Performance Directions Flashcards
(325 cards)
0
Q
Aber
A
But
1
Q
A
A
At, to, by, in the style of
2
Q
A cappella
A
Unaccompanied vocal work
3
Q
Accelerando
A
Gradually getting faster
4
Q
Adagietto
A
Rather slow, but after than adagio
5
Q
Adagio
A
Slow. Between andante and largo
6
Q
A deux/ a due
A
For two performers or instruments
7
Q
Ad libitum/ ad lib
A
At choice. Passage can be omitted from score if chosen
8
Q
Affettuoso
A
Tenderly
9
Q
Affretunado
A
Hurrying
10
Q
Agitato
A
Agitated
11
Q
Al/ alla
A
In the manner of
12
Q
À la pointe
A
For string players to use the point of their bow
13
Q
Alla breve
A
With a minum beat, makes notes faster than suggested
14
Q
Alla marcia
A
In the style of a march
15
Q
Allargando
A
Broadening: getting slower an louder
16
Q
Allegretto
A
Slower than allegro but still fairly quick
17
Q
Allegro
A
Quick
18
Q
Als
A
Than
19
Q
Alt
A
High, used in vocal music for music above the treble stave
20
Q
Al tallone/ am frosch/ au talon
A
With the heel of the bow
21
Q
Amabile
A
Pleasantly
22
Q
Amore/ amour
A
Love
23
Q
Amoroso
A
Loving
24
Andante
Walking pace
25
Andantino
Slightly faster than andante
26
An der spitze
With the point
27
Anima
Soul, spirited
28
Animando
Becoming more lively
29
Animato/ animé
Animated/ lively
30
Apaisé
Calmed
31
A piacere
At pleasure, meaning that the performer is not bound to follow the set rhythm rigidly
32
Appassionato
With passion
33
A punto d'arco
With the pointe
34
Arco
Bow (after pizzicato)
35
Assai
Very, extremely
36
Assez
Quite
37
A tempo
Back to original tempo
38
Attacca
Go straight on, immediate move to the next section of music
39
Audstruck
Expression
40
Avec
With
41
Ben/ benne
Well, very
42
Bestimmt
With decision, definite
43
Bewegt
Agitated, with movement
44
Bis
Twice
45
Bravura
Skill/ brilliance
46
Breit
Broad, expansive
47
Brilliante
Brilliant
48
Brio
Vigour, animation
49
Calando
Dying away
50
Calmato
Calm, tranquil
51
Cantabile
In a singing style
52
Cantando
Singing
53
Capriccioso/ capticieux
In a whimsical fanciful style
54
Cédez
Yield, relax the speed
55
Col/ coll'/ colla/ colle
With/ with the
56
Colla parte
Keep with the soloist
57
Colla voce
Keep with the singer
58
Col legno
With the wood of the bow
59
Coll' ottava
With the octave (for keyboard players)
60
Come/ comme
As/ similar to
61
Come prima
As before
62
Come sopra
As above
63
Comodo
Convenient
64
Con
With
65
Corda/ corde
String/ strings
66
Crescendo
Gradually getting louder
67
Da
From
68
Da capo DC
From the beginning
69
Dal segno DS
From the sign
70
Dämpfer
Mute
71
Decrescendo
Gradually getting softer
72
Delicato
Delicate
73
Détaché
Detached (bowing for strings)
74
Diminuendo
Gradually getting softer
75
Divisi
Divide into two or more groups
76
Doch
However, yet
77
Dolce
Sweet, soft
78
Dolente
Sad, mournful
79
Dolore
Grief
80
Doppio movimento
Twice as fast
81
Douce/ doux
Soft, sweet
82
Duolo
Grief
83
E, ed
And
84
Égal, eguale
Equal
85
Ein
A
86
Einfach
Simple
87
Empfindung
Emotion, feeling
88
Emporté
Fiery, ambitious
89
En animant
Becoming more lively
90
En céant
Yielding
91
En dehors
Make the melody prominent
92
Energico
Energetic
93
Enlevez
Take up, take off, a direction for pedal or mute
94
En mesure
In time
95
En pressant
Hurrying on
96
En retenant
Holding back
97
En serrant
Becoming quicker
98
Expressione
Expression
99
Expressivo
Expressive
100
Estinto
As soft as possible, lifeless
101
Et
And
102
Etwas
Somewhat, rather
103
F
Forte
104
Facile
Easy
105
Felice
Happy
106
Feroce
Fierce
107
Feurig
Fiery
108
Fine/ fin
End
109
Flatterzunge
Flutter tounge
110
Flautato/ flautando
Flute like, a direction for natural harmonics on string instruments
111
Flessibile
Flexible (not a strict tempo)
112
Fliessend
Flowing
113
Flottant
Floating
114
Forte/ f
Loud
115
Fortepiano/ fp
Loud then immediately soft
116
Forza
Force
117
Frei
Free
118
Fretta
Haste
119
Frisch
Vigorous
120
Fröhlich
Cheerful, joyful
121
Fuoco
Fire
122
Furioso
Furious, frenzied
123
Gebunden
Joiner
124
Gehend
At a steady speed
125
Gesangvoll
In a singing style
126
Geschwind
Quickly
127
Giocoso
Playful/ humerous
128
Giojoso
Joyful/ merry
129
Giusto
Proper, exact
130
Glissando
Slide many notes between 2
131
GP
Indication to individual performers that all are silent
132
Gravieux
Graceful
133
Grandioso
Grandly
134
Grave
Very slow, solemn
135
Grazioso
Graceful
136
Immer
Always
137
Impetuoso
Impetuous
138
Incalzando
Getting quicker
139
Innig
Heartfelt, sincere
140
Inquieto
Restless
141
In relievo
Prominent (make the melody stand out)
142
Joyeux
Joyful
143
Kräftig
Strong
144
Lacrimoso/ lagrimando
Sad
145
Lamentoso
Lamenting
146
Langsam
Slow
147
Largamente
Broadly
148
Larghetto
Rather slow, but slightly faster than largo
149
Largo
Slow, stately
150
Lebhaft
Lively, equivalent to vivace
151
Legato
Smooth
152
Légèrement/ leggiero/ leicht
Light, nimble
153
Leid
Grief, pain
154
Leidenschaft
Passion
155
Leise
Soft, gentle
156
Lent/ lento
Slow
157
Liberamente/ librement
Freely
158
Licenza
Licence, freedom
159
Lieblich
Lovely
160
L'istesso
The same
161
Loco
Same pitch (used after 8ve passage)
162
Lointain/ lontano
Distant
163
Lourd
Heavy, equivalent to pesante
164
Lugubre
Mournful
165
Lungs
Long
166
Lusingando
Coaxing in a sweet style
167
Lustig
Cheerful
168
Ma
But
169
Maestoso
Majestic
170
Main
Hand
171
Mais
But
172
Mano
Hand
173
Mancado
Fading away
174
Marcato
Emphatic, accented
175
Martelé/ martellato
Strongly accented (usually string for a type of bowing, but can be used for other instruments too)
176
Marziale
In a military style
177
Mässig
At a moderate speed
178
Meno
Less
179
Mesto
Sad
180
Mezza/ mezzo
Half
181
Misterioso
Mysterious
182
Misura
Measure
183
Mit
With
184
Moderato/ modéré
At a moderate speed
185
Moins
Less
186
Molto
Very, much
187
Morendo
Dying away
188
Mosso
With motion, animated
189
Moto, movimento
Movement, motion
190
Mouvement/ mouvt
Movement/ motion
191
Munter
Lively
192
Muta
Change
193
Nach und nach
Gradually
194
Naturals
In the ordinary way
195
Nicht
Not
196
Niente
Nothing
197
Nobilmente
Nobly
198
Noch
Still, yet
199
Non
Not
200
Nuovo
New
201
Obbligato
Obligatory
202
Ohme
Without
203
Ossia
Alternatively
204
Ostinato
Repeated rhythm of phrase
205
Ottava
Octave
206
Parlando
Sing in a conversational style
207
Patetico
With deep feeling
208
Pausa
A pausa
209
Pedal
With pedal
210
Per
For, by, although, to
211
Pesante
Heavy
212
Peu
Little
213
Piacevole
Pleasant
214
Piangevole
Pleasant
215
Piano
Quiet
216
