Music Terms Flashcards

1
Q

accelerando (acce.)

A

gradually growing faster

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2
Q

accidental

A

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

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3
Q

ad libitum (ad lib) or a piacere

A

at pleasure, at will

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4
Q

a due (a 2)

A

for two parts

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5
Q

affetuoso

A

tenderly, with feeling

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6
Q

alla breve (₵)

A

2/2 time, cut time

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7
Q

allargando

A

getting slower and louder

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8
Q

amoroso

A

with love, with warm feeling

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9
Q

animato or con anima

A

lively, animated, spirited

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10
Q

appassionato or passione

A

passionate, fervent

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11
Q

assai

A

much, very

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12
Q

a tempo

A

return to the original tempo

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13
Q

attacca

A

continue without pause

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14
Q

bravura

A

great technical skill, virtuosity

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15
Q

brillante

A

sparkling, spirited

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16
Q

cadenza

A

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

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17
Q

cadence

A

the close of a melodic or harmonic phrase

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18
Q

calmando or calmato

A

quieting down, subsiding

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19
Q

cantando or cantabile

A

in a singing style, lyrical

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20
Q

capriccioso

A

fanciful, freely

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21
Q

coda

A

a concluding passage added to the form proper

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22
Q

con

A

with

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23
Q

con brio

A

with vigor, vigorously

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24
Q

con forza

A

with force, strength

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25
Q

con fuoco

A

with fire, passionately

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26
Q

con sordino

A

with mute

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27
Q

con spirito or spiritoso

A

with spirit

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28
Q

crescendo

A

becoming louder

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29
Q

da capo (D.C.)

A

from the beginning

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30
Q

dal segno (D.S.)

A

from the sign (S+%)

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31
Q

decrescendo (decresc.)

A

becoming softer

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32
Q

diatonic

A

notes within a given scale or key

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33
Q

diminuendo (dim.)

A

becoming softer

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34
Q

divisi

A

divided parts where there is normally one

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35
Q

dolce

A

sweet, gentle

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36
Q

doppio movimento

A

twice as fast

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37
Q

double flat (𝄫)

A

lower by one full step

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38
Q

double sharp (𝄪)

A

raise by one full step

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39
Q

dynamics

A

the level of loudness

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40
Q

pianississimo (ppp)

A

very, very soft

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41
Q

pianissimo (pp)

A

very soft

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42
Q

piano (p)

A

soft

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43
Q

mezzo piano (mp)

A

medium soft

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44
Q

mezzo forte (mf)

A

medium loud

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45
Q

forte (f)

A

loud

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46
Q

fortissimo (ff)

A

very loud

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47
Q

fortississimo (fff)

A

very, very loud

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48
Q

e, ed or et

A

and

49
Q

epressivo

A

with feeling, with expression

50
Q

etude

A

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

51
Q

fermata (𝄐)

A

a pause or hold

52
Q

finale

A

last movement of a multi-movement work

53
Q

fine

A

the end

54
Q

forzando

A

a strong accent

55
Q

giocoso

A

humorous, playful

56
Q

giusto

A

exact, appropriate or usual tempo

57
Q

glissando

A

a glide from one note to the next

58
Q

grazioso

A

graceful

59
Q

interval

A

pitch difference between two notes

60
Q

key signature

A

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

61
Q

largamente

A

broadly

62
Q

legato

A

smooth, even without breaks between notes

63
Q

l’istesso tempo

A

at the same tempo

64
Q

loco

A

return to normal position

65
Q

maestoso

A

majestic, with dignity

66
Q

marcato

A

accented, stressed

67
Q

marcia

A

march

68
Q

meno

A

less

69
Q

molto

A

much, very

70
Q

morendo

A

fading away

71
Q

mosso or moto

A

moved, motion

72
Q

non

A

no, do not

73
Q

nuance

A

subtle shading style

74
Q

ossia

A

an alternate version

75
Q

pesante

A

weighty, ponderous

76
Q

piu

A

more

77
Q

pochissimo

A

as little as possible

78
Q

poco a poco

A

little by little

79
Q

pomposo

A

stately, pompous

80
Q

quasi

A

almost, as if

81
Q

rallentando (rall.)

A

becoming slower

82
Q

ritardando (ritardo. or rit.)

A

becoming slower

83
Q

ritenuto (ritengo.)

A

immediately slower

84
Q

rinforzando (rfz.)

A

a sudden accent

85
Q

rubato

A

free use of access. and rit. within a measure as a whole

86
Q

sans or senza

A

without

87
Q

scherzando

A

playfully

88
Q

sempre

A

always, throughout

89
Q

sforzando (sfz.)

A

a sudden accent

90
Q

simile

A

in the same manner

91
Q

soli

A

a section solo, a group of soloists

92
Q

solo

A

a part for one performer

93
Q

sonore

A

resounding, loud

94
Q

sordino

A

mute

95
Q

sostenuto (sost.)

A

sustained

96
Q

staccato

A

detached

97
Q

stringendo (string.)

A

growing faster

98
Q

subito (sub.)

A

suddenly, at once

99
Q

tacet

A

be silent

100
Q

tempo

A

rate of speed

101
Q

grave

A

solem and very, very slow

102
Q

largo

A

very slow

103
Q

adagio, lento, larghetto

A

slow

104
Q

andante

A

moderately slow

105
Q

andantino

A

slightly faster than andante

106
Q

moderato

A

moderate, neither fast nor slow

107
Q

allegretto

A

moderately fast

108
Q

allegro

A

fast and lively

109
Q

vivo, vivace

A

very fast and intense

110
Q

presto

A

the fastest conventional tempo

111
Q

prestissimo

A

as fast as possible

112
Q

tenuto (ten.)

A

held, sustained for full value

113
Q

timbre

A

tone color

114
Q

tranquillo

A

quiet, peaceful

115
Q

trill (tr.)

A

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

116
Q

troppo

A

too much

117
Q

tutti

A

all, with all performers

118
Q

un, una, uno

A

one

119
Q

unison

A

together on the same part or in octaves