accelerando (accel.)
gradually growing faster
accidental
chromatic alteration of a note from the key signature until the next bar line (can be extended by a tie)
ad libitum (ad lib) or piacere
at pleasure, at will
a due (a 2)
for two parts
affetuoso
tenderly, with feeling
alla breve (c/)
2/2 time, cut time
allargando
getting slower and louder
amoroso
with love, with warm feeling
animato or con anima
lively, animated, spirited
appassianato or passione
passionate, fervent
assai
much, very
a tempo
return to the original tempo
attacca
continue without a pause
bravura
great technical skill, virtuosity
brillante
sparkling, spirited
cadenza
a brilliant (often highly technical) solo, often found at the end of a movement or a piece
cadence
the close of a melodic or harmonic phrase
calmando or calmato
quieting down, subsiding
cantando or cantabile
in a singing style, lyrical
capriccioso
fanciful, freely
coda
a concluding passage added to the form proper
con
with
con brio
with vigor, vigorously
con forza
with force, strength
con fuoco
with fire, passionately
con sordino
with mute
con spirito or spiritoso
with spirit
crescendo
becoming louder
da capo (D.C.)
from the beginning
dal segno (D.S.)
from the sign
decrescendo (decresc.)
becoming softer
diatonic
notes within a given scal or key
diminuendo (dim.)
becoming softer
divisi
divided parts where there is normally one
dolce
sweet, gentle
dppio movimento
twice as fast
double flat (bb)
lower by one full step
double sharp (X)
raise by one full step
dynamics
the level of loudness
pianississimo (ppp)
very, very soft
pianissimo (pp)
very soft
piano (p)
soft
mezzo piano (mp)
medium soft
mezzo forte (mf)
medium loud
forte (f)
loud
fortissimo (ff)
very loud
forississimo (fff)
very, very loud
e, ed, or et
and
espressivo
with feeling, with expression
etude
a study or exercise focusing on a particular technical or musical problem
fermata
a pause or hold
finale
last movement of a multi-movement work
fine
the end
forzando
a strong accent
giocoso
humorous, playful
giusto
exact, appropriate or usual tempo
glissando
a glide from one note to the next
grazioso
graceful
interval
pitch difference between two notes
key signature
sharps or flats placed at the beginning of a selection indicating its key
largamente
broadly
legato
l’istesso tempo
at the same tempo
loco
return to normal position
maestoso
majestic, with dignity
marcato
accented, stressed
marcia
march
meno
less
molto
much, very
morendo
fading away
mosso or moto
moved, motion
non
no, do not
nuance
subtle shading in style
ossia
an alternate version
pesante
weighty, ponderous
piu
more
pochissimo
as little as possible
poco a poco
little by little
pomposo
statley, pompous
quasi
almost, as if
rallentando (rall.)
becoming slower
ritardando (ritard. or rit.)
becoming slower
ritenuto (riten.)
immediately slower
rinforzando (rfz.)
a sudden accent
rubato
free use of accel. and rit. within a measure without altering the duration of the measure as a whole
sans or senza
without
scherzando
playfully
segue
continue without pausing
sempre
always, throughout
sforznado (sfz.)
sudden accent
simile
in the same manner
soli
a section solo, a group of soloists
solo
a part for one perfomer
sonore
resounding, loud
sordino
mute
sostenuto (sost.)
sustained
staccato
detached
stringendo (string.)
growing faster
subito (sub.)
suddenly, at once
tacet
be silent
tempo
rate of speed
grave
solemn and very, very slow
largo
very slow
adagio, lento, larghetto
slow
andante
moderately slow
andantino
slightly faster than andante
moderato
moderate, neither fast nor slow
allegreto
moderately fast
allegro
fast and lively
vivo, vivace
very fast and intense
presto
the fastest conventional tempo
prestissimo
as fast as possible
tenuto (ten.)
held, sustained for full value
timbre
tone color
tranquillo
quiet, peaceful
trill (tr.)
a rapid alteration between the written note and the diatonic second above it
troppo
too much
tutti
all, with all performers
un, una, uno
one
unison
together on the same part or in octaves
1 flat
F major, D minor
2 flats
Bb major, G minor
3 flats
Eb major, C minor
4 flats
Ab major, F minor
5 flats
Db major, Bb minor
6 flats
Gb major, Eb minor
7 flats
Cb major, Ab minor
1 sharp
G major, e minor
2 sharps
D major, b minor
3 sharps
A major, f# minor
4 sharps
E major, c# minor
5 sharps
B major, g# minor
6 sharps
F# major, d# minor
7 sharps
C# major, a# minor
up bow
moving tip to frog
down bow
moving frog to tip
detache
a primarily connected bow stroke with distinct, separate bows
slur
connecting more than one note per bow without stopping
staccato
short, stopped strokes with the bow remaining on the string
spiccato
stroke with the bow bouncing off the string
portato
slightly enuciate each note within a slure using bow weight and speed
arco
with the bow
pizzicato
plucked
martele
hammered; heavily accented staccato
tremolo
an effect produced by rapidly alternating down and up bows
staccato volant
linked spiccato notes in the same direction
ricochet
thrown/rebound stroke usually in groups of 2 or 3
flautando
flute-like bowing played near the fingerboard
col lengo
the effect produced by striking the string with the stick
sul ponticello
an icy, whistling effect produced by striking the string with the stick
alto clef
used for viola and trombone to avoid excess ledger lines; middle C is the center line
tenor clef
used for cello, trombone, basson and double bass; middle C is the fourth line from the bottom
vibrato
slight variation of pitch by left hand motion used to add warmth
major scales
diatonic scales with half-steps between 3-4 and 7-8
natural minor scales
diatonic scales with half-steps between 2-3 and 5-6
harmonic minor scales
natural minor scales with the 7th scale degree raised a half-step; this adds a half-step between 7-8, and an interval of 1.5 steps between 6-7
melodic minor scales
natural scales where the 6th and 7th scale degrees are raised one half step in the ascending form creating half steps between 2-3 and 7-8; these notes are lowered to their naturals state in the descending scale, making it identical to the natural minor