General Terms Flashcards by Leila Riker-Acevedo

accelerando (accel.)

gradually growing faster

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accidental

chromatic alteration of a note from the key signature until the next bar line (can be extended by a tie)

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a due (a 2)

for two parts

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ad libitum (ad lib) or piarcere

at pleasure, at will

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affetuoso

tenderly, with feeling

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alla breve

2/2 time, cut time

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allargando

getting slower and louder

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amoroso

with love, with warm feeling

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animato or con animia

lively, animated, spirited

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appassionato or passione

passionate, fervent

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assai

much, very

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a tempo

return to the original tempo

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attacca

continue without a pause

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bravura

great technical skill, virtuosity

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brillante

sparkling, spirited

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cadenza

a brilliant (often highly technical) solo, often found at the end of a movement or a piece

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cadence

the close of a melodic or harmonic phrase

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calmando or calmato

quieting down, subsiding

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cantando or cantabile

in a singing style, lyrical

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capriccioso

fanciful, freely

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coda

a concluding passage added to the form proper

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con

with

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con brio

with vigor, vigourously

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con forza

with force, strength

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con fuoco

with fire, passionately

con sordino

withe mute

con spiritio or spirituoso

with spirit

crescendo

becoming louder

da capo (D.C.)

from the beginning

dal segno (D.S.)

from the sign

decrescendo (descres.)

becoming softer

diatonic

notes within a given scale or key

diminuendo (dim.)

becoming softer

divisi

Divided parts where there is normally one

dolce

sweet, gentle

doppio movimento

twice as fast

double flat

lower by one full step

double sharp

raise by onefull step

dynamics

the level of loudness

piano (P)

soft

pianissimo (pp)

very soft

pianississimo (PPP)

very, very soft

mezzo piano (mp)

medium soft

mezo forte (mf)

medium loud

fortissimo (ff)

very loud

e, ed or et

and

fortississimo (fff)

very,very loud

forte (f)

loud

espressivo

with feeling, with expression

etude

a study or exercise focusing on a particular technical or musical problem

fermata

a pause or hold

finale

last movement of a multi-movement work

fine

the end

forzando

a strong accent

giocoso

humorous, playful

giusto

exact, appropriate or usual tempo

glissando

a glide from one note to the next

grazioso

graceful

interval

pitch difference between two notes

key signature

sharps or flats placed at the beginning of a selection indicating its key

largamente

broadly

legato

smooth, even, without breaks between notes

l'istesso tempo

at the same tempo

loco

return to normal position

maestoso

majestic, with dignity

marcato

accented, stressed

marcia

march

Meno

Less

Molto

Much, very

Morendo

Fading away

Mosso or moto

Moved, motion

Non

No, do not

Nuance

Subtle shading in style

Ossia

An alternate version

Pesante

Weighty, ponderous

Piu

Pochissimo

As little as possible

Poco a poco

Little by little

Pomposo

Stately, pompous

Quasi

Almost, as if

Rallentando (rall.)

Becoming slower

Ritardando (Ritard. Or rit.)

Becoming slower

Ritenuto (riten.)

Immediately slower

Rinforzando (rfz.)

A sudden accent

Rubato

Free use of accel. And rit. Within a measure without altering the duration of the measure as a whole

Sans or senza

Without

Scherzando

Playfully

Segue

Continue without pausing

Sempre

Always, throughout

Sforzando (sfz.)

A sudden accent

Simile

In the same manner

Soli

A section solo, a group of soloists

Solo

A part for one performer

Sonore

Resounding, loud

Sordino

Mute

Sostenuto (sost.)

Sustained

Staccato

Detached

Stringendo (string.)

Growing faster

Subito (sub.)

Suddenly, at once

Tacet

Be silent

Tempo

Rate of speed

Grave

Solemn and very, very slow

Largo

Very slow

Adagio, lento, larghetto

Slow

Andante

Moderately slow

Andantino

Slightly faster than andante

Moderato

Moderate, neither fast nor slow

Allegretto

Moderately fast

Allegro

Fast and lively

Vivo, vivace

Very fast and intense

Presto

The fastest conventional tempo

Prestissimo

As fast as possible

Tenuto (ten.)

Held, sustained for full value

Timbre

Tone color

Tranquillo

Quiet, peaceful

Trill (tr.)

A rapid alteration between the written note and a diatonic second above it

Troppo

Too much

Tutti

All, with all performers

Un, una, uno

One

Unison

Together on the same part or in octaves

General Terms Flashcards

(120 cards)