i.e., without instrumental accompaniment.

Q: What does "accarezzévole" mean?
A: Expressive and caressing.

Q: What does "accelerando, accel." mean?
A: Accelerating; gradually increasing the tempo.

Q: What does "accent" mean in music?
A: Attack hard.

Q: What does "accentato" mean?
A: Accented; with emphasis.

Q: What does "acceso" mean?
A: Ignited, on fire.

Q: What does "acciaccatura" mean?
A: A very fast grace note that is "crushed" against the note that follows and takes up no value in the measure.

Q: What does "accompagnato" mean?
A: Accompanied; i.e., with the accompaniment following the soloist, who may speed up or slow down at will.

Q: What does "adagietto" mean?
A: Rather slow.

Q: What does "adagio" mean?
A: At ease; i.e., play slowly.

Q: What does "adagissimo" mean?
A: Very, very slow.

Q: What does "ad libitum (ad lib)" mean?
A: At liberty; i.e., the speed and manner of execution are left to the performer.

Q: What does "a due" mean?
A: Intended as a duet; for two voices or instruments; together; two instruments are to play in unison after a solo passage for one of the instruments.

Q: What does "affannato, affannoso" mean?
A: Anguished.

Q: What does "affettuoso, affettuosamente, or affectueusement (Fr)" mean?
A: With affect (i.e., with emotion).

Q: What does "affrettando" mean?
A: Hurrying, pressing onwards.

Q: What does "agile" mean?
A: Swiftly.

Q: What does "agitato" mean?
A: Agitated.

Q: What does "al, alla" mean?
A: To the, in the manner of (al before masculine nouns, alla before feminine).

Q: What does "alla breve" mean?
A: In cut-time; two beats per measure or the equivalent thereof.

Q: What does "alla marcia" mean?
A: In the style of a march.

Q: What does "allargando" mean?
A: Broadening, becoming a little slower each time.

Q: What does "allegretto" mean?
A: A little lively, moderately fast.

Q: What does "allegretto vivace" mean?
A: A moderately quick tempo.

Q: What does "allegro" mean?
A: Cheerful or brisk; but commonly interpreted as lively, fast.

Q: What does "allegrissimo" mean?
A: Very fast, though slower than presto.

Q: What does "all’ ottava" mean?
A: "At the octave."

Q: What does "als (Ger)" mean?
A: Than.

Q: What does "altissimo" mean?
A: Very high.

Q: What does "alto" mean?
A: High; often refers to a particular range of voice, higher than a tenor but lower than a soprano.

Q: What does "alzate sordini" mean?
A: Lift or raise the mutes; i.e., remove mutes.

Q: What does "am Steg (Ger)" mean?
A: At the bridge; i.e., playing a bowed string instrument near its bridge.

Q: What does "amabile" mean?
A: Amiable, pleasant.

Q: What does "amoroso" mean?
A: Loving.

Q: What does "anacrusis" mean?
A: A note or notes that precede the first full bar; a pickup.

Q: What does "andante" mean?
A: At a walking pace; i.e., at a moderate tempo.

Q: What does "andantino" mean?
A: Slightly faster than andante (but sometimes slightly slower in earlier contexts).

Q: What does "a niente" mean?
A: To nothing; an indication to make a diminuendo which fades to pppp.

Q: What does "a nessuna cosa" mean?
A: To nothing; an indication to hold a fermata until it dies away (only works with instruments that cannot sustain a note).

Q: What does "anima" mean?
A: Feeling.

Q: What does "animandosi" mean?
A: Animated, lively.

Q: What does "animato" mean?
A: Animated, lively.

Q: What does "antiphon" mean?
A: A liturgical or other composition consisting of choral responses, sometimes between two choirs; a repeated passage similar to a refrain.

Q: What does "apaisé (Fr)" mean?
A: Calmed.

Q: What does "a piacere" mean?
A: At pleasure; the performer need not follow the rhythm strictly.

Q: What does "appassionato" mean?
A: Passionately.

Q: What does "appoggiatura" mean?
A: A "leaning note"; one or more grace notes that take up some value of the next full note.

Q: What does "a prima vista" mean?
A: Sight-read (lit. "at first sight"); played or sung from written notation without prior review.

Q: What does "arco" mean?
A: The bow used for playing string instruments; i.e., played with the bow, as opposed to pizzicato.

Q: What does "arietta" mean?
A: A short aria.

Q: What does "arioso" mean?
A: Airy, or like an air (a melody); in the manner of an aria; melodious.

Q: What does "armonioso" mean?
A: Harmoniously.

Q: What does "arpeggio" mean?
A: Like a harp; notes of the chords are played quickly one after another instead of simultaneously.

Q: What does "arpeggiato" mean?
A: A way of playing a chord: starting with the lowest note, with successively higher notes rapidly joining in.

Q: What does "assai" mean?
A: Very.

Q: What does "assez (Fr)" mean?
A: Enough, sufficiently.

Q: What does "a tempo" mean?
A: In time; return to the main tempo of the piece.

Q: What does "attacca" mean?
A: Attack or attach; go straight on to the next movement without a pause.

Q: What does "Ausdruck (Ger)" mean?
A: Expression.

Q: What does "ausdrucksvoll (Ger)" mean?
A: Expressively.

Q: What does "avec (Fr)" mean?
A: With or with another.

Q: What does "B" mean in German music notation?
A: B flat.

Q: What does "barbaro" mean?
A: Barbarous.

Q: What does "Bartók pizzicato" mean?
A: A pizzicato technique where the string is pulled away from the fingerboard and snaps back percussively.

Q: What does "bass" mean?
A: The lowest standard voice range or the lowest melodic line in a composition.

Q: What does "basso continuo" mean?
A: Continuous bass; a bass part played continuously to give harmonic structure.

Q: What does "bellicoso" mean?
A: Warlike, aggressive.

Q: What does "ben or bene" mean?
A: Well; as in ben marcato ("well marked").

Q: What does "beschleunigte (Ger)" mean?
A: Accelerated.

Q: What does "bewegt (Ger)" mean?
A: Moved, with speed.

Q: What does "binary" mean?
A: A musical form in two sections: AB.

Q: What does "bis (Lat)" mean?
A: Twice; repeat the relevant action or passage.

Q: What does "bisbigliando" mean?
A: Whispering; a special tremolo effect on the harp.

Q: What does "bocca chiusa" mean?
A: With closed mouth.

Q: What does "bravura" mean?
A: Boldness; as in con bravura, boldly.

Q: What does "breit (Ger)" mean?
A: Broad.

Q: What does "brillante" mean?
A: Brilliantly, with sparkle.

Q: What does "brio" mean?
A: Vigor; as in con brio, with vigor.

Q: What does "brioso" mean?
A: Vigorously (same as con brio).

Q: What does "bruscamente" mean?
A: Brusquely.

Q: What does "cadenza" mean?
A: A solo section in a concerto or similar work to display the performer's technique.

Q: What does "calando" mean?
A: Falling away; getting slower and quieter (ritardando with diminuendo).

Q: What does "calore" mean?
A: Warmth; as in con calore, warmly.

Q: What does "cambiare" mean?
A: To change; e.g., to a new instrument.

Q: What does "canon or kanon (Ger)" mean?
A: A theme repeated and imitated with a time delay, creating a layered effect.

Q: What does "cantabile or cantando" mean?
A: In a singing style.

Q: What does "capriccioso" mean?
A: Capriciously, unpredictably.

Q: What does "cédez (Fr)" mean?
A: Yield, give way.

Q: What does "cesura or caesura" mean?
A: A break or stop; a complete break in sound.

Q: What does "chiuso" mean?
A: Closed; muted by hand (for a horn or similar instrument).

Q: What does "coda" mean?
A: A tail; a closing section appended to a movement.

Q: What does "codetta" mean?
A: A small coda; a passage appended to a section of a movement.

Q: What does "col, colla" mean?
A: With the (col before masculine nouns, colla before feminine nouns).

Q: What does "colla parte" mean?
A: With the soloist; follow the rhythm and tempo of the soloist.

Q: What does "colla voce" mean?
A: With the voice; follow the rhythm and tempo of a solo singer.

Q: What does "col legno" mean?
A: With the wood; strings are struck with the wood of the bow.

Q: What does "coloratura" mean?
A: Elaborate ornamentation of a vocal line, often for a soprano voice.

Q: What does "colossale" mean?
A: Tremendously.

Q: What does "col pugno" mean?
A: With the fist; e.g., bang the piano with the fist.

Q: What does "come prima" mean?
A: Like the first time; return to an earlier tempo or manner.

Q: What does "come sopra" mean?
A: As above; like the previous tempo or style.

Q: What does "common time" mean?
A: The time signature 4/4; four beats per measure, each beat a quarter note.

Q: What does "comodo" mean?
A: Comfortable; at a moderate speed.

Q: What does "con" mean?
A: With; used in many musical directions (e.g., con amore, con brio).

Q: What does "con affetto" mean?
A: With affect; with emotion.

Q: What does "con amore" mean?
A: With love; tenderly.

Q: What does "con anima" mean?
A: With feeling.

Q: What does "con brio" mean?
A: With spirit; with vigor.

Q: What does "con dolore" mean?
A: With sadness.

Q: What does "con forza" mean?
A: With force.

Q: What does "con espressione" mean?
A: With expression.

Q: What does "con fuoco" mean?
A: With fire; in a fiery manner.

Q: What does "con larghezza" mean?
A: With broadness; broadly.

Q: What does "con moto" mean?
A: With motion.

Q: What does "con slancio" mean?
A: With enthusiasm.

Q: What does "con sordina" mean?
A: With a mute.

Q: What does "con variazioni" mean?
A: With variations/changes.

Q: What does "conjunct" mean?
A: A melodic line that moves by step (intervals of a 2nd).

Q: What does "contralto" mean?
A: A voice range higher than a tenor but lower than a soprano.

Q: What does "crescendo" mean?
A: Gradually getting louder.

Q: What does "cuivré" mean?
A: Brassy; a forced, rough tone often used with French horns.

Q: What does "da capo" mean?
A: From the head; go back to the beginning.

Q: What does "deciso" mean?
A: Decisively.

Q: What does "decrescendo" mean?
A: Gradually getting softer; same as diminuendo.

Q: What does "delicato" mean?
A: Delicately.

Q: What does "detaché" mean?
A: Playing notes separately.

Q: What does "devoto" mean?
A: Religiously.

Q: What does "diminuendo" mean?
A: Gradually decreasing in volume; same as decrescendo.

Q: What does "dolce" mean?
A: Sweetly.

Q: What does "dolcissimo" mean?
A: Very sweetly.

Q: What does "dolente" mean?
A: Sorrowfully, plaintively.

Q: What does "doloroso" mean?
A: Sorrowfully, plaintively.

Q: What does "doppio movimento" mean?
A: Twice as fast.

Q: What does "double stop" mean?
A: Playing two notes simultaneously on a string instrument.

Q: What does "drammatico" mean?
A: Dramatically.

Q: What does "Dur (Ger)" mean?
A: Major; used in key signatures.

Q: What does "duolo (Ital)" mean?
A: Grief.

Q: What does "dynamics" mean?
A: The relative volume in the execution of a piece of music.

Q: What does "e (Ital)" mean?
A: And.

Q: What does "eco" mean?
A: An effect where a group of notes is repeated, usually more softly, to create an echo.

Q: What does "ein wenig (Ger)" mean?
A: A little.

Q: What does "Empfindung (Ger)" mean?
A: Feeling.

Q: What does "encore (Fr)" mean?
A: Again; perform the relevant passage once more.

Q: What does "en dehors (Fr)" mean?
A: Prominently.

Q: What does "energico" mean?
A: Energetic, strong.

Q: What does "enfatico" mean?
A: Emphatically.

Q: What does "en pressant (Fr)" mean?
A: Hurrying forward.

Q: What does "en retenant (Fr)" mean?
A: Slowing down.

Q: What does "eroico" mean?
A: Heroically.

Q: What does "espirando" mean?
A: Expiring; dying away.

Q: What does "espressivo or espr." mean?
A: Expressively.

Q: What does "estinto" mean?
A: Extinct, extinguished; as soft as possible, lifeless.

Q: What does "etwas (Ger)" mean?
A: Somewhat.

Q: What does "facile" mean?
A: Easily, without fuss.

Q: What does "falsetto" mean?
A: A vocal register above the normal voice.

Q: What does "feroce" mean?
A: Ferociously.

Q: What does "feurig (Ger)" mean?
A: Fiery.

Q: What does "festivamente" mean?
A: Cheerfully, celebratory.

Q: What does "fieramente" mean?
A: Proudly.

Q: What does "fine" mean?
A: The end; often in phrases like al fine (to the end).

