SD All-State Music Terminology Flashcards
(125 cards)
1
Q
accelerando
A
gradually growing faster
2
Q
accidental
A
chromatic alteration of a note from the key signature until the next bar line (can be extended by a tie
3
Q
ab libitum (ab lib) or a piacere
A
at pleasure, at will
4
Q
affetuoso
A
tenderly, with feeling
5
Q
a due ( a 2)
A
for two parts
6
Q
alla breve
A
2/2 cut time
7
Q
allargando
A
getting slower and louder
8
Q
amoroso
A
with love, with warm feeling
9
Q
animato or con anima
A
lively, animated, spirited
10
Q
appassionato or passione
A
passionate, fervent
11
Q
assai
A
much, very
12
Q
a tempo
A
return to the original tempo
13
Q
attacca
A
continue without a pause
14
Q
bravura
A
great technical skill, virtuosity
15
Q
brillante
A
sparkling, spirtited
16
Q
cadenza
A
a brilliant solo, often found at the end of a movement or a piece
17
Q
cadence
A
the close of a melodic or harmonic phrase
18
Q
calmando or calmato
A
quieting down, subsiding
19
Q
cantando or cantabile
A
in a singing style, lyrical
20
Q
capriccioso
A
fanciful, freely
21
Q
coda
A
a concluding passage added to the form proper
22
Q
con
A
with
23
Q
conbrio
A
with vigor, vigorously
24
Q
con forza
A
with force, strength
25
con fuoco
with fire, passionately
26
con sordino
with mute
27
con spirito or spiritoso
with spirit
28
crescendo
becoming louder
29
da capo (D.C.)
form the beginning
30
dal segno (D.S.)
from the sign
31
decrescendo
becoming softer
32
diatonic
notes within a given scale or key
33
diminuendo (dim.)
becoming softer
34
divisi
divided parts where there is normally one
35
dolce
sweet, gentle
36
doppio movimento
twice as fast
37
double flat
lower by one full step
38
double sharp
raise by one full step
39
dynamics
the level of loudness
40
pianississimo (ppp)
very, very, soft
41
pianissimo
very soft
42
piano
soft
43
mezzo piano
medium soft
44
mezzo forte
medium loud
45
forte
loud
46
fortissimo
very loud
47
fortississimo
very very loud
48
e, ed or et
and
49
espressivo
with feeling, with expression
50
etude
a study or exercise focusing on a particular technical or musical problem
51
fermata
a pause or a hold
52
finale
last movement of a multi-movement work
53
fine
the end
54
forzando
a strong accent
55
giocoso
humorous, playful
56
giusto
exact, appropriate or usual tempo
57
glissando
a glide form one note to the next
58
grazioso
graceful
59
interval
pitch difference between two notes
60
key signature
sharps or flats placed at the beginning of a selection indicating its key
61
largamente
broadly
62
legato
smooth, even, without breaks between notes
63
l'istesso tempo
at the same tempo
64
loco
return to normal position
65
maestoso
majestic, with dignity
66
marcato
accented, stressed
67
marcia
march
68
meno
less
69
molto
much, very
70
morendo
fading away
71
mosso or moto
moved, motion
72
non
no, do not
73
muance
subtle shading in style
74
ossia
an alternate version
75
pesante
weighty, ponderous
76
piu
more
77
pochissimo
as little as possible
78
poco a poco
little by little
79
pompso
statly, pompous
80
quasi
almost, as if
81
rallentando (rall.)
becoming slower
82
ritardando (ritard o r rit.)
becoming slower
83
ritenuto (riten.)
immediately slower
84
rinforzando (rfz)
a sudden accent
85
rubato
free use a accel. and rit. within a measure
86
sans or senza
without
87
scherazando
playfully
88
segue
continue without pausing
89
sempre
always, throughout
90
sforzando (sfz.)
a sudden accent
91
simile
in the same manner
92
soli
a section solo, a group of soloists
93
solo
a part for one performer
94
sonore
resounding, loud
95
sordino
mute
96
sostenuto (sost.)
sustained
97
staccato
detached
98
stringendo (string.)
growing faster
99
subito (sub.)
suddenly, at once
100
tacet
be silent
101
tempo
rate of speed
102
grave
solemn an very very slow
103
largo
very slow
104
adagio, lento, larghetto
slow
105
andante
moderately slow
106
andantino
slightly faster then andante
107
moderato
moderate neither fast nor slow
108
allegretto
moderately fast
109
allegro
fast and lively
110
vivo, vivace
very fast and intense
111
presto
the fastest conventional speed
112
prestissimo
as fast as possible
113
tenuto (ten.)
held, sustained for full value
114
timbre
tone color
115
tranquillo
quiet, peaceful
116
trill (tr.)
a rapid alteration between the written note and the diatonic second above it
117
troppo
too much
118
tutti
all, with all performers
119
un, una, uno
one
120
unison
together on the same part or in octaves
121
major scales
are diatonic scales with half-steps between 3-4 and 7-8
122
Natural Minor scales
are diatonic scales with half steps between 2-3 and 5-6
123
harmonic Minor scales
are natural minor scales with the 7th scale degree raised a half step. This adds a half step between 7-8, and an interval of 1 1/2 steps between 6-7
124
Melodic Minor Scales
are natural scales where the 6th and 7th scale degrees are raised one half step in the ascending form creating half steps between 2-3 and 7-8, these notes are lowered to their natural state in the descending scale, making it identical to the natural minor
125
Chromatic scale
are scales which proceed by half step from the first note to the last note
