TLC Music Terms

accelerando

gradually increase tempo

adagio/largo

and lento

Slow tempos

lento between andante and largo

ad lib

at performers pleasure

agitato

agitated

allargando

broadly and slowing

Allegretto

moderately fast

allegro

fast tempo

ancora

again

andante

moderately slow

animando

lively, animated

a piacere

at pleasure

arco

bow

arpeggiando

roll the chord in harp style

a tempo

resume original tempo

attacca

begin the next section without pausing

brio

fire, dash (con brio)

calando

growing softer and slower

cantabile

in a singing style

con

with

de capo

(D.C.) return to the beginning

dolce

sweetly

facile

easy, fluent

fiero

fiercly, bold, vigorous

fuoco

fire (con fuoco)

giusto

strict, exact

glissando

slide

grave

very slow, serious

leggero

light

l’istesso

;

;

;

the same

;

;

;

marcato

;

;

;

marked, with emphasis

;

;

;

meno

;

;

;

less

;

;

;

mezzo

;

;

;

half

;

;

;

MM

;

;

;

Maezel Metronome

;

;

;

molto

;

;

;

much

;

;

;

morendo

;

;

;

dying away

;

;

;

mosso

;

;

;

motion

;

;

;

pesante

;

;

;

heavy, ponderous

;

;

;

peu

;

;

;

a little

;

;

;

piacere

;

;

;

at the performer’s pleasure

piu

more

poco

little

portando

sliding from one note to the next

presto

very fast

quasi

nearly, as if

rallentando/ritard

gradually slower

ritenuto

immediately slowing

rubato

expressive flexibility in tempo

segue

proceed to the next section without pause

sempre

always

simile

in a similar style

sordino

mute (con- with; senza- without)

sostenuto

sustained

sotto voce

under the voice, softly

staccato

separated

stringendo

a quickening of tempo

subito

suddenly

tacet

silent

tremolo

quick repitition of or between notes

tenuto

sustained, held back

troppo

too much

tutti

all the ensemble

vivace

quickly, lively

v.s.

volto subito (turn over quickly)

takt

Ger. pulse of the beat

ictus

point of the beat