Musical Terms and Symbols

Musical Terms and Symbols
a tempo
accelerando
accent *
adagio
ad libitum (ad lib.)
agitato
alla, all’
allargando
allegretto
allegro
andante
andantino
arco
assai
ben, bene
bewegt
brillante
cantabile
clusters
col, coll’, colla, colle
comodo, commodo
con
con brio
con espressione
con fuoco
con grazia
con moto
con pedale, Ped.
con sordino
crescendo, cresc. *
da capo, D.C
dal segno, D.S *
decrescendo, decresc. *
diminuendo, dim.
dolce
dolente
e, ed
espressivo
fermata
fine
forte *
fortepiano *
fortissimo *
return to the previous tempo
becoming quicker
stressed note or chord
a slow tempo (between andante and largo)
at the liberty of the performer
agitated
in the manner of
broadening, becoming slower
fairly fast (a little slower than allegro)
fast
moderately slowly; at a walking pace
a little faster than andante
for stringed instruments: resume bowing after a pizzicato section
much, very much (eg. allegro assai: very fast)
well (eg. ben marcato: well marked)
agitated, excited
brilliant
in a singing style
chords consisting of a combination of at least three adjacent notes of any scale
with (eg. coll’ ottava: with an added octave)`
at a comfortable, easy tempo
with
with vigour, with spirit
with expression
with fire
with grace
with movement
with pedal
with mute
becoming louder
from the beginning
from the sign
becoming softer
becoming softer
sweetly
sadly
and
expression, with expression
pause: hold note or rest longer than written value
the end
loud
loud, then suddenly soft
very loud
*these musical terms have related symbols/signs. Please refer to page 4 to view them
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Musical Terms and Symbols
giocoso
grandioso
grave
grazioso
langsam
largamente
larghetto
largo
legato
léger
leggiero
lentement
lento
l’istesso tempo
loco
ma
maestoso
mano destra, M.D.
mano sinistra, M.S.
marcato
martellato
mässig
meno
meno mosso
mesto
mezzo forte *
mezzo piano *
mit
mit Ausdruck
M.M
moderato
modéré
molto
morendo
mouvemont
non
non troppo
ottave, 8va
octatonic scale
pedale, Ped.
pesante
piano *
pianissimo *
pìu
pìu mosso
humourous, joyful
grand, grandiose
slow and solemn
graceful
slow
broadly
not as slow as largo
very slow and broad
smoothly, connected
light, lightly
light, nimble, quick
slowly
slow
the same tempo
return to the normal register
but (eg. allegro ma non troppo: lively, but not too fast)
majestic
right hand
left hand
marked, or stressed
strongly accented, hammered
moderate, moderately
less
less movement, slower
sad, mournful
moderately loud
moderately soft
with
with expression
metronome marking (Maelzel’s Metronome)
at a moderate tempo
at a moderate tempo
much, very
dying, fading away
tempo, motion
not
not too much
the interval of an octave
an eight note scale consisting of a strict alternation of tones and semitones
pedal
weighty, heavily, with emphasis
soft
very soft
more
more movement, quicker
*these musical terms have related symbols/signs. Please refer to page 4 to view them
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Musical Terms and Symbols
pizzicato
poco
poco a poco
polychords
presto
prestissimo
prima, primo
prima volta
quartal chords
quasi
rallentando, rall.
repeat signs *
ritardando, rit.
ritenuto
rubato
scherzando
schnell
seconda, second
seconda volta
sehr
semplice
sempre
senza
seventh (7th) chords
sforzando *
simile
slur *
sonore
sostenuto
sotto voce
staccato *
strepitoso
stringendo
subito
tacet
tempo
Tempo primo, Tempo I
tenuto
for stringed instruments: pluck the string instead of bowing
little
little by little
a combination of two or more different chords
very fast
as fast as possible
first; the upper part of a duet
first time
chords build on a series of 4ths
almost, as if
slowing down
repeat the music between the signs
slowing down gradually
suddenly slower, held back
a flexible tempo using slight variations of speed to enhance musical expression
playful
fast
second; the lower part of a duet
second time
very
simple
always, continuously
without
chords consisting of a root, 3rd, 5th and 7th
a sudden strong accent of a single note or chord
continue in the same manner as indicated
play the notes legato or smoothly
sonorous
sustained
softly, subdued, under the breath
sharply detached
boisterous, noisy
pressing, becoming faster
suddenly
be silent
speed at which music is performed
return to the original tempo
held, sustained
*these musical terms have related symbols/signs. Please refer to page 4 to view them
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Musical Terms and Symbols
tie *
tranquillo
tre corde
triad
troppo
tutti
una corda
vite
vivace
vivo
volta
volta subito
hold for the combined value of the notes
quiet, peaceful, tranquil
three strings: release the left piano pedal
chord consisting of a root, 3rd and 5th
too much
a passage for the entire ensemble
one strong: depress the left piano pedal
fast
lively, brisk
lively
time
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Musical Symbols
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