Q: What does "flebile" mean?
A: Mournfully.

Q: What does "focoso or fuocoso" mean?
A: Fiery; passionately.

Q: What does "forza" mean?
A: Musical force.

Q: What does "forzando or fz" mean?
A: A sudden strong accent.

Q: What does "freddo" mean?
A: Cold(ly); depressive, unemotional.

Q: What does "fresco" mean?
A: Freshly.

Q: What does "fröhlich (Ger)" mean?
A: Joyfully, lively.

Q: What does "fugue (Fr), fuga (Latin/Italian)" mean?
A: A complex contrapuntal form where a theme is introduced and developed.

Q: What does "funebre" mean?
A: Funeral; often seen as marcia funebre (funeral march).

Q: What does "fuoco" mean?
A: Fire; con fuoco means with fire.

Q: What does "furia" mean?
A: Fury.

Q: What does "furioso" mean?
A: Furiously.

Q: What does "gaudioso" mean?
A: With joy.

Q: What does "gemendo" mean?
A: Groaningly.

Q: What does "gentile" mean?
A: Gently.

Q: What does "geschwind (Ger)" mean?
A: Quickly.

Q: What does "geteilt (Ger)" mean?
A: Divided (see divisi).

Q: What does "getragen (Ger)" mean?
A: Sustained.

Q: What does "giocoso or gioioso" mean?
A: Gaily.

Q: What does "giusto" mean?
A: Strictly; exactly (e.g., tempo giusto, in strict time).

Q: What does "grandioso" mean?
A: Grandly.

Q: What does "grave" mean?
A: Slowly and seriously.

Q: What does "grazioso" mean?
A: Gracefully.

Q: What does "gustoso" mean?
A: With happy emphasis and forcefulness.

Q: What does "H (Ger)" mean?
A: B natural (in German notation).

Q: What does "Hauptstimme (Ger)" mean?
A: Main voice or chief part.

Q: What does "hemiola" mean?
A: A rhythm where two beats are played in the time of three or vice versa.

Q: What does "hervortretend (Ger)" mean?
A: Prominent, pronounced.

Q: What does "homophony" mean?
A: A texture with one voice (melody) and accompanying chords.

Q: What does "immer (Ger)" mean?
A: Always.

Q: What does "imperioso" mean?
A: Imperiously.

Q: What does "impetuoso" mean?
A: Impetuously.

Q: What does "improvvisando" mean?
A: With improvisation.

Q: What does "improvvisato" mean?
A: Improvised or as if improvised.

Q: What does "in altissimo" mean?
A: In the highest; play or sing an octave higher.

Q: What does "incalzando" mean?
A: Getting faster and louder.

Q: What does "insistendo" mean?
A: Insistently, deliberate.

Q: What does "in modo di" mean?
A: In the style of.

Q: What does "intimo" mean?
A: Intimately.

Q: What does "intro" mean?
A: Opening section.

Q: What does "irato" mean?
A: Angrily.

Q: What does "kräftig (Ger)" mean?
A: Strongly.

Q: What does "Klangfarbenmelodie (Ger)" mean?
A: "Tone-color-melody," distribution of pitch or melody among instruments.

Q: What does "lacrimoso" mean?
A: Tearfully; sadly.

Q: What does "laissez vibrer, l.v. (Fr)" mean?
A: Allow the sound to continue; do not dampen.

Q: What does "lamentando" mean?
A: Lamenting, mournfully.

Q: What does "lamentoso" mean?
A: Lamenting, mournfully.

Q: What does "langsam (Ger)" mean?
A: Slowly.

Q: What does "largamente" mean?
A: Broadly; slowly.

Q: What does "larghetto" mean?
A: Somewhat slowly; not as slow as largo.

Q: What does "larghissimo" mean?
A: Very slowly; slower than largo.

Q: What does "largo" mean?
A: Broadly; slowly.

Q: What does "lebhaft (Ger)" mean?
A: Briskly, lively.

Q: What does "legato" mean?
A: Smoothly, in a connected manner.

Q: What does "leggiero or leggiermente" mean?
A: Lightly, delicately.

Q: What does "leggierissimo" mean?
A: Very lightly and delicately.

Q: What does "lent (Fr)" mean?
A: Slowly.

Q: What does "lentissimo" mean?
A: Very slowly.

Q: What does "lento" mean?
A: Slowly.

