a tempo
return to the previous tempo
adagio
a slow tempo (between andante and allegro)
allegretto
fairly fast (a little slower than an allegro)
allegro
fast
andante
moderately slow (walking pace)
andantino
a little faster than an andante
cantabile
in a singing style
con pedale (con ped.)
with pedal
crescndo (cresc.)
getting louder
da capo (D.C.)
repeat from the beginning
da capo al fine (D.C. al fine)
repeat from the beginning to the end of fine
dal segno (D.S.)
from the sign
decrescendo (decresc.)
getting softer
diminuendo (dim.)
getting softer
dolce
sweet and gentle
fermata
held longer than the note value
fine
end
forte (f)
loud
fortissimo (ff)
very loud
grazioso
graceful
larghetto
not as slow as a largo
largo
very slow and broad
legato
smooth
lento
slow
maestoso
majestic
mano destra (M.D.)
with the right hand
mano sinistra (M.S.)
with the left hand
marcato (marc.)
marked or stressed
mezzo forte (mf)
moderately loud
mezzo piano (mp)
medium soft
moderato
moderate tempo
ottava (8va)
the interval of an octave
pianissimo (pp)
very soft
piano (p)
soft
prestissimo
as fast as possible
presto
very fast
rallentando (rall.)
slowing down
ritardando (rit.)
slowing down gradually
staccato
sharply played
tempo
speed at which a piece is played
tempo prima (tempo I)
return to the original tempo
tenuto
held or sustained
accelerando (accel.)
getting faster
alla (all’)
in the manner of
animato
lively and animated
assai
much- or very much-
ben, bene
well- (i.e., ben marcato: well-marked)
brillante
brilliantly
col, coll’, colla, colle
with- (i.e., coll’octava: with an added octave)
con
with
con brio
with spirit or vigor
con espressione
with expression
con moto
with movement
e, ed
and
espressivo (esp.)
expressively
fortepiano (fp)
loud and then suddenly soft
grave
gravely and with solemnity
leggiero
light and nimble
loco
return to the normal register
ma
but- (i.e., ma non troppo: but not too much)
meno
less
meno mosso
less movement, slower
M.M.
metronome marking
molto
much or very
non
not
non troppo
not too much
piu
more
piu mosso
more movement, quickly
poco
a little
poco a poco
little by little
quasi
almost
rubato
a flexible tempo using slight variations of speed to enhance the musical expession
sempre
always/continuously
spiritoso
with spirit
tenuto
held/sustained
tranquillo
tranquilly
tre corde
three strings/release the left piano pedal
troppo
too much
una corda
one string; depress the left piano pedal
vivace
lively and brisk