Music Terms And Signs Flashcards
(132 cards)
1
Q
Accelerando, accel.
A
becoming quicker
2
Q
Accent
A
A stressed note
3
Q
ad libitum, ad lib.
A
at the liberty of the performer
4
Q
adagio
A
slow
5
Q
agitato
A
agitated
6
Q
alla, all’
A
In the manner of
7
Q
allegretto
A
fairly fast (a little slower than allegro)
8
Q
allegro
A
Fast
9
Q
andante
A
Moderately slow; at a walking pace
10
Q
andantino
A
A little faster than andante
11
Q
animato
A
Lively, animated
12
Q
a tempo
A
Return to the original tempo
13
Q
ben, bene
A
Well (for example, ben marcato: well marked)
14
Q
cantabile
A
In a singing style
15
Q
col, coll’, colla, colle
A
With (for example, coll’ottava: with an added octave)
16
Q
con
A
With
17
Q
con brio
A
With vigor, spirit
18
Q
con espressione
A
With expression
19
Q
con fuoco
A
With fire
20
Q
con grazia
A
With grace
21
Q
con moto
A
With motion
22
Q
crescendo, cresc.
A
Becoming louder
23
Q
da capo, D.C.
A
From the beginning
24
Q
dal segno, D.S.
A
From the sign
25
D.C. al Fine
Repeat from the beginning and end at Fine
26
decrescendo, decresc.
Becoming softer
27
diminuendo, dim.
Becoming softer
28
dolce
Sweet, gentle
29
dolente
Sad
30
e, ed
And
31
espressivo, espress.
Expressive, with expression
32
fine
The end
33
forte (F)
Loud
34
fortepiano (FP)
Loud, then suddenly soft
35
fortissimo (FF)
Very loud
36
giocoso
Humorous, jocose
37
grandioso
Grand, grandiose
38
grave
Slow and solemn
39
grazioso
Graceful
40
larghetto
Fairly slow, but not as slow as largo
41
largo
Very slow
42
legato
Smooth
43
leggiero
Light, nimble, quick
44
lento
Slow
45
loco
Return to the normal register
46
ma
But (for example, ma non troppo: but not too much)
47
maestoso
Majestic
48
mano destra, m.d.
Right hand
49
mano sinistra, m.s.
Left hand
50
marcato
Marked or stressed
51
martellato
Strongly accented, hammered
52
meno
Less
53
meno mosso
Less movement, slower
54
mesto
Sad, mournful
55
mezzo forte, (mf)
Moderately loud
56
mezzo piano, (mp)
Moderately soft
57
moderato
At a moderate tempo
58
molto
Much, very
59
morendo
Dying, fading away
60
non
Not
61
ottova, 8va
The interval of an octave
62
pedale, ped.
Pedal
63
pesante
Weighty, with emphasis
64
pianissimo, (pp)
Very soft
65
Piano, (p)
Soft
66
più
More
67
più mosso
More movement (quicker)
68
poco
Little
69
poco a poco
Little by little
70
prestissimo
As fast as possible
71
Presto
Very fast
72
primo, prima
First; the upper part of a duet
73
quasi
Almost, as if
74
quindicesima alta, 15ma
Two octaves higher
75
rallentando, rall.
Slowing down
76
risoluto
Resolute
77
ritardando, rit.
Slowing down gradually
78
rubato
With some freedom of tempo to enhance musical expression
79
scherzando
Playful
80
secondo, seconda
Second, second or lower part of a duet
81
semplice
Simple
82
sempre
Always, continuously
83
senza
Without
84
sforzando, (sF), (sFz)
Sudden strong accent of a single note or chord
85
simile
Continue in the same manner as has just been indicated
86
sonore
Sonorous
87
sopra
Above
88
sostenuto
Sustained
89
sotto voce
Soft, subdued, under the breath
90
spiritoso
Spirited
91
staccato
Detached
92
subito
Suddenly
93
tacet
Be silent
94
tempo
Speed at which music is performed
95
Tempo primo (Tempo I)
Return to the original tempo
96
tranquillo
Quiet, tranquil
97
tre corde
Three strings, release the left pedal (on the piano)
98
troppo
Too much
99
tutti
A passage for the ensemble
100
una corda
One string; depress the left pedal
101
vivace
Lively, brisk
102
vivo
Lively
103
volta
Time (for example, prima volta: first time; seconda volta: second time)
104
volti subito, v.s.
Turn the page quickly
105
tenuto
held, sustained
106
fermata
Pause
107
Glissando
continuous slide between two or more pitches
108
Polyphonic texture
Having two simultaneous lines of independent melody, or voices
109
Homophobic texture
Dominated by one voice that’s accompanied by chords
110
cédez (French)
Yield; hold the tempo back
111
léger (French)
Light, lightly
112
lentement (French)
Slowly
113
modéré (French)
At a moderate tempo
114
movement (French)
Tempo, motion
115
vite (French)
Fast
116
bewegt (German)
Moving
117
langsam (German)
Slow, slowly
118
mässig (German)
Moderate, moderately
119
mit Ausdruck (German)
With expression
120
schnell (German)
Fast
121
sehr (German)
Very
122
allargando
broadening, becoming slower
123
largamente
broadly
124
l’istesso tempo
the same tempo
125
ritenuto
suddenly slower, held back
126
stringendo
pressing, becoming faster
127
attacca
proceed without a break
128
calando
becoming slower and softer
129
comodo
at a comfortable, easy tempo
130
con sordino
with mute
131
pizzicato
on a bowed string instrument, pluck the string instead of bowing
132
arco
on a bowed string instrument, resume bowing after a pizzicato passage