Q: What does "liberamente" mean?
A: Freely.

Q: What does "libero" mean?
A: Free, freely.

Q: What does "lilt" mean?
A: A jaunty rhythm.

Q: What does "l'istesso" mean?
A: The same; applied to tempo or manner.

Q: What does "loco" mean?
A: Perform notes at the pitch written; cancel an octave direction.

Q: What does "long accent" mean?
A: Hit hard and keep full value of the note ( > ).

Q: What does "lontano" mean?
A: From a distance; distantly.

Q: What does "lo stesso" mean?
A: The same; applied to articulation or tempo.

Q: What does "lugubre" mean?
A: Mournful.

Q: What does "luminoso" mean?
A: Luminously.

Q: What does "lunga" mean?
A: Long (often applied to fermatas).

Q: What does "lusingando" mean?
A: Coaxingly.

Q: What does "ma" mean?
A: But.

Q: What does "ma non troppo" mean?
A: But not too much.

Q: What does "maestoso" mean?
A: Majestically, in a stately fashion.

Q: What does "magico" mean?
A: Magically.

Q: What does "maggiore" mean?
A: The major key.

Q: What does "magnifico" mean?
A: Magnificent.

Q: What does "main droite (Fr)" mean?
A: Played with the right hand.

Q: What does "main gauche (Fr)" mean?
A: Played with the left hand.

Q: What does "malinconico" mean?
A: Melancholy.

Q: What does "mancando" mean?
A: Dying away.

Q: What does "mano destra" mean?
A: Played with the right hand.

Q: What does "mano sinistra" mean?
A: Played with the left hand.

Q: What does "marcatissimo" mean?
A: With much accentuation.

Q: What does "marcato, marc." mean?
A: Marked; with accentuation.

Q: What does "marcia" mean?
A: A march; alla marcia means in the manner of a march.

Q: What does "martellato" mean?
A: Hammered out.

Q: What does "marziale" mean?
A: In the march style.

Q: What does "mässig (Ger)" mean?
A: Moderately.

Q: What does "MD" mean?
A: See mano destra and main droite; played with the right hand.

Q: What does "melancolico" mean?
A: Melancholic.

Q: What does "melisma" mean?
A: The technique of singing one syllable of text while changing the note (pitch).

Q: What does "meno" mean?
A: Less; as in meno mosso (less motion).

Q: What does "messa di voce" mean?
A: A controlled swell (crescendo then diminuendo) on a long-held note.

Q: What does "mesto" mean?
A: Mournful, sad.

Q: What does "meter" mean?
A: The rhythmic pattern of strong and weak beats in a piece.

Q: What does "mezza voce" mean?
A: Half voice; with subdued or moderated volume.

Q: What does "mezzo" mean?
A: Half; used in combinations like mezzo forte (moderately loud).

Q: What does "mezzo forte" mean?
A: Moderately loud.

Q: What does "mezzo piano" mean?
A: Moderately soft.

Q: What does "mezzo-soprano" mean?
A: A female voice range between soprano and contralto.

Q: What does "misterioso" mean?
A: Mysteriously.

Q: What does "mobile" mean?
A: Flexible, changeable.

Q: What does "moderato" mean?
A: Moderate; often combined with other terms, e.g., allegro moderato.

Q: What does "modesto" mean?
A: Modest.

Q: What does "Moll (Ger)" mean?
A: Minor; used in key signatures (e.g., a-Moll for A minor).

Q: What does "molto" mean?
A: Very.

Q: What does "morendo" mean?
A: Dying; fading away in dynamics or tempo.

Q: What does "mosso" mean?
A: Moved, moving; used with più or meno for faster or slower.

Q: What does "moto" mean?
A: Motion; as in con moto, meaning with motion or quickly.

Q: What does "munter (Ger)" mean?
A: Lively.

Q: What does "muta [in...]" mean?
A: Change; either an instrument or tuning.

Q: What does "narrante" mean?
A: Narratingly.

Q: What does "Nebenstimme (Ger)" mean?
A: Secondary voice or part, subsidiary to the Hauptstimme.

Q: What does "nicht (Ger)" mean?
A: Not.

Q: What does "niente" mean?
A: "Nothing," barely audible, dying away.

Q: What does "nobile or nobilmente" mean?
A: In a noble fashion.

Q: What does "nocturne (Fr)" mean?
A: A piece written for the night.

