Langsam
Slow (Ger.)
Lento
slow, solemn, sustained (It., Sp.)
Largo
Very, very slow (It.)
Grave
slowest, solemn, serious (It., Fr.)
Andante
Moderate (It.)
Vivo
Lively, intense (It.)
Schnell
Fast (Ger.)
Allegro
Fast, lively (It.)
Animato
Lively, animated, spirited (It.)
Allegretto
Moderately quick (It.)
Presto
Fastest (It.)
Accelerando
Becoming faster (It.)
Stringendo
Speeding up (It.)
Allargando
Becoming broader and sometimes also slower, suddenly slower (It.)
Rallentando
Becoming slower (It.) (rall.)
Ritardando
Becoming slower (It.) (rit.)
Piu mosso
Faster (It.)
Meno mosso
Slower (It.)
A tempo
Return to the original tempo (It.)
Tempo primo
Return to the original tempo (It.)
Alla Breve
2/2 meter (cut time) or twice as fast as before (It.)
Rubato
Taking tempo freedoms with individual notes (usually without altering length of measure)
Detache
Alternate up and down bows (either legato or detached)
Forzando
Sharp accent (fz)
Legato
Smooth, even, without any break between notes
Marcato
Accented, stressed
Portato
Half staccato
Seco
Dry, concise
Sforzando
With a strong accent
Sostenuto
Sustained (sost.)
Staccato
Detached, with each note separated from the next and quickly released (stacc.)
Tenuto
Held, sustained (ten.)
Concertino
Soloists (alternating with full orchestra in concerto grossso)
Continuo
Continuous bass accompaniment (usually harpsichord and cello), especially in Baroque music.
Divisi
Indicating seperate parts where there is usually one
Divisi
Indicating seperate parts where there is usually one
La Meta
Half of the section
Pupitre
Orchestral desk (stand)
Ripieno
In a concerto grosso, the full orchestra
Tutti
Full orchestra; entire section
Agitato
Excited, restless
Con brio
With fire, vigorously
Cantabile
Ina singing style, slowing, melodious, lyrical
Dolce
Sweet, gentle
Espressivo
With expression, with feeling
Giocoso
Humorous (jocular)
Gracioso
Graceful, refined or witty, humorous or jester, clown
Leggiero
Lightly, nimbly
Maestoso
With dignity, nobility
Misterioso
Mysterious, secretive
Con moto
Somewhat lively, not too slowly
Scherzando
Playfully, jestfully
Con spiritu
With spirit
Tranquillo
Quiet, peaceful, soft
Pianissimo
Very soft
Piano
soft
Mezzo Piano
Moderately soft
Mezzo forte
Moderately loud
Forte
Loud
Fortissimo
Very loud
Crescendo
Becoming louder
Decrescendo
Becoming softer
Diminuendo
Becoming softer
Fortepiano
Loud, then soft
Morendo
Fading away (literally “dying away”)
Sempre
Always, continually
Sotto voce
Softly, in a low voice
Subito
Suddenly
Attacca
Continue without a pause
Fermata
A pause or note held longer than usual
Grand Pause
Rest for entire ensemble
Cadenza
A brilliant, often florid solo, usually at the end of a mvmt. or piece
Coda
End, concluding passage
Fine
End
Da Capo
Go back to the beginning
Da Capo Al Fine
From the beginning to the end
Da Capo al Segno
From the beginning to the sign
Segno
Sign
Reprise
Repeat
Loco
Return to normal position (after ottava)
Ossia
Alternate version
Ottava
Octave higher (alta) or lower (bassa)
Restez
Stay there (string or finger position)
Woodwinds
Legni or Fiati

Bois

Hire a custom writer who has experience.
It's time for you to submit amazing papers!


order now

HolzBlaser

Piccolo
Flauto Piccolo or Ottavino

Petite Flute

Kleine Flote

Flute
Flauto

Flute

Flote

Oboe
Oboe

Hautbois

Oboe or Hoboe

English Horn
Corno Inglese

Cor Anglais

Englisch Horn

Clarinet
Clarinetto

Clarinette

Klarinette

Bass Clarinet
Clarinetto Basso

Clarinette Basse

Bassklarinette

Bassoon
Fagotto

Basson

Fagott

Contra Bassoon
Contrafagotto

Contre-basson

Kontrafagott

Brass
Ottoni

Cuivres

Blechinstrumente

Horn
Corno

Cor

Horn

Trumpet
Tromba

Trompette

Trompete

Trombone
Trombone

Trombone

Posaune

Tuba
Tuba

Tuba

Tuba or Basstuba

Percussion
Percussione or Batteria

Batterie

Schlagzeug

Timpani
Timpani

Timbales

Pauken

Xylophone
Silofono or Xilofono

Xylophone

Xylophon

Marimba
Marimba

Marimba

Marimba

Glockenspiel
Campanelli

Jeu de Timbres or Carillon

Glockenspiel

Vibraphone
Vibrafono

Vibraphone

Vibraphon

Bells or Chimes
Campane

Cloches

Glocken

Antique Cymbals
Crotali

Cymbales Antiques or Crotales

Antiken Zimbeln

Antique Cymbals
Crotali

Cymbales Antiques or Crotales

Antiken Zimbeln

Flexatone
Flexatone

Flexatone

Flexaton

Snare drum or side drum
Tamburo Mlitare

Tambour Militaire or Caisse Claire

Kleine Trommel

Field Drum
Tamburo Militare

Tambour

Ruhrtrommel

Tenor Drum
Tamburo Rullante

Caisse Roulante

Ruhrtrommel

Tabor
Tamburo

Tambour de Provence or Tambourin

Tambourin

Bass Drum
Gran or Cassa

Grosse Caisse

Grosse Trommel

Cymbals
Piatti

Cymbales

Becken

Cymbals
Piatti

Cymbales

Becken

Suspended cymbal
Piatti Sospeso

Cymbale Suspendue

Hangendes Becken or Becken frei

Triangle
Triangolo

Triangle

Triangel

Tambourine
Tamburino or Tamburo Basco

Tambour de Basque

Schellentrommel or tambourin

Gong or Tam-tam
Tam-tam

Tam-tam

Tam-tam

Castanets
Castagnette

Castagnettes

Kastagnetten

Rattle or Ratchet
Raganella

Crecelle

Ratsche

Wood Block
Cassa or Casetta di legno

Wood Bloc or Bloc de bois

Holzkaste

Cowbells
Campanelli di Vacca

Grelots

Heerdenglocken

Sleighbells
Sonagli

Grelots

Schellen

Slapstick or whip
Frusta

Fouet

Peitsche

Celesta
Celesta

Celesta

Celesta

Harp
Arpa

Harpe

Harfe

Strings
Archi

Cordes

Streichinstrumente

Violin
Violino

Violon

Violine

Viola
Viola

Alto

Bratsche

Violoncello
Violoncello

Violoncelle

Violoncell

Violoncello
Violoncello

Violoncelle

Violoncell

Double Bass
Contrabasso

Contre Basse

Kontrabass

Muted
Con sordino or Con sordini

Sourdines

Mit dampfer or gedampft in horns

Take off mutes
Via sordini

Enlevez les sourdines

Dampfern weg

Without mute
Senza sordino

Sans sourdine

Ohne Dampfer

Divided
Divisi

Divise

Geteilt (get.)

Divided in 3 parts
Div. a 3

Div. a 3

Dreifach

Divided in four parts
div. a 4

div. a 4

vierfach

In unison
Unisono

Unis

Zusammen or einfach

a 2
a 2

a 2

zu 2

At (near) the bridge
Sul ponticello

Sur le chevalet

Sul ponticello or am Steg

Over the finger board
Sul tasto or Sulla tastiera

Sur la touche

Am Griffbrett

With the wood of the bow
Col legno

Avec le bois

Col Legno or mit Holz

At the point of the bow
Punta d’arco

de la pointe

Spitze

At the frog
Al tallone

Du talon

Am Frosch

Bells in the air
Campane in aria

Pavillons en l’air

Schalltrichter auf

Half (a string group)
La Meta

La Moitie

die Halfte

Stopped (horns)
Chiuso or chiusi

Bouche

Gestopft

Brassy
Cuivre

Schmetternd

Open
Aperto or aperti

Ouvert

Offen

With soft stick
Bacchetta di spugna

Baguette d’eponge or baguette molle

mit Schwammschlagel

With hard sticks
Bacchette di legno

Baguettes en bois

mit Holzschlageln

Change G to F#
Sol muta in f#

Changez sol en fa#

G nach Fis umstimmen

Near the sounding board (harp)
Pres de la table
Desk or stand
Leggio

Pupitre

Pult

In the ordinary way (after sul pon., etc.)
Modo ordinario

Mode ordinaire

Gewohnlich

String
Corda

Corde

Saite