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Music Theory - Italian Musical Terms Take Note Publishing Ltd.

Italian Musical Terms The majority of musical terms are in Italian, so this page has quite a long list. The other common languages for musical terms are German and French. Some of the words below have an audio file attached so you can hear how it is pronounced. Just click on the speaker icon. Remember, there is often more than one way to pronounce some words. The examples given here are just one suggested pronunciation. Musical Term a a capella a piacere accelerando accento ad libitum (ad lib.) (accel.) Abbreviation Other information and examples of usage at; to; by; for; in eg: a tempo = in time (back to the previous speed). unaccompanied usually in choral music at pleasure The performer is not bound to follow the given rhythm exactly. gradually getting An increase in the speed of the faster music. accented; emphasised at choice; freely 1) A passage may be performed freely. 2) An instrument in a score may be omitted. rather slow Usually a little faster than adagio slowly Often indicates a speed somewhere between andante and largo English

adagietto adagio

affabile affettuoso affrettando agitato al; alla alla breve allargando allegretto allegro alt amabile amore andante andantino anima

friendly tenderly hurrying agitated; restless in the manner of with a minim beat broadening fairly quick fast high

eg: alla marcia = in the style of a march

Faster than Andante and usually slower than Allegro "in alt" is used in volcal music to refer to notes in the octave above the treble stave.

amiable; pleasant love walking speed Moderately slow like walking speed This can mean either slightly slower or slightly faster than andante. It is ambiguous. soul; spirit eg: con anima = