TERMS
a tempo: return to the previous tempo
accelerando: becoming quicker
accent: stressed note or chord
adagio: a slow tempo (between andante and largo)
ad libitum, ad lib. : at the liberty of the performer
agitato: agitated
alla, all' : in the manner of
allargando, allarg. : broadening, becoming slower
allegretto: fairly fast (a little slower than allegro)
allegro: fast
andante: moderately slowly; at a walking pace
andantino: a little faster than andante
animato: lively, animated
arco: for stringed instruments: resume bowing after a pizzicato passage
assai: much, ver much (for example, allegro assai: very fast)
attacca: proceed without a break
ben, bene: well (for example, ben marcato: well marked)
bewegt: agitated, excited
brillante: brilliant
calando: becoming slower and softer
cantabile: in a singing style
cédez: yield; hold the tempo back
col, coll', colla, colle: with (for example, coll' ottava: with an added octave)
comodo, commodo: at a comfortable, easy tempo
con: with
con brio: with vigor or spirit
con expressione: with expression
con fuoco: with fire
con grazia: with grace
con moto: with movement
con pedale, con ped. : with pedal
con sordino: with mute
crescendo, cresc. : becoming louder
da capo, D.C. : from the beginning
da capo al Fine, D.C. al Fine: repeat from the beginning and end at Fine
dal segno, D.S. : from the sign
decrescendo, decresc. : becoming softer
diminuendo, dim. : becoming softer
dolce: sweet
dolente: sad
e, ed: and
espressivo: expressive, with expression
fermata: pause; hold note or rest longer than written value
fine: the end
forte: loud
fortepiano: loud, then suddenly soft
fortissimo: very loud
giocoso: humorous, joyful
grandioso: grand, grandiose
grave: slow and solemn
grazioso: graceful
langsam: slow
largamente: broadly
larghetto: not as slow as largo
largo: slow and broad
legato: smoothly
léger: light, lightly
leggiero: light, nimble, quick
lentement: slowly
lento: slow
l'istesso tempo: the same tempo
loco: return to normal register
ma: but (for example, ma non troppo: but not too much)
maestoso: majestic
mano destra, M.D. : right hand
mano sinistra, M.S. : left hand
marcato: marked or stressed
martellato: strongly accented, hammered
mässig: moderate, moderately
meno: less
meno mosso: less movement, slower
mesto: sad, mournful
mezzo forte: moderately loud
mezzo piano: moderately soft
mit: with
mit Ausdruck: with expression
M.M. : metronome marking
moderato: at a moderate tempo
modéré: at a moderate tempo
molto: much, very
morendo: dying, fading away
mouvement: tempo, motion
non: not
non troppo: not too much
ottava, 8va: the interval of an octave
pedale, ped. : pedal
pesante: weighty, with emphasis
pianissimo: very soft
piano: soft
più: more
più mosso: more movement, quicker
pizzicato: for stringed instruments: pluck the strings instead of bowing
poco: little
poco a poco: little by little
prestissimo: as fast as possible
presto: very fast
prima, primo: first; the upper part of a duet
prima volta: first time
quasi: almost, as if
quindicesima alta (15ma): two octaves higher
rallentando, rall. : slowing down
resoluto: resolute
ritardando, rit. : slowing down gradually
ritenuto, riten. : suddenly slower, held back
rubato: a flexible tempo using slight variations of speed to enhance musical expression
scherzando: playful
schnell: fast
seconda, secondo: second; the lower part of a duet
seconda volta: second time
sehr: very
semplice: simple
sempre: always, continuously
senza: without
sforzando: a sudden strong accent of a single note or chord
simile: continue in the same manner as indicated
sonore: sonorous
sopra: above
sostenuto: sustained
sotto voce: softly, subdued, under the breath
spiritoso: spirited
staccato: sharply detached
stringendo: pressing, becoming faster
subito: suddenly
tacet: be silent
tempo: speed at which music is performed
Tempo primo, Tempo I: return to the original tempo
tenuto: held, sustained
tranquillo: quiet, tranquil
tre corde: three strings: release the left piano pedal
troppo: too much
tutti: a passage for the entire ensemble
una corda: one string: depress the left piano pedal
vite: fast
vivace: lively, brisk
vivo: lively
volta: time
volti subito, v.s. : turn the page quickly
accelerando: becoming quicker
accent: stressed note or chord
adagio: a slow tempo (between andante and largo)
ad libitum, ad lib. : at the liberty of the performer
agitato: agitated
alla, all' : in the manner of
allargando, allarg. : broadening, becoming slower
allegretto: fairly fast (a little slower than allegro)
allegro: fast
andante: moderately slowly; at a walking pace
andantino: a little faster than andante
animato: lively, animated
arco: for stringed instruments: resume bowing after a pizzicato passage
assai: much, ver much (for example, allegro assai: very fast)
attacca: proceed without a break
ben, bene: well (for example, ben marcato: well marked)
bewegt: agitated, excited
brillante: brilliant
calando: becoming slower and softer
cantabile: in a singing style
cédez: yield; hold the tempo back
col, coll', colla, colle: with (for example, coll' ottava: with an added octave)
comodo, commodo: at a comfortable, easy tempo
con: with
con brio: with vigor or spirit
con expressione: with expression
con fuoco: with fire
con grazia: with grace
con moto: with movement
con pedale, con ped. : with pedal
con sordino: with mute
crescendo, cresc. : becoming louder
da capo, D.C. : from the beginning
da capo al Fine, D.C. al Fine: repeat from the beginning and end at Fine
dal segno, D.S. : from the sign
decrescendo, decresc. : becoming softer
diminuendo, dim. : becoming softer
dolce: sweet
dolente: sad
e, ed: and
espressivo: expressive, with expression
fermata: pause; hold note or rest longer than written value
fine: the end
forte: loud
fortepiano: loud, then suddenly soft
fortissimo: very loud
giocoso: humorous, joyful
grandioso: grand, grandiose
grave: slow and solemn
grazioso: graceful
langsam: slow
largamente: broadly
larghetto: not as slow as largo
largo: slow and broad
legato: smoothly
léger: light, lightly
leggiero: light, nimble, quick
lentement: slowly
lento: slow
l'istesso tempo: the same tempo
loco: return to normal register
ma: but (for example, ma non troppo: but not too much)
maestoso: majestic
mano destra, M.D. : right hand
mano sinistra, M.S. : left hand
marcato: marked or stressed
martellato: strongly accented, hammered
mässig: moderate, moderately
meno: less
meno mosso: less movement, slower
mesto: sad, mournful
mezzo forte: moderately loud
mezzo piano: moderately soft
mit: with
mit Ausdruck: with expression
M.M. : metronome marking
moderato: at a moderate tempo
modéré: at a moderate tempo
molto: much, very
morendo: dying, fading away
mouvement: tempo, motion
non: not
non troppo: not too much
ottava, 8va: the interval of an octave
pedale, ped. : pedal
pesante: weighty, with emphasis
pianissimo: very soft
piano: soft
più: more
più mosso: more movement, quicker
pizzicato: for stringed instruments: pluck the strings instead of bowing
poco: little
poco a poco: little by little
prestissimo: as fast as possible
presto: very fast
prima, primo: first; the upper part of a duet
prima volta: first time
quasi: almost, as if
quindicesima alta (15ma): two octaves higher
rallentando, rall. : slowing down
resoluto: resolute
ritardando, rit. : slowing down gradually
ritenuto, riten. : suddenly slower, held back
rubato: a flexible tempo using slight variations of speed to enhance musical expression
scherzando: playful
schnell: fast
seconda, secondo: second; the lower part of a duet
seconda volta: second time
sehr: very
semplice: simple
sempre: always, continuously
senza: without
sforzando: a sudden strong accent of a single note or chord
simile: continue in the same manner as indicated
sonore: sonorous
sopra: above
sostenuto: sustained
sotto voce: softly, subdued, under the breath
spiritoso: spirited
staccato: sharply detached
stringendo: pressing, becoming faster
subito: suddenly
tacet: be silent
tempo: speed at which music is performed
Tempo primo, Tempo I: return to the original tempo
tenuto: held, sustained
tranquillo: quiet, tranquil
tre corde: three strings: release the left piano pedal
troppo: too much
tutti: a passage for the entire ensemble
una corda: one string: depress the left piano pedal
vite: fast
vivace: lively, brisk
vivo: lively
volta: time
volti subito, v.s. : turn the page quickly