Musical Terms (Italian) Flashcards

1
Q

a tempo

A

return to the previous (or original) tempo after another marking such as ritardano or accelerando etc

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2
Q

accelerando, accel.

A

gradually quicker

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3
Q

adagio

A

slow (faster than largo, but slower than andante) “at ease”

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4
Q

ad libitum, ad lib.

A

“at liberty” “at one’s pleasure” - the performer has freedom to choose how to perform the marked section

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5
Q

agitato

A

agitated

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6
Q

alla, all’

A

in the manner of

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7
Q

allargando, allarg.

A

broadening, becoming slower little by little

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8
Q

allegretto

A

moderately fast, a little lively

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9
Q

allegro

A

cheerful, lively, fast

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10
Q

andante

A

at a walking pace, moderately

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11
Q

andantino

A

either a little faster or a little slower than andante

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12
Q

animato

A

lively, animated

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13
Q

arco

A

for stringed instruments: play with the bow (e.g. after a pizzicato passage)

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14
Q

assai

A

much, very (e.g. largo assai)

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15
Q

attacca

A

go straight on (e.g. at the end of a movement)

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16
Q

ben, bene

A

well (e.g. ben marcato: well marked)

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17
Q

brillante

A

brilliantly

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18
Q

calando

A

“decreasing” - gradually slower and softer

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19
Q

cantabile

A

in a singing style

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20
Q

col, coll’, colla, colle

A

with

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21
Q

comodo, commodo

A

comfortable, at a moderate speed

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22
Q

con

A

with

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23
Q

con brio

A

with vigour, with spirit

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24
Q

con espressione

A

expressively, with expression

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25
Q

con fuoco

A

fiery, with fire

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26
Q

con grazia

A

with grace, gracefully (grazioso)

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27
Q

con moto

A

with motion, with movement

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28
Q

con pedale, con ped.

A

with pedal

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29
Q

con sordino

A

with mute (e.g. string instruments, brass instruments)

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30
Q

crescendo, cresc.

A

becoming gradually louder

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31
Q

da capo, D.C.

A

from the beginning (of the movement)

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32
Q

da capo al Fine, D.C. al Fine

A

from the beginning (of the movement) until the Fine marking

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33
Q

dal segno, D.S.

A

from the sign

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34
Q

decrescendo, decresc.

A

becoming gradually softer

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35
Q

diminuendo, dim.

A

becoming gradually softer

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36
Q

dolce

A

sweet, sweetly

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37
Q

dolente

A

sorrowful, sad

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38
Q

e, ed

A

and

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39
Q

espressivo

A

expressively

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40
Q

fermata

A

another name for a pause: hold the marked note or rest longer than rhythmic value

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41
Q

fine

A

the end

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42
Q

forte, f

A

strong, loud

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43
Q

fortepiano, fp

A

strong-soft: ie loud, then suddenly soft

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44
Q

fortissimo, ff

A

very loud

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45
Q

giocoso

A

playful, jocular (jokingly), merry

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46
Q

grandioso

A

grandly, grandiose

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47
Q

grave

A

slow, serious, solemn

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48
Q

grazioso

A

gracefully

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49
Q

largamente

A

broadly, slowly

50
Q

larghetto

A

somewhat slowly (but faster than largo)

51
Q

largo

A

broadly, slowly

52
Q

legato

A

joined, smoothly, connected

53
Q

leggiero

A

lightly, delicately, nimble

54
Q

lento

A

slowly

55
Q

l’istesso tempo

A

at the same tempo

56
Q

loco

A

at the written pitch (usually seen after an 8va higher, or 8va lower marking)

57
Q

ma

A

but

58
Q

maestoso

A

majestically

59
Q

mano destra, M.D.

A

(play with the) right hand

60
Q

mano sinistra, M.S.

A

(play with the) left hand

61
Q

marcato, marc.

A

marked, stressed (accented)

62
Q

martellato

A

hammered, strongly accented

63
Q

meno

A

less

64
Q

meno mosso

A

less mouvement, slower

65
Q

mesto

A

mournful (sad)

66
Q

mezzo forte, mf

A

moderately loud

67
Q

mezzo piano, mp

A

moderately soft

68
Q

moderato

A

at a moderate speed

69
Q

molto

A

very, much

70
Q

morendo

A

dying away, fading away in volume (and speed)

71
Q

non

A

not

72
Q

non troppo

A

not too much

73
Q

ottava, 8va

A

octave

(when shown with a bracket above: play one octave above the written pitch; when shown with a bracket below: play one octave below the written pitch)

74
Q

pedale, ped.

A

pedal

75
Q

pesante

A

heavy

76
Q

pianissimo, pp

A

very soft

77
Q

piano, p

A

soft

78
Q

più

A

more

79
Q

più mosso

A

faster (more movement)

80
Q

pizzicato

A

for stringed instruments: pluck the strings

81
Q

poco

A

little

82
Q

poco a poco

A

little by little

83
Q

prestissimo

A

extremely fast - as fast as possible

84
Q

presto

A

very quickly

85
Q

prima, primo

A

first; the upper part of a duet

86
Q

prima volta

A

first time

87
Q

quindicesima alta (15ma)

A

play the marked passage two octaves higher

88
Q

quasi

A

as if, almost

89
Q

rallentando, rall.

A

becoming gradually slower, broadening

90
Q

resoluto

A

resolutely (sometimes spelled “risoluto”)

91
Q

ritardano, rit.

A

slowing down gradually

92
Q

ritenuto, riten.

A

suddenly slower, held back

93
Q

rubato

A

“robbed” - flexible tempo within a phrase for musical effect

94
Q

scherzando

A

playfully

95
Q

seconda, secondo

A

second; the lower part of a duet

96
Q

seconda volta

A

second time (second playthrough)

97
Q

semplice

A

simply

98
Q

sempre

A

always

99
Q

senza

A

without

100
Q

sforzando, sf, sfz

A

a sudden strong accent

101
Q

simile

A

continue in the same way

usually seen after a marking such as staccato or tenuto etc. - ie to continue playing in the directed way

102
Q

sonore

A

sonorous

103
Q

sopra

A

above

104
Q

sostenuto

A

sustained

105
Q

sotto voce

A

softly, subdued, under the breath

106
Q

spiritoso

A

spirited

107
Q

staccato

A

short and detached

108
Q

stringendo

A

gradually becoming faster, pressing onwards

109
Q

subito

A

suddenly

110
Q

tacet

A

silent, do not play the section (or movement)

111
Q

tempo

A

time, the speed of the music

112
Q

Tempo primo, Tempo I

A

resume the original speed of the music (after a section in a different tempo, or after an accelerando etc.)

113
Q

tenuto

A

held, sustained

114
Q

tranquillo

A

tranquil, peacefully

115
Q

tre corde

A

three strings: usually seen at the end of a section marked “una corda” in piano music, as an indication to release the “soft pedal”

116
Q

troppo

A

too much

117
Q

tutti

A

all, everyone should play, all together

118
Q

una corda

A

“one string”: in piano music, use the “soft pedal” This marking is often followed by “tre corde” at the end of the section.

119
Q

vivace

A

very lively, a quick tempo

120
Q

vivo

A

lively

121
Q

volta

A

time (prima volta: first time etc)

122
Q

volti subito, v.s.

A

turn suddenly: ie turn the page quickly