Q: What does "notes inégales (Fr)" mean?
A: Unequal notes; a Baroque performance practice applying long-short rhythms to equal notes.

Q: What does "notturno" mean?
A: Same as nocturne.

Q: What does "number opera" mean?
A: An opera consisting of separate "numbers" like arias and recitatives.

Q: What does "obbligato" mean?
A: Required; an indispensable part.

Q: What does "omaggio" mean?
A: Homage or celebration.

Q: What does "ossia or oppure" mean?
A: Or instead; indicates an alternative way of performing a passage.

Q: What does "ostinato" mean?
A: Obstinate, persistent; a short musical pattern repeated throughout a piece.

Q: What does "ottava" mean?
A: Octave; e.g., ottava bassa means an octave lower.

Q: What does "parlando or parlante" mean?
A: Like speech; enunciated.

Q: What does "Partitur (Ger)" mean?
A: Full orchestral score.

Q: What does "passionato" mean?
A: Passionately.

Q: What does "pastorale" mean?
A: In a pastoral style; peaceful and simple.

Q: What does "pausa" mean?
A: Rest.

Q: What does "penseroso" mean?
A: Thoughtfully, meditatively.

Q: What does "perdendosi" mean?
A: Dying away in dynamics, perhaps also in tempo.

Q: What does "pesante" mean?
A: Heavy, ponderous.

Q: What does "peu à peu (Fr)" mean?
A: Little by little.

Q: What does "piacevole" mean?
A: Pleasant.

Q: What does "piangevole" mean?
A: Plaintive.

Q: What does "più" mean?
A: More; e.g., più mosso means more motion.

Q: What does "pizzicato" mean?
A: Plucked (for string instruments).

Q: What does "pochettino or poch." mean?
A: Very little.

Q: What does "poco" mean?
A: A little, as in poco più allegro (a little faster).

Q: What does "poco a poco" mean?
A: Little by little.

Q: What does "poetico" mean?
A: Poetic discourse.

Q: What does "poi" mean?
A: Then; indicating a subsequent instruction in a sequence.

Q: What does "portamento" mean?
A: Carrying; sliding in pitch from one note to another, often with a pause before reaching the final pitch.

Q: What does "portato or loure" mean?
A: Carried; non-legato, but not as detached as staccato.

Q: What does "posato" mean?
A: Settled.

Q: What does "potpourri or pot-pourri (Fr)" mean?
A: A musical form structured as ABCDEF, similar to a medley or fantasia.

Q: What does "precipitato" mean?
A: Precipitately.

Q: What does "prelude or prélude (Fr)" mean?
A: A musical introduction or a standalone movement, common in Baroque and Romantic music.

Q: What does "prestissimo" mean?
A: Extremely quickly; as fast as possible.

Q: What does "presto" mean?
A: Very quickly.

Q: What does "prima volta" mean?
A: The first time; e.g., prima volta senza accompagnamento (first time without accompaniment).

Q: What does "primo or prima" mean?
A: First.

Q: What does "quasi (Latin and Italian)" mean?
A: As if, almost; e.g., quasi recitativo (like a recitative).

Q: What does "rallentando or rall." mean?
A: Broadening of the tempo; progressively slower.

Q: What does "rapido" mean?
A: Fast.

Q: What does "rasch (Ger)" mean?
A: Fast.

Q: What does "ravvivando" mean?
A: Quicken pace.

Q: What does "recitativo" mean?
A: Recitative; one voice without accompaniment, resembling speech.

Q: What does "religioso" mean?
A: Religiously.

Q: What does "repente" mean?
A: Suddenly.

Q: What does "restez (Fr)" mean?
A: Stay; remain on a note or string.

Q: What does "retenu (Fr)" mean?
A: Hold back; same as ritenuto.

Q: What does "ridicolosamente" mean?
A: Humorously, loosely.

Q: What does "rinforzando (rf or rinf.)" mean?
A: Reinforced; emphasized.

Q: What does "risoluto" mean?
A: Resolutely.

Q: What does "rit. or ritardando" mean?
A: Slowing down; decelerating.

Q: What does "ritenuto or riten." mean?
A: Suddenly slower; held back.

Q: What does "ritmico" mean?
A: Rhythmical.

Q: What does "ritornello" mean?
A: A recurring passage in a concerto or aria.

