Accelerando
becoming faster
Accent
emphasis on a note
Adaigo
at ease, slow tempo
Agitato
excited
Allargando
slower, broader, louder
Allegretto
somewhat slower than allegro
Allegro
fast tempo
Alto Clef
indicates middle C on third line of staff
Amoroso
tender and affectionate
Andante
walking tempo
Andantino
somewhat faster than andante
Animato
animated; lively
Appassionato
with intense emotion
Articulation
clarity of musical performance
Attack
promptness and decision in beginning a tone
Bar Line
separates a staff into measures
Bass Clef
indicates F below middle C on the fourth line of the staff
Brillante
bright
Caesura (//)
pause
Calando
gradually softer and softer
Calmo
calm, tranquil
Cantabile
in a singing style
Coda
ending section of a piece (sign indicates to go to coda)
Col Legno
hitting the string with the wood part of the bow
Con anima
with life and animation
Con fuoco
with energy and passion
Con brio
with vigor and spirit
Con moto
with motion
Con spirito
spirited
Crescendo
get louder
Da capo (D.C.)
from the beginning
Decrescendo
get softer
Del segno (D.S.)
from the sign
Detache
detached, articulation comes from the change of direction of the bow
Diminuendo
get softer
Dolce
sweetly
Double Bar
indicates the end of a piece or section
Espressivo
expressively
Fermata
Hold
Fine
ending
First Ending
ending to be used the first time
Flat (b)
lowers a note one half-step
Forte (f)
loud
Forte-piano (fp)
loud immediately followed by soft
Fortissimo (ff)
very loud
Forzando, forzato (fz)
sudden, strong accent
Furioso
furious
Giocoso
humorous
Grandioso
with grandeur
Grand Pause (G.P.)
silence
Grave
grave, solemn
Key Signature
tells what notes to play sharp or flat in a piece or section
Largando
slowing down
Largo
broad
Legato
connected, smoothly
Lento
slow tempo
Loure
linked bowing
Maelzel
metronome marking indicating number of beats per minute
Maestoso
majestically
Martele
a strongly articulated bow stroke used in marcato style
Marziale
march style
Measure repeat (•/•)
repeat the previous measure
Meno mosso
less motion
Mezzo piano (mp)
moderately soft
Mezzo forte (mf)
moderately loud
Moderato
moderate tempo
Morendo
dying away
Natural
cancels a sharp or flat
Octave (8va); (8vb)
play the music one octave higher; (8vb)- play the music one octave lower
Passionato
passionate
Pesante
heavy
Phrase
a complete musical thought or sentence
Pianissimo (pp)
very soft
Piano (p)
soft
Piu mosso
more motion
Pizzicato
plucking the string
Presto
very fast tempo
Rallentando (rall.)
Gradual slackening in speed
Repeat Sign
repeat back to the beginning or to the last facing repeat sign
Retardando (retard., rit.)
gradual slackening in speed
Ricochet
dropping or throwing the bow onto the string and letting it rebound a specific number of times
Rubato
freely, not necessarily in tempo
Saltando
dropping or throwing the bow onto the string and letting it rebound a specific number of times
Scherzando
playful, lively
Second Ending
ending to be used upon taking a repeat
Segno
“the sign”, go back to the sign at D.S.
Sempre
always, continuously
Serioso
serious
Sforzando (sfz or sf)
sudden, strong accent
Simile
similarly, continue in the same manner
Sharp
raises a note one half-step
Slur
two or more notes connected by a single articulation
Sordamente
muted
Sostenuto
sustained, legato
Spiccato
bounced bowing
Staccato
short, detached
Staff
5 lines and 4 spaces, upon which music is written
Sul Ponticello
the bow is drawn directly on the bridge
Sul Tasto
the bow is drawn over the finger board
Sustenuto
slackening the tempo
Tenuto (ten.)
sustained, held out
Tie
two of the same notes (pitch) to be played together as one longer note
Time Signature
top number = number of beats per measure; bottom number = what kind of note gets the beat
Treble Clef
indicates G above middle C on the second line of the staff
Tremolo
a very fast detache bowing; unmeasured strokes
Trill
ornamentation consisting of alternating of two consecutive notes
Vivace
quick, lively
Marcato
marked, stressed