ABRSM theory Flashcards
(227 cards)
1
Q
Accelerando (or accel.)
A
Gradually getting quicker
2
Q
Adagio
A
Slow
3
Q
Allegretto
A
Fairly quick (but not as fast as allegro)
4
Q
Allegro
A
Quick (literally ‘cheerful’)
5
Q
Andante
A
At a medium (‘walking’) speed
6
Q
Cantabile
A
In a singing style
7
Q
Crescendo (or cresc.)
A
Gradually getting louder
8
Q
Da capo (or D.C)
A
Repeat from the beginning
9
Q
Dal segno (or D.S)
A
Repeat from the dal segno sign
10
Q
Decrescendo (or decresc.)
A
Gradually getting quieter
11
Q
Fine
A
The end
12
Q
f (forte)
A
Loud
13
Q
ff (fortissimo)
A
Very loud
14
Q
Legato
A
Smoothly
15
Q
Lento
A
Slow
16
Q
Mezzo
A
Half
17
Q
mf (mezzo forte)
A
Moderately loud
18
Q
mp (mezzo piano)
A
Moderately quiet
19
Q
Moderato
A
Moderate speed
20
Q
p (piano)
A
Quiet
21
Q
pp (pianissimo)
A
Very quiet
22
Q
Poco
A
A little
23
Q
Rallentando (or rall.)
A
Gradually getting slower
24
Q
Ritardando (or ritard. or rit.)
A
Gradually getting slower
25
Ritenuto (or riten. or rit.)
Held back
26
Staccato
Detached
27
Tempo
Speed, time
28
>
Accent
29
8va
Ottava (octave)
30
.
Staccato
31
a
at, to, by, for, in, in the style of
32
al, alla
to the, in the manner of
33
Allargando
Broadening (getting a little slower, and probably a bit louder)
34
Adantino
Slightly faster than Andante (but may also mean slightly slower)
35
Assai
Very
36
Con, col
With
37
Dolce
Sweet, soft
38
e, ed
And
39
Espressivo
Expressive
40
fp (=fortepiano)
Loud, then immediately soft
41
giocoso
Playful, merry
42
Grave
Very slow, solemn
43
Grazioso
Graceful
44
Larghetto
Rather slow (but not as slow as largo)
45
Ma
But
46
Maestoso
Majestic
47
Meni
Less
48
Molto
Very, much
49
Mosso, moto
Movement
50
Non
Not
51
Più
More
52
Presto
Fast (faster than Allegro)
53
Senza
Without
54
sf, sfz (=sforzando or sforzato)
Forced, accented
55
Simile (or sim.)
In the same way
56
Sostenuto
Sustained
57
Tenuto
Held
58
Troppo
Too much
59
Vivace, vivo
Lively, quick
60
^ over or under a note
An accent, or an even stronger accent
61
Dots under a slur
Semi-staccato, less detached
62
Wedge under or over a note
Staccatissimo (super staccato) and perhaps accented
63
- over or under a note
Slight pressure on the note (and generally slightly separated)
64
Con sordini
With mutes
65
Senza sordini
Without mutes
66
Arco
Played with the bow
67
__
' ' ^ (upside down)
Marks
Arco
68
A slur over notes for a string instrument means...
They are to be played with one stroke of the bow.
69
Pizzicato
Plucked
70
Sul G
Play on the G string
71
Sul ponticello
Play near the bridge
72
Una corda
Press the left pedal
73
Tre corde
Release the left pedal
74
* Ped. Or P________
Press/Release the right pedal
75
Mano sinistra
Left hand
76
Mano destra
Right hand
77
Affettuoso
Tenderly
78
Affrettando
Hurrying
79
Amabile
Amiable, pleasant
80
Appassionato
With passion
81
Calando
Getting softer, dying away
82
Cantando
Singing
83
Come
As, similar to
84
Facile
Easy
85
Fuoco
Fire
86
Giusto
Proper, exact
87
L'istesso
The same
88
Morendo
Dying away
89
Possibile
Possible
90
Quasi
As if, resembling
91
Sonoro
Resonant, with rich tone
92
Sopra
Above
93
Sotto
Below
94
Veloce
Swift
95
Voce
Voice
96
Animé
Animated, lively
97
Assez
Enough, sufficiently
98
Avec
With
99
Cédez
Yield, relax the speed
100
Douce
Sweet
101
En dehors
Prominent
102
Et
And
103
Légèrement
Light
104
Lent
Slow
105
Mais
But
106
Moins
Less
107
Modéré
At a moderate speed
108
Non
Not
109
Peu
Little
110
Plus
More
111
Presser
Hurry
112
Ralentir
Slow down
113
Retenu
Held back
114
Sans
Without
115
Très
Very
116
Un, une
One
117
Vif
Lively
118
Vite
Quick
119
Tr^^^^^^^^
Trill
120
Infinity sign
Turn
121
/\/\/\/\
Upper mordent
122
Squiggly line with a vertical line going through
Lower mordent
123
Grace note with a line going through it
Acciaccatura
124
Grace note with no line
Appoggiatura
125
What clef does the violin use?