Q: What does "rolled chord" mean?
A: See arpeggiato; a chord played by rapidly rolling its notes.

Q: What does "roulade (Fr)" mean?
A: A rolling; a florid vocal phrase.

Q: What does "rondo" mean?
A: A musical form where a main theme returns repeatedly (e.g., ABACA).

Q: What does "rubato" mean?
A: Robbed; flexible tempo for expressive effect.

Q: What does "run" mean?
A: A rapid series of ascending or descending musical notes, forming a scale.

Q: What does "ruvido" mean?
A: Roughly.

Q: What does "saltando" mean?
A: Jumping; bouncing the bow in string instrument playing.

Q: What does "sanft (Ger)" mean?
A: Gently.

Q: What does "scatenato" mean?
A: Unchained, wildly.

Q: What does "scherzando or scherzoso" mean?
A: Playfully.

Q: What does "scherzo" mean?
A: A light, playful musical form in triple meter, often replacing the minuet.

Q: What does "schleppen (Ger)" mean?
A: To drag; e.g., nicht schleppen ("don’t drag").

Q: What does "schnell (Ger)" mean?
A: Fast.

Q: What does "schneller (Ger)" mean?
A: Faster.

Q: What does "schwungvoll (Ger)" mean?
A: Lively, bold, spirited.

Q: What does "scordatura" mean?
A: Out of tune; an alternative tuning for string instruments.

Q: What does "secco or sec (Fr)" mean?
A: Dry.

Q: What does "segno" mean?
A: Sign; as in Dal Segno (go back to the sign).

Q: What does "segue" mean?
A: Carry on to the next section without a pause.

Q: What does "sehr (Ger)" mean?
A: Very.

Q: What does "semitone" mean?
A: The smallest pitch difference between two notes in Western music.

Q: What does "semplice" mean?
A: Simply.

Q: What does "sempre" mean?
A: Always.

Q: What does "senza" mean?
A: Without.

Q: What does "senza misura" mean?
A: Without measure.

Q: What does "senza sordina" mean?
A: Without mutes.

Q: What does "serioso" mean?
A: Seriously.

Q: What does "sforzando or sfz" mean?
A: A sudden strong accent.

Q: What does "short accent" mean?
A: Hit the note hard and short (^).

Q: What does "si (Fr)" mean?
A: The seventh note of the series in fixed-doh solmization.

Q: What does "siciliana" mean?
A: A Sicilian dance in 12/8 or 6/8 meter.

Q: What does "sign" mean?
A: See segno.

Q: What does "silenzio" mean?
A: Silence; without reverberations.

Q: What does "simile" mean?
A: Similarly; continue applying the previous directive.

Q: What does "sipario" mean?
A: Curtain (stage).

Q: What does "slargando or slentando" mean?
A: Becoming broader or slower.

Q: What does "smorzando or smorz." mean?
A: Extinguishing; a drop in dynamics, often with a decrease in tempo.

Q: What does "soave" mean?
A: Smoothly, gently.

Q: What does "sopra" mean?
A: Above.

Q: What does "sognando" mean?
A: Dreamily.

Q: What does "solenne" mean?
A: Solemn.

Q: What does "solo, plural soli" mean?
A: Alone; a passage for a single performer. Soli refers to an entire section playing together.

Q: What does "sonata" mean?
A: A piece played as opposed to sung.

Q: What does "sonatina" mean?
A: A little sonata.

Q: What does "sonore" mean?
A: Sonorous.

Q: What does "soprano" mean?
A: The highest of the standard four voice ranges (bass, tenor, alto, soprano).

Q: What does "sordina, sordine (plural)" mean?
A: A mute.

Q: What does "sospirando" mean?
A: Sighing.

Q: What does "sostenuto" mean?
A: Sustained, lengthened.

Q: What does "sotto voce" mean?
A: In an undertone; quietly.

Q: What does "spiccato" mean?
A: Distinct, separated; a way of playing a bowed instrument by bouncing the bow.

Q: What does "spiritoso" mean?
A: Spiritedly.

Q: What does "staccato" mean?
A: Brief and detached notes; the opposite of legato.

Q: What does "stanza" mean?
A: A verse of a song.

Q: What does "strepitoso" mean?
A: Noisy.

Q: What does "stretto" mean?
A: Tight, narrow; can refer to a faster tempo or overlapping entries in a fugue.

