Accelerando
with increasing rapidity
Accent
to play notes strong
Accidental
any chromatic sign not found in the key
Adagio
leisurely ; a slow movement.
Allegro
lively
Andante
moving, going along
Arco
bow
Arpeggio
broken chord
Arrangement
adapted performance with different instruments
A Tempo
free tempo
Coda
a passage ending a movement
Col Legno
with stick
Crescendo
get louder
Chromatic
all 12 notes. no key.
Dal Segno
“from the sign”. an instruction to repeat a certain part
Da Capo
“from the head”. play from the beginning.
Decrescendo
get softer.
Detache
one note per bow stroke
Diminuendo
decrease volume of music
Divisi
divide a section of players into two or more groups.
Dolce
sweetly and softly
Down Bow
from frog to tip
Double Bar
end of piece or section
Double Stop
two notes at once
Dynamics
volume
Enharmonic
same in pitch though different name
Fermata
a pause of unspecified length.
Fine
marks end of piece when it is not at the end of score.
Forte
loudly
Fortissimo
very loudly
Fortepiano
the famous keyboard instrument.
Forzando
with sudden emphasis
Frog
part where you hold the bow
Hooked Bowing
breaking up notes while bowing in the same direction
Legato
smooth and flowing manner
L.H.
left hand?
Lift Sign
looks like a comma above the staff
Loure
a slow dance.
Marcato
played with emphasis
Martele
hammered forced pressure bow stroke
Meno
less
Mezzo
moderately
Mezzoforte
medium loud
Mezzopiano
medium soft
Obbligato
instrumental part distinctive in effect that is integral to the piece
Octave
doubling of frequency
Piano
soft
Piu Forte
very loud
Pianoforte
formal term for piano
Pianissimo
very soft.
Pizzicato
plucked string
Poco
a little as in poco allegro ( a little faster)
Rallentando
slowing down
R.H.
right hand
Ritard
gradual decrease of tempo
Segue
move without interruption from one song to then next
Sempre
throughout or always.
Sforzando
with sudden emphasis
Simile
like or the same
Slur
legato flowing together
Slurred Stacato
playing staccato with the same bow motion
Sostenuto
sustained or prolonged
Spiccato
bouncing the bow on strings
Staccato
detached
Stringendo
with increasing speed
Subito
quickly suddenly
Tempo
speed
Tempo primo
original tempo
Tenuto
held for full time value or slightly more
Tie
connecting notes to make duration longer
Tip
far end of the bow
Tremelo
rapid reiteration of a note
Triplet
group of three equal notes to be performed in the time of t or 4
Tutti
with all voices together
U.H.
um
Up Beat
between bar beats
Up Bow
hold to tip
Vibrato
a rapid slight variation in pitch
Vivace
lively and brisk
W.B.
um