Accelerando
Increase speed
Arco
Bow is used in usual way
Strings aren’t plucked
L’istesso (lo stesso)
The same speed
Beat remains the same when meter changes or…
Return to the previous speed of the music
Marcato
Marked
With accentuation
Play every note as if it were to be accented
Meno
Less (meno mosso = less movement)
Mezzo
Literally “half”
(Mezzo forte = half loud
Mezzo piano = half soft)
Moreno
Gradually dying away in dynamics and possibly tempo
Molto
Very much
(Examples: allegro molto, molto vivace, molto piano)
Peu
“Little”
Piu
“More”
(Examples: piu forte = louder, piu lento = slower)
Rubato
Literally “stolen”
Allows a player a measure of freedom in performance, especially with tempo
Sans
Without
Secco
Dry
Senza
“Without”
Found in performance directions such as “senza sordino” = without mute
Sordino
A mute, or a damper in the case of the piano
Sotto voce
Dramatic lowering of the vocal or instrumental volume
Stringendo
Gradually getting faster with a pressing forward or acceleration of the tempo (literally, tightening or narrowing)
Subito
Suddenly
Tacet
Silent; do not play
Tutti
“All”
Used to distinguish the part of a solo instrument from that of the rest of the section or orchestra