Musical TermEnglishExamples and information
at; toe.g. peu peu = little by little
amourlove
animanimated; lively
apaiscalmed
assezenough; sufficiently
avecwith
cdezyield; relax the speed
commeas; similar toe.g. come prima = as before
doucesweetlyAlso doux
emportfiery; impetuous
en animantbecoming more lively
en cdantyielding
en dehorsprominentA direction to make the melody stand out.
en mesurein time
en pressanthurrying on
en retenantholding back
en serrantbecoming quicker
etand
flottantfloating
gracieuxgraceful
joyeuxjoyful
lgrementlight
lentslow
librementfreely
lointaindistant
lourdheavy
maisbut
modrat a moderate speed
moinsless
peulittle
plusmore
presserhurry
ralentirslow down
retenuheld back
sanswithoute.g. sans ralentir = without slowing down
sautillspringing
seccrisp; drySuppress the sound as quickly as possible - do not
allow it to reverberate.
seulalone
serrerhurry; quicken
sonoreresonant; with rich tone
sousunder
trsvery
unone
viflively
vitequick
vivementlively
Musical TermEnglishExamples and information
aberbut
alsthan
ausdruckexpression
bestimmtwith decision
bewegtwith movement; agitated
breitbroad; expansive
dochhowever; yet
eina; one
einfachsimple
empfindungemotion; feeling
etwassomewhat; rathere.g. etwas schneller = somewhat faster
feurigfiery
fliessendflowing
freifree
frischvigorous
frhlichcheerful; joyful
gebundenjoined
gehendat a steady speed
gesangvollin a singing style
geschwindquick
Generalpauseeveryone is silentAn indication to an individual
player that all players are silent.
immeralwayse.g. immer langsam = always slowly
innigheartfelt; sincere
krftigstrong
langsamslow
lebhaftlively
leichtlight; nimble
Leidenschaftpassion
leisesoft; gentle
lieblichlovely
lustigcheerful
mssigat a moderate speed
mitwith
munterlively
nach und nachgradually
nichtnot
ohnewithout
raschquick
ruhigpeaceful
schleppendragging
schnellfast
schwachweak
sehrverye.g. sehr ruhig = very calm
starkstrong
ssssweet
traurigsad
undand
vielmuch
vollfull
vorgetragenbrought out; prominent
weniglittle
wiederagain
zarttender; delicate
ziemlichmoderately
zuto; too
Musical TermEnglishOther information and examples of usage
aat; to; by; for; ineg: a tempo = in time (back to the previous
speed).
a capellaunaccompaniedusually in choral music
a piacereat pleasureThe performer is not bound to follow the
given rhythm exactly.
accelerandogradually getting fasterAn increase in the speed of
the music.
accentoaccented; emphasised
ad libitumat choice; freely1) A passage may be performed
freely.2) An instrument in a score may be omitted.
adagiettorather slowUsually a little faster than adagio
adagioslowlyOften indicates a speed somewhere between andante
and largo
affabilefriendly
affettuosotenderly
affrettandohurrying
agitatoagitated; restless
al; allain the manner ofeg: alla marcia = in the style of a
march
alla brevewith a minim beat
allargandobroadening
allegrettofairly quickFaster than Andante and usually slower
than Allegro
allegrofast
althigh"in alt" is used in volcal music to refer to notes in the
octave above the treble stave.
amabileamiable; pleasant
amorelove
andantewalking speedModerately slow
andantinolike walking speedThis can mean either slightly slower
or slightly faster than andante. It is ambiguous.
animasoul; spiriteg: con anima = with spirit
animandobecoming more lively
animatoanimated; lively
appassionatowith passion
arcowith the bowAn instruction to string players to use the
bow.
ariosolike an ariaPlay in the style of an aria (singing)
assaiveryeg: allegro assai = very fast
attaccago straight onIndicates an immediate move to the next
section of music.
benwell
bistwiceIndicates the repetition of a short passage.
bravuraskill; brilliance
briovigoureg: con brio = with vigour
calandogetting softer; dying awayUsually includes slowing
down
cantabilein a singing style
cantandosinging
capricciosoin a whimsical or fanciful style
col; colla; collewitheg: colla voce = with the voice
comeas; similar toeg: come prima = as before
comodoconvenienteg: tempo comodo = at a comfortable speed
conwitheg: con moto = with movement
crescendogradually getting louder
da capofrom the beginningAn instruction to repeat the misc from
the beginning.
dal segnofrom the signAn instruction to repeat the misc from the
sign.
