Musical Terms (Italian) Flashcards
(122 cards)
1
Q
a tempo
A
return to the previous (or original) tempo after another marking such as ritardano or accelerando etc
2
Q
accelerando, accel.
A
gradually quicker
3
Q
adagio
A
slow (faster than largo, but slower than andante) “at ease”
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
5
Q
agitato
A
agitated
6
Q
alla, all’
A
in the manner of
7
Q
allargando, allarg.
A
broadening, becoming slower little by little
8
Q
allegretto
A
moderately fast, a little lively
9
Q
allegro
A
cheerful, lively, fast
10
Q
andante
A
at a walking pace, moderately
11
Q
andantino
A
either a little faster or a little slower than andante
12
Q
animato
A
lively, animated
13
Q
arco
A
for stringed instruments: play with the bow (e.g. after a pizzicato passage)
14
Q
assai
A
much, very (e.g. largo assai)
15
Q
attacca
A
go straight on (e.g. at the end of a movement)
16
Q
ben, bene
A
well (e.g. ben marcato: well marked)
17
Q
brillante
A
brilliantly
18
Q
calando
A
“decreasing” - gradually slower and softer
19
Q
cantabile
A
in a singing style
20
Q
col, coll’, colla, colle
A
with
21
Q
comodo, commodo
A
comfortable, at a moderate speed
22
Q
con
A
with
23
Q
con brio
A
with vigour, with spirit
24
Q
con espressione
A
expressively, with expression
25
con fuoco
fiery, with fire
26
con grazia
with grace, gracefully (grazioso)
27
con moto
with motion, with movement
28
con pedale, con ped.
with pedal
29
con sordino
with mute (e.g. string instruments, brass instruments)
30
crescendo, cresc.
becoming gradually louder
31
da capo, D.C.
from the beginning (of the movement)
32
da capo al Fine, D.C. al Fine
from the beginning (of the movement) until the Fine marking
33
dal segno, D.S.
from the sign
34
decrescendo, decresc.
becoming gradually softer
35
diminuendo, dim.
becoming gradually softer
36
dolce
sweet, sweetly
37
dolente
sorrowful, sad
38
e, ed
and
39
espressivo
expressively
40
fermata
another name for a pause: hold the marked note or rest longer than rhythmic value
41
fine
the end
42
forte, f
strong, loud
43
fortepiano, fp
strong-soft: ie loud, then suddenly soft
44
fortissimo, ff
very loud
45
giocoso
playful, jocular (jokingly), merry
46
grandioso
grandly, grandiose
47
grave
slow, serious, solemn
48
grazioso
gracefully
49
largamente
broadly, slowly
50
larghetto
somewhat slowly (but faster than largo)
51
largo
broadly, slowly
52
legato
joined, smoothly, connected
53
leggiero
lightly, delicately, nimble
54
lento
slowly
55
l'istesso tempo
at the same tempo
56
loco
at the written pitch (usually seen after an 8va higher, or 8va lower marking)
57
ma
but
58
maestoso
majestically
59
mano destra, M.D.
(play with the) right hand
60
mano sinistra, M.S.
(play with the) left hand
61
marcato, marc.
marked, stressed (accented)
62
martellato
hammered, strongly accented
63
meno
less
64
meno mosso
less mouvement, slower
65
mesto
mournful (sad)
66
mezzo forte, mf
moderately loud
67
mezzo piano, mp
moderately soft
68
moderato
at a moderate speed
69
molto
very, much
70
morendo
dying away, fading away in volume (and speed)
71
non
not
72
non troppo
not too much
73
ottava, 8va
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
pedale, ped.
pedal
75
pesante
heavy
76
pianissimo, pp
very soft
77
piano, p
soft
78
più
more
79
più mosso
faster (more movement)
80
pizzicato
for stringed instruments: pluck the strings
81
poco
little
82
poco a poco
little by little
83
prestissimo
extremely fast - as fast as possible
84
presto
very quickly
85
prima, primo
first; the upper part of a duet
86
prima volta
first time
87
quindicesima alta (15ma)
play the marked passage two octaves higher
88
quasi
as if, almost
89
rallentando, rall.
becoming gradually slower, broadening
90
resoluto
resolutely (sometimes spelled "risoluto")
91
ritardano, rit.
slowing down gradually
92
ritenuto, riten.
suddenly slower, held back
93
rubato
"robbed" - flexible tempo within a phrase for musical effect
94
scherzando
playfully
95
seconda, secondo
second; the lower part of a duet
96
seconda volta
second time (second playthrough)
97
semplice
simply
98
sempre
always
99
senza
without
100
sforzando, sf, sfz
a sudden strong accent
101
simile
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
sonore
sonorous
103
sopra
above
104
sostenuto
sustained
105
sotto voce
softly, subdued, under the breath
106
spiritoso
spirited
107
staccato
short and detached
108
stringendo
gradually becoming faster, pressing onwards
109
subito
suddenly
110
tacet
silent, do not play the section (or movement)
111
tempo
time, the speed of the music
112
Tempo primo, Tempo I
resume the original speed of the music (after a section in a different tempo, or after an accelerando etc.)
113
tenuto
held, sustained
114
tranquillo
tranquil, peacefully
115
tre corde
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
troppo
too much
117
tutti
all, everyone should play, all together
118
una corda
"one string": in piano music, use the "soft pedal" This marking is often followed by "tre corde" at the end of the section.
119
vivace
very lively, a quick tempo
120
vivo
lively
121
volta
time (prima volta: first time etc)
122
volti subito, v.s.
turn suddenly: ie turn the page quickly