Treble
126
What clef does the viola use?
Alto
127
What clef does the cello use?
Bass
128
What clef does the double bass use?
Bass
129
Which recorder does not use the treble clef?
Bass recorder
130
What is the piccolo designed to do in comparison to the flute?
To play every note one octave higher with the same fingering.
131
Does the oboe play at concert pitch?
Yes
132
Does the bassoon play at concert pitch?
Yes
133
Does the cor anglais play at concert pitch?
No
134
Does the clarinet play at concert pitch?
No
135
Does the trumpet play at concert pitch?
No
136
Does the horn play at concert pitch?
No
137
Does the tuba play at concert pitch?
Yes
138
Name all of the pitched percussion in the orchestra.
```
Timpani
Tuned bar/tube instruments
Celesta
Piano
Harpsichord
Clavichord
Virginal
Spinet
```
139
Name all the unpitched percussion instruments.
```
Bass drum
Side drum
Tenor drum
Tambourine
Cymbals
Gong
Triangle
```
140
Attacca
Go straight on to the next section of music
141
Dolente
Sad, mournful
142
Dolore
Grief
143
Doppio movimento
Twice as fast
144
Estinto
As soft as possible, lifeless
145
Incalzando
Getting quicker
146
Lacrimoso
Sad
147
Loco
At the normal pitch (cancels 8va)
148
Lunga
Long
149
Lusingando
Coaxing, in a sweet and persuasive style
150
Misura
Measure
151
Ossia
Or, alternatively
152
Piacevole
Pleasant
153
Piangevole
Plaintive, in the style of a lament
154
Pochettino, poch.
Rather little
155
Rinforzando, rf, rfz
Reinforcing
156
Segue
Go straight on
157
Smorzando, smorz.
Dying away in tone and speed
158
Teneramente
Tenderly, tenderness
159
Tosto
Swift, rapid (often used in the same sense as troppo)
160
Volante
Flying, fast
161
Aber
But
162
Ausdruck
Expression
163
Bewegt
With movement, agitated
164
Breit
Broad, expansive
165
Ein
A, one
166
Einfach
Simple
167
Etwas
Somewhat, rather
168
Fröhlich
Cheerful, joyful
169
Immer
Always
170
Langsam
Slow
171
Lebhaft
Lively
172
Mässig
At a moderate speed
173
Mit
With
174
Nicht
Not
175
Ohne
Without
176
Ruhig
Peaceful
177
Schnell
Fast
178
Sehr
Very
179
Süss
Sweet
180
Traurig
Sad
181
Und
And
182
Voll
Full
183
Wenig
Little
184
Wieder
Again
185
Zart
Tender, delicate
186
Zu
To, too
187
Adagietto
Rather slow (but faster than adagio)
188
Ad libitum, ad lib.
At choice, meaning that a passage may be played freely
189
Agitato
Agitated
190
Alla breve
With a minim beat, equivalent to 2/2, implying a faster tempo
191
Amore
Love
192
Amoroso
Loving
193
Anima
Soul, spirit
194
Con anima
With feeling, spirited
195
Animato
Animated, lively
196
Animando
Becoming more lively
197
Ben
Well
198
Brio
Vigour
199
Con brio
With vigour, lively
200
Comodo
Convenient
201
Tempo comodo
At a comfortable speed
202
Deciso
With determination
203
Delicato
Delicate
204
Energico
Energetic
205
Forza
Force
206
Largamente
Broadly
207
Leggiero
Light, nimble
208
Marcato, marc.
Emphatic, accented
209
Marziale
In a military style
210
Mesto
Sad
211
Pesante
Heavy
212
Prima, primo
First
213
Risoluto
Bold, strong
214
Ritmico
Rhythmically
215
Rubato, tempo rubato
With some freedom of time
216
Scherzando, scherzoso
Playful, joking
217
Seconda, secondo
Second
218
Semplice
Simple, plain
219
Sempre
Always
220
Stringendo
Gradually getting faster
221
Subito
Suddenly
222
Tanto
So much
223
Tranquillo
Calm
224
Triste, tristamente
Sad, sorrowful
225
Volta
Time
226
Prima volta
First time
227
Seconda volta
Second time