decisowith determination
decrescendogradually getting softer
delicatodelicate
diminuendogradually getting softer
dolcesweetlyeg: dolcissimo = as sweet as possible
dolentesad; mournful
doloregriefeg: doloroso = sorrowful
dolorososorrowful
doppio movimentotwice as fast
e; edand
energicoenergetic
espressivoexpressive
estintoas soft as possible
facileeasy
felicehappy
fermatapause
ferocefierce
finethe endOften used in conjunction with "da capo" or "dal
segno" to indicate where to end the piece after repeating.eg: al
fine = to the end
flessibileflexible
forteloud; strong
fortepianoloud then immediately soft
fortissimovery loud
forzaforceeg: forzando (fz) = strongly accented
frettahaste
fuocofire
furiosofurious
giocosoplayful; humerous
giojosojoyful; merry
giustoproper; exact
grandiosograndly
gravevery slow; solemn
graziosograceful
impetuosoimpetuous
incalzandogetting quicker
inquietorestless
in relievoprominentA direction to make the melody stand out.
lacrimososad
largamentebroadly
larghettorather slowSlightly faster than largo.
largorather slow; stately
legatosmoothlyIndicates no break between notes.
leggierolight; nimble
lentoslow
liberamentefreely
l'istessothe sameeg: l'istesso tempo = at the same speed
locoat the normal pitchUsed to cancel an 8va direction. Also
used to confirm that 8va is not intended.
lugubremournful
lungalongeg: lunga pausa = long pause
lusigandocoaxing
mabuteg: allegro ma non troppo = quick but not too quick
maestosomajestic
mancandofading away
marcatoemphatic; accented
marzialein a military style
menolesseg: meno forte = less loud
mestosad
mezzofortemoderately loud
mezzopianomoderately soft
misteriosomysterious
misurameasureeg: alla misura = in strict time; senza misura = in
free time
moderatomoderate speedeg: allegro moderato = moderately
fast.
moltovery; mucheg: allegro molto = very fast
morendodying away
mossomovement
motomovement
nientenothing
nobilmentenobly
nonnot
nuovonewe.g. di nuovo = again
obbligatoobligatoryIndicates that an instrument has a special
role and is essential.
ossiaor; alternativelyOften used to indicate a simpler version
of a difficult passage.
ostinatopersistentGenerally refers to a persistently repeated
rhythmic or melodic figure.
parlandospeakingA direction for a singer to sing in a
conversational style.
pateticowith deep feeling
pausapause
perby; for; to
perdendosidying away
pesanteheavy
piacevolepleasant
piangevoleplaintive
pianissimovery soft
pianosoft
pimoree.g. pi forte = louder
pizzicatopluckedAn instruction to string players to pluck the
strings, rather than bow them.
placidocalm; peaceful
pochettinorather little
pocoa littlee.g. poco a poco = little by little
possiblepossiblee.g. presto possible = as fast as possible
precipitandorushing; headlong
prestovery fast
primafirst(Prima; Primo) e.g. prima volta = first time; tempo
primo = revert to the speed at the beginning of the piece of
music
quasias if; resemblinge.g. quasi recitativo = like a
recitative
rallentandogradually getting slower
rigorosostrict
rinforzandoreinforcing
risolutobold; strong
ritardandogradually getting slower
ritenutoheld back
ritmicorhythmically
rubatowith some freedom of time
scherzandoplayful; jokingAlso scherzoso.
scherzojoke; jestA movement in a piece, generally light and
humerous in nature.
secondasecond(Seconda; secondo)
semplicesimple; plain
semprealwayse.g. sempre staccato = always detached
senzawithoute.g. senza misura = freely (not in time)
seguego straight on
sforzandoforced; accented
similein the same way
slargandogetting slower
slancioenthusiasm
smorzandodying awayBoth tone and speed
soavegentle; smooth
solennesolemn; grave
sonororesonant; with rich tone
sopraabove
sospirandosighing
sostenutosustained
sottobeloweg: sotto voce = in an undertone
spiritospirited
spiritosospirited
staccatodetached
strepitosonoisy; boisterous
strettoquickening the speedAlso means overlapping entries of a
fugue subject.
stringendogradually getting faster
subitosuddenly
tacetsilentA direction that a particular part has nothing to
play in a section of music.
tantoso much
tempospeedeg: a tempo = return to the previous speed, after a
slowing down or speeding up.
teneramentetenderly
tenutoheld
tostoswift; rapid
tranquillocalm
trionfaletriumphant
tristesad; sorrowful
troppotoo mucheg: allegro ma non troppo = fast, but not too
fast.
tuttiall; everyone
veloceswift
vigorosovigorous; strong
vivacelively
vivolively
vocevoice
volanteflying; fast
voltatimee.g. prima volta = first time
volti subitoturn the page at once
