Accelerando (aceel.)
Increase tempo
adagio
Slowly
a due (a squared)
Both performers- follows a section w/ only 1 performer on part
affrettando (affrett.)
Quicken the tempo
agitato
Excited, agitated
allagradno (allarg.)
becoming broader, slowing.
alle, alles
all, every
allegretto
moderately fast
allegro
quick, rapid tempo
allein
solo, alone
allmahlich
gradually
al nient
Diminish the sound to nothing
ancora
again
andante
moderately slow
animando
with growing animation, animato, anime, animated
arpeggiando
roll the chord in harp style
arret
stop
a tempo
resume to the original tempo
attacca
begin the next section without pausing
belebend
with growing animation, belebt, animated
bestimmt
energetic
bewegt
agitated, bewegter, more agitated
blech
brass instruments
bouche
muted french horn, using hand, indicated by +
breit
broadly
chiuso
muted french horn, using hand
colla parte
in unison with another part; for example: col. vin, with violins (jazz score= common use)
come prima
like the first time
con
with.
coro
chorus (not to confused with corno, horn.)
da capo (DC)
return to the beginning
dampfer
mute; mit dampfer- with mute; ohne dampfer, without mute.
doppio movimento
double tempo
en animant
with increaming animation
enchainez
continue to next section without pausing. As, attacca
en dehors
in front of; with emphasis, to be clearly heard through the ensemble
erste
first; for example- erste mal, first time; erstes tempo, first tempo
espansione
broadening
fiero
fiercely
flatterzunge
flutter tongue. Make a rapid articulation, like a rolled r
gestopft
muted french horn, using hand
giusto
moderately
glissando (glissez, glisser)
slide
gradamente
gradually
grave
slowly, solemn
holz
woodwinds
immer
always; for example, immer in tempo- always in tempo
laissez vibrer (LV)
let vibrate, do not dampen (for harp, percussion, keyboard, etc)
langsam
slowly
largamente
broadly
largo
very slowly
lebhaft
lively
legerement
lightly
lent (lentamente, lento)
slowly
LH
left hand
l’istesso
the same (from lo stesso)
l’istesso tempo
the same tempo
marcato
marked, with emphasis
massig
moderate
meno
less
mezzo
half
MM
Maelzel metronome; tempo indication; number of beats per minute, expressed in a specific note value, e.g., MM quarter note= 72
moderato
moderately
modere
moderate tempo
modo
style
modo ordinario
in the usual manner
molto
much, very
morendo
dying away
mosso
movement, agitated
moto
motion
mouvement (mouvt.)
tempo
muta, mtando
change; usually to indicate a change in tuning of an instrument or instruments, or a change from one instrument to another (flute to piccolo)
nach
after, behind
nach gebend
becoming slower
niente
nothing. a niente, fade away to silence
ohne dampfer
without mute
ordinario (ordinare)
return to previous method of performance (usually following instructions for special technique)
ossia
otherwise
otez
remove
parlante
sung in a speaking style
partitur
the score
perdendosi
gradually dying away
petit
little
peu
a little
piacere
at the performer’s pleasure
pieno
full
piu
more
piu mosso
more motion, increase tempo
poco
little
poco a paco
little by little
portando la voce
vocal glissando, sliding smoothly from one note to the next
premier mouvement (Ier mouvt.)
at the original tempo. also, erster tempo, tempo I, a tempo
presto
very quick tempo
pult
desk or stand, referring to number of stands or performers for a part.
rallentando (rall.)
growing slower
retenu
held back
RH
right hand
ritardando (ritard, rit.)
gradually slowing
ritenuto
more immediate slowing of tempo
rubato
expressive flexibility of tempo
ruhig
quietly, tranquil
sans timbres
without snares (percussion)
scherzando
playfully
schmachtend
languid, languishing
schnell
quickly, fast
secco, sec
dry, simple. In percussion: dampen; do not let ring
seconda volta
second time
segue
proceed to next section without pause. Sometimes indicates continuation of a style
sehr
very
sempre
always
senza
without
sforzando, sforzato (sf, sfz)
form of attack, emphasis
simile (sim.)
in a similar manner
smorzando (smorz.)
dying away
sordino
Mute. Con sordino, with mute. Senzo sordino, without mute
sostenuto, sostenendo
sustained
sotto voce
“under the voice”; in a soft voice or undertone
soutenu
sustained
staccato
separated
stentando, stentato (stent.)
delaying, holding back
stesso movimento
same tempo
stimme
voice or voice part
stimmung
tuning
stringendo (string.)
quickening of tempo
subito (sub.)
immediate, suddenly
suivez
follow, indicates where a soloist may take liberties
supra
above. indicates crossing hands in piano music
tacet, tacit
silent
tempo primo
at original tempo
tenuto (ten.)
sustained, held back
tranquillo
calmly, quietly
tremolo
quick repetition of the same note, or quick repetition between different pitches
tres
very
trill
rapid, usually unmeasured alternation between notes of different pitch, half/whole step intervals
troppo/non troppo
too much/not too much
tutti
all, the entire ensemble
vide
empty, cut, indiated by, vi…. at the beginning of cut and ….de at the end of the cut
vivace (vivo)
quickly, lively
wuthend
furiously
zeitmass
tempo
zuruckhaltend
ritard