Listed in Order from Very Soft to Very Loud

Dictionary of Musical Terms

Terms Related to DYNAMICS

(Listed in order from very soft to very loud)

PIANISSIMO(Abbreviated: pp) Very soft

PIANO(Abbreviated: p) Soft

MEZZOMedium or moderately

MEZZO PIANO(Abbreviated: mp) Medium soft

MEZZO FORTE(Abbreviated: mf) Moderately loud

FORTE(Abbreviated: f) Loud

FORTISSIMO(Abbreviated: ff) Very loud

DIMINUENDO(Abbreviated: dim. or the sign) Gradually getting softer

CRESCENDO(Abbreviated: cresc. or the sign) Gradually getting louder

POCO A POCO“Little by little;” indicates a gradual increase or decrease in volume of sound (e.g. CRESC. POCO A POCO means to increase the volume gradually)

ACCENTA stress on marked notes

SFORZANDO(Abbreviated: sfz) A strongly accented note or chord

SFORZATO(Abbreviated: sfp) Strongly accented then immediately PIANO

SUBITOSuddenly; usually used to indicate a dramatically sudden change in dynamic level of sound (e.g. from pp to SUBITO ff)

Terms Related to STYLE

AGITATOWith agitation; excitedly

ALLAIn the style of… (always used with other words) (e.g. ALLA MARCIA means in the style of a march)

CONWith (as a connecting word) (e.g. ANDANTE CON AMORE means slowly, with tenderness

ANIMATOWith animation, in a spirited manner

APPASSIONATOWith intensity and depth of feeling

BRILLANTEBright, sparkling, brilliant

BRIOVigor, spirit

CANTABILEIn a singing style

DOLCESweetly and softly

ENERGICO, CONWith expression

FUOCO, CONWith fire or much energy

GRANDIOSOIn a noble, elevated style

GRAZIA, CONWith a graceful, flowing style

LEGATOSmooth and connected, in a flowing manner (opposite of STACCATO)

MAESTOSOWith majesty and grandeur

MARCATOIn a marked and emphatic style

PESANTEHeavily, every note with marked emphasis

QUASIIn the manner of… (e.g. QUASI UNA FANTASIA means in the style of a fantasia)

SCHERZANDOIn a light, playful, and sportive manner

SCHERZOA jest, one of the movements of certain symphonies, a composition of light and playful character

SECCODry, plain, without ornamentation

SEMPREAlways (e.g. SEMPRE STACCATO means to continue playing in a short and detached style)

SPIRITO, CONWith spirit or animation

STACCATOShort and detached, with distinct precision (opposite of LEGATO)

TENUTOSustained for the full time value

TRANQUILLOWith tranquility; quietly, restfully

Combinations of Tempo and Style Terms

(NOTE: Many more combinations are possible.)

LARGOMA NON TROPPO(“MA” – but) Slow, but not too slow

ADAGIO CANTABILE E(“E” – and) Very slow and in a sustained and singing style

SOSTENUTO

ANDANTINO, CON Faster than ANDANTE, with tender feeling

AFFETUOSO

ALLEGRETTO CON GRAZIAA moving tempo with a graceful, flowing style

ALLEGRO AGITATOQuick with agitation

POCO PIU MOSSOA little quicker

ALLEGRO CON MOLTOFast with much spirit

SPIRITO

ANDANTE MAESTOSOA rather slow moving tempo with majestic feeling

PRESTO CON LEGGIEREZZAVery fast with lightness and delicacy

Terms Related to TEMPO

(Listed in order from very slow to very fast)

GRAVEVery slow and solemn

LARGOVery slow and broad, with dignity

LENT or LENTOVery slow

ADAGIOVery slow and expressive

LARGHETTONot as slow as LARGO, but slower than ANDANTE

ANDANTERather slow, but with a flowing movement (“walking tempo”)

ANDANTINOA little quicker than ANDANTE

MODERATOModerate speed – not fast, not slow

ALLEGRETTOLight and cheerful, but not as fast as ALLEGRO

ALLEGRO“Merry,” quick, lively, and bright

VIVOLively, brisk (usually with ALLEGRO as “ALLEGRO VIVO”)

VIVACEVivacious, faster than ALLEGRO

PRESTOVery quick, faster than VIVACE

Terms Related to CHANGE OF TEMPO

ACCELERANDO(Abbreviated: accel.) To increase the speed gradually

STRINGENDO(Abbreviated: string.) To increase intensity by increasing tempo

AFFRETTANDOTo increase the speed gradually

ALLARGANDO(Abbreviated: allarg.) Slower and louder

RITARDANDO(Abbreviated: Ritard. or Rit.) Gradually slackening the speed

RALLENTANDO(Abbreviated: Rall.) Slowing down, gradually

RUBATOLiterally means “robbed;” a lingering on some notes and the hurrying of others; free from strict tempo but preserving the value of rhythmic notation

A TEMPOReturn to the original tempo after a RITARD

TEMPO I (PRIMO)Return to the original tempo after a RITARD

Words that Often Accompany TEMPO Markings

MOLTOVery much (e.g. MOLTO RITARD means to slow down exceedingly)

MENOLess (e.g. MENO MOSSO means less fast = slower)

PIUMore

NONNot too much (e.g. ALLEGRO NON TROPPO means fast, but not too fast)

TROPPOToo fast

POCO A POCOLiterally “little by little” (e.g. ACCEL. POCO A POCO means to increase the speed gradually over a span of measures)

Miscellaneous Terms

ACCIDENTALSFlats and double flats, naturals, sharps and double sharps

ALLA BREVE“Cut time” () The half-note is the unit of the meter

ARPEGGIOA broken chord (each note of the chord is played in succession)

ATTACCABegin the next movement immediately

CADENCEThe close or ending of a phase

CADENZAAn elaborate solo passage with fancy embellishments to display the proficiency of the performer

CHROMATICProceeding by semitones

CODALiterally “a tail;” the closing measures of a piece of music

DA CAPO(Abbreviated: D.C.) From the beginning

DAL SENGO(Abbreviated: D.S.) To the sign

DIVISIDivided; one performer plays the upper notes and the other plays the lower notes

FERMATAA pause whose length is determined by the director ()

FINEThe end

GLISSANDOTo slide between two notes (only on trombone)

G.P.General Pause; a dramatic moment of silence for the entire ensemble

SEGUETo the next piece without pause

SENZAWithout (e.g. SENZA SORDINO means without mute)

SORDINOA mute (used by brass players)

TACETBe silent

V.S.Volti-subito; an abbreviation found at the lower right corner of a music page that means to turn the page quickly