Pietoso/ pietosamente
Tenderly
217
Più
More
218
Pizzicato
Plucking the strings of an instrument
219
Placido
Calm, peaceful
220
Plus
More
221
Pochettino
Rather little
222
Pochissimo
Very little
223
Poco
Little, slightly
224
Poi
Then
225
Ponticello
Bridge (on a string instrument)
226
Portamento
Slide from one note to the next (strings or trombone)
227
Possibile
Possible
228
Precipitando/ precipitato/ precipitoso
Rushing/ headlong
229
Presser/ pressez
Hurry
230
Presto
Fast (faster than allegro)
231
Primo/ prima
First
232
Quasi
As if, like, resembling
233
Ralentir
Slacken, slow down
234
Rallentando
Gradually slowing down
235
Rasch
Quick
236
Repetizione/ replica
Repetition
237
Retenu
Held back
238
Rigoroso
Struck
239
Rinforzando
Reinforcing
240
Risoluto
Bold, strong
241
Ritardando
Gradually getting slower
242
Ritenuto
Held back
243
Ritmico
Rhythmically
244
Rubato
With some freedom of time
245
Ruhig
Peaceful
246
Saltando/ saltato/ sautillé
Springinly, a light bouncing bow technique for strings
247
Sans
Without
248
Scherzando/ scherzoso
Playful, joking
249
Schnell
Fast
250
Schwach
Weak
251
Sec/ secco
Crisp, suppress the sound as quickly as possible
252
Seconda/ secondo
Second
253
Segue
Go straight on
254
Sehr
Very
255
Semplice
Simple, plain
256
Sempre
Always
257
Senza
Without
258
Seul
Alone
259
Serrer/ serrez
Hurry, quicken
260
Sf/ sforzando/ sforzato/ sfz
Accented, forced
261
Simile
Continue in the same way
262
Sino/sin'
Until, up to
263
Slargando/ slentando
Getting slower
264
Slancio
Enthusiasm, impetus
265
Smorzando
Dying away in tone and speed
266
Soave
Gentle, smooth
267
Solenne
Solemn, grave
268
Sonoramente/ sonore/ sonoro
Resonant, with rich tone
269
Sopra
Above, on (for keyboard players to place one hand over the other)
270
Sordino
Mute
271
Sospirando
Sighing
272
Sostenuto
Sustained
273
Sotto
Below, for keyboard players to place one hand below the other
274
Sotto voce
In an undertone
275
Sourdine
Mute
276
Sous
Under
277
Spiccato
Detached, a bouncing technique for strings
278
Spiritoso
Spirited
279
Staccato
Short, detached
280
Stark
Strong
281
Strepitoso
Noisy, boisterous
282
Stretto
Quickening the speed OR fugue like entries
283
Stringendo
Gradually getting faster
284
Subito
Suddenly
285
Sul/ sulla
On the
286
Süss
Sweet
287
Tacet
When a part doesn't play in a particular section
288
Tanto
So much
289
Tasto
Fingerboard of a string instrument or keyboard of a keyboard instrument
290
Tempo
Speed
291
Teneramente
Tenderly
292
Tenerezza
Tenderness
293
Tunuto
Held
294
Tosto
Swift, rapid
295
Tranquillo
Calm
296
Traurig
Sad
297
Tre
Three
298
Tremolando/ temolo
Trembling on the strings
299
Très
Very
300
Trionfale
Triumphant
301
Tristanente/ triste
Sad
302
Troppo
Too much
303
Tutti
Everyone
304
Un/ una/ uno
One
305
Und
And
306
Unisono
In unison, a direction to cancel divisi
307
Veloce
Swift
308
Vibrato
Vibrating
309
Viel
Much
310
Vif
Lively
311
Vigoroso
Vigorous, strong
312
Vite
Quick
313
Vivace/ vivement/ vivo
Lively, quick
314
Voce/ voix
Voice
315
Volante
Flying, fast
316
Voll
Full
317
Volta
Time
318
Volti subito
Turn at once
319
Vorgetragen
Brought out, prominent
320
Wenig
Little
321
Wieder
Again
322
Zart
Tender, delicate
323
Ziemlich
Moderately
324
Zu
To, too