Q: What does "stringendo" mean?
A: Tightening; a pressing forward or acceleration of the tempo.

Q: What does "subito" mean?
A: Suddenly; e.g., subito piano (suddenly soft).

Q: What does "sul ponticello" mean?
A: On the bridge; playing near the bridge of a string instrument for a glassy sound.

Q: What does "sul tasto" mean?
A: On the fingerboard; playing over the fingerboard for a warmer tone.

Q: What does "sur la touche (Fr)" mean?
A: Same as sul tasto.

Q: What does "syncopation" mean?
A: A disturbance of the regular flow of rhythm, with emphasis on the weak or off beats.

Q: What does "tacet" mean?
A: Silent; do not play.

Q: What does "tempo" mean?
A: Time; the overall speed of a piece.

Q: What does "tempo di marcia" mean?
A: March tempo.

Q: What does "tempo di valse" mean?
A: Waltz tempo.

Q: What does "tempo giusto" mean?
A: In strict time.

Q: What does "tempo primo or tempo I" mean?
A: Resume the original tempo.

Q: What does "tempo rubato" mean?
A: Robbed time; a flexible tempo for expressive effect.

Q: What does "teneramente" mean?
A: Tenderly.

Q: What does "tenerezza" mean?
A: Tenderness.

Q: What does "tenor" mean?
A: The second-lowest of the standard four voice ranges (bass, tenor, alto, soprano).

Q: What does "tenuto" mean?
A: Held; a slight lengthening of a note.

Q: What does "ternary" mean?
A: A musical form with three parts (ABA).

Q: What does "tessitura" mean?
A: The most comfortable or prominent pitch range in a piece.

Q: What does "timbre" mean?
A: The quality of a musical tone that distinguishes voices or instruments.

Q: What does "time" mean in jazz or rock?
A: A return to tempo after a rubato or rallentando section.

Q: What does "tranquillo" mean?
A: Calmly, peacefully.

Q: What does "tremolo" mean?
A: A rapid repetition of the same note or alternating between two notes.

Q: What does "tre corde or tc" mean?
A: Three strings; release the soft pedal of a piano.

Q: What does "troppo" mean?
A: Too much; as in allegro ma non troppo (fast, but not too fast).

Q: What does "tutti" mean?
A: All together.

Q: What does "una corda" mean?
A: One string; depress the soft pedal on a piano.

Q: What does "un poco" mean?
A: A little.

Q: What does "unisono or unis (Fr)" mean?
A: In unison.

Q: What does "ut (Fr)" mean?
A: The first note in fixed-doh solmization.

Q: What does "veloce" mean?
A: With velocity; fast.

Q: What does "velocissimo" mean?
A: As quickly as possible.

Q: What does "vif (Fr)" mean?
A: Quickly, lively.

Q: What does "vittorioso" mean?
A: Victoriously.

Q: What does "virtuoso" mean?
A: Performing with exceptional ability or artistry.

Q: What does "vivo" mean?
A: Lively.

Q: What does "vivace" mean?
A: Very lively; up-tempo.

Q: What does "vivacissimo" mean?
A: Very lively.

Q: What does "voce" mean?
A: Voice.

Q: What does "volante" mean?
A: Flying.

Q: What does "V.S. (volti subito)" mean?
A: Turn suddenly; turn the page quickly.

Q: What does "wenig (Ger)" mean?
A: A little, not much.

Q: What does "wolno (Polish)" mean?
A: Loose, slowly.

Q: What does "Zählzeit (Ger)" mean?
A: Beat.

Q: What does "zart (Ger)" mean?
A: Tender.

Q: What does "Zartheit (Ger)" mean?
A: Tenderness.

Q: What does "zärtlich (Ger)" mean?
A: Tenderly.

Q: What does "Zeichen (Ger)" mean?
A: Sign.

Q: What does "Zeitmaß or Zeitmass (Ger)" mean?
A: Time measure; tempo.

Q: What does "zelo, zeloso, zelosamente" mean?
A: Zeal, zealous, zealously.

Q: What does "ziehen (Ger)" mean?
A: To draw out.

Q: What does "ziemlich (Ger)" mean?
A: Fairly, quite, or rather.

Q: What does "zitternd (Ger)" mean?
A: Trembling; i.e., tremolando.

Q: What does "zögernd (Ger)" mean?
A: Doubtful, delaying; rallentando.