Music Terms and Signs PDF

# Music Terms and Signs ## Terms Terms new to this level are in **bold type**. | Term | Description | |:--------------------------|:-------------------------------------------------------------------------...

# Music Terms and Signs ## Terms Terms new to this level are in **bold type**. | Term | Description | |:--------------------------|:-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | **accelerando, accel.** | becoming quicker | | **accent** | a stressed note | | **ad libitum, ad lib.** | at the liberty of the performer | | adagio | slow | | **agitato** | agitated | | **alla, all'** | in the manner of | | **allargando, allarg.** | broadening, becoming slower | | **allegretto** | fairly fast (a little slower than allegro) | | allegro | fast | | **andante** | moderately slow; at a walking pace | | **andantino** | a little faster than andante | | **animato** | lively, animated | | arco | on a bowed string instrument, resume bowing after a pizzicato passage | | **a tempo** | return to the original tempo | | **attacca** | proceed without a break | | **ben, bene** | well (for example, ben marcato: well marked) | | **bewegt** | moving | | **calando** | becoming slower and softer | | **cantabile** | in a singing style | | **cédez** | yield; hold the tempo back | | **col, coll', colla, colle** | with (for example, coll'ottava: with an added octave) | | **comodo** | at a comfortable, easy tempo | | **con** | with | | **con brio** | with vigor, spirit | | **con espressione** | with expression | | **con fuoco** | with fire | | **con grazia** | with grace | | **con moto** | with motion | | **con sordino** | with mute | | **crescendo, cresc.** | becoming louder | | **da capo, D.C.** | from the beginning | | **dal segno, D.S.** | from the sign | | **D.C. al Fine** | repeat from the beginning and end | | **decrescendo, decresc.** | becoming softer | | **diminuendo, dim.** | becoming softer | | dolce | sweet, gentle | | **dolente** | sad | | **e, ed** | and | | **espressivo, espress.** | expressive, with expression | | **fine** | the end | | **forte, f** | loud | | **fortepiano, fp** | loud, then suddenly soft | | **fortissimo, ff** | very loud | | **giocoso** | humorous, jocose | | **grandioso** | grand, grandiose | | **grave** | slow and solemn | | **grazioso** | graceful | | **langsam** | slow, slowly | | **largamente** | broadly | | **larghetto** | fairly slow, but not as slow as largo | | **largo** | very slow | | **legato** | smooth | | **léger** | light, lightly | | **leggiero** | light, nimble, quick | | **lentement** | slowly | | **lento** | slow | | **l'istesso tempo** | the same tempo | | **loco** | return to the normal register | | **ma** | but (for example, ma non troppo: but not too much) | | **maestoso** | majestic | | **mano destra, m.d.** | right hand | | **mano sinistra, m.s.** | left hand | | **marcato** | marked or stressed | | **martellato** | strongly accented, hammered | | **mässig** | moderate, moderately | | **meno** | less | | **meno mosso** | less movement, slower | | **mesto** | sad, mournful | | **mezzo forte, mf** | moderately loud | | **mezzo piano, mp** | moderately soft | | **mit Ausdruck** | with expression | | **moderato** | at a moderate tempo | | **modéré** | at a moderate tempo | | **molto** | much, very | | **morendo** | dying, fading away | | **mouvement** | tempo, motion | | **non** | not | | **ottava, 8va** | the interval of an octave | | **pedale, ped.** | pedal | | **pesante** | weighty, with emphasis | | **pianissimo, PP** | very soft | | **piano, p** | soft | | **più** | more | | **più mosso** | more movement (quicker) | | **pizzicato** | on a bowed string instrument, pluck the string instead of bowing | | **poco** | little | | **poco a poco** | little by little | | **prestissimo** | as fast as possible | | **presto** | very fast | | **primo, prima** | first; the upper part of a duet | | **quasi** | almost, as if | | **quindicesima alta, 15ma** | two octaves higher | | **rallentando, rall.** | slowing down | | **risoluto** | resolute | | **scherzando** | playful | | **schnell** | fast | | **secondo, seconda** | second; second or lower part of a duet | | **sehr** | very | | **semplice** | simple | | **sempre** | always, continuously | | **senza** | without | | **sforzando, sf, sfz** | sudden strong accent of a single note or chord | | **simile** | continue in the same manner as has just been indicated | | **sonore** | sonorous | | **sopra** | above | | **sostenuto** | sustained | | **sotto voce** | soft, subdued, under the breath | | **spiritoso** | spirited | | **staccato** | detached | | **stringendo** | pressing, becoming faster | | **subito** | suddenly | | **tacet** | be silent | | **tempo** | speed at which music is performed | | **Tempo primo (Tempo I)** | return to the original tempo | | **tranquillo** | quiet, tranquil | | **tre corde** | three strings; release the left pedal (on the piano) | | **troppo** | too much | | **tutti** | a passage for the ensemble | | **una corda** | one string; depress the left pedal (on the piano) | | **vite** | fast | | **vivace** | lively, brisk | | **vivo** | lively | | **volta** | time (for example, prima volta: first time; seconda volta: second time) | | **volti subito, v.s.** | turn the page quickly | | **a tempo** | return to the original tempo | | **accelerando, accel.** | becoming quicker | ## Signs | Sign | Description | |:-------------|:----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | **accent** | a stressed note | | **breath mark** | take a breath, and/or a slight pause or lift | | **common time** | a symbol for 4/4 time | | **crescendo** | becoming louder | | **dal segno, D.S.** | from the sign | | **decrescendo, diminuendo** | becoming softer | | **double bar line** | indicates the end of a piece | | **down bow** | on a bowed string instrument, play the note while drawing the bow downward | | **fermata (pause)** | hold the note or rest longer than its written value | | **glissando, gliss.** | continuous slide upward or downward between two or more pitches | | **ottava, 8va** | play one octave above written pitch | | **8va - - - -** | play one octave below written pitch | | **pedal marking** | use the damper pedal (on the piano) | | **pedal marking** | use the damper pedal (on the piano) | | **repeat sign** | repeat the music within the two signs, or between the sign and the beginning of the piece | | **slur** | play the notes smoothly (legato) | | **staccato** | detached | | **tenuto** | held, sustained | | **tie** | hold for the combined value of the tied notes | | **up bow** | on a bowed string instrument, play the note while drawing the bow upward |