a cappella
“as in chapel,” unaccompanied choral singing
accelerando
gradual acceleration
accompagnato
accompanied
adagio
slow, leisurely; a slow movement
ad libitum
at liberty
agitato
agitated
a la mesure
in strict time
al fine
to the finish
alla breve
2/2 meter, cut time
allargando
growing slower
allegro
lively, brisk, rapid
allegro ma non troppo
fast, but not too much so
andante
moderately slow, walking tempo
andantino
little slower than andante
animato
animation, with spirit
assai
very
a tempo
in time
con brio
with life
cantabile
in a singing style
capo
head; beginning
capriccioso
in a capricious, fanciful, fantastic style
coda
a passage ending a movement
codetta
short coda
colla parte
with the part
come prima
as before; as at first
con
with
crescendo
swelling; gradual increase in loudness
dal segno
from the sign
decrescendo
decreasing in loudness
detache
detached
divisi
divided
dolce
sweetly
encore
again
fermata
a hold
fine
end; close
forte
loud
fortissimo
extremely loud
forzato
with force, energy
fuoco (con fuoco)
fire (with fire)
furioso
furiously
giocoso
playfully
grand
large
grandioso
with grandeur
grave
heavy; slow
grosso
great
istesso (l’istesso tempo)
same (the same tempo)
lagrime (con lagrime)
tearful
langsam
slow
largamente
largely
larghetto
faster than largo
largo
large; broad
legato
smoothly
leggiero
light, airy
lento
slow
lunga
long
maestoso
majestic
marcato
with emphasis
marcatissimo
very marked emphasis
meno
less; not so
moderato
moderate
molto
very
morendo
dying away
mosso
moved
moto (con moto)
motion (with motion)
parlando
speaking; singing with clear and marked enunciation
perdendosi
dying away
pesante
heavy, ponderous; firm (penis)
piano
soft, softly
pianissimo
very soft
pianississimo
SO SOFT THAT YOU CAN’T EVEN HEAR THE DEFINITION OF THE WORD.
piu
more
poco (poco a poco)
little (little by little)
prestissimo
very rapidly
presto
fast; rapid
primo
first
quasi
as if; as it were
rallentando
growing slower and slower
ritardando
growing slower and slower
rubato
robbed time; give/take
sans
without
secco
dry; simple
segno
a sign
sempre
always
senza
without
sforzato
special stress; marked and sudden emphasis
sostenuto
sustained
spiccato
sharp staccato (off the string)
spirito (con spirito)
spirit (with spirit)
staccato
short; detached
stringendo
hastening
subito
suddenly
tacet
“it is silent”
tenuto
held; tone so marked it is to be sustained for its full time value
tessitura
range covered by the main body of tones in a given part
troppo
too much
tutti
entire performing ensemble
vigoroso
with vigor
vivace
lively; animated; brisk
vivo
lively; spiritedly; briskly
voce
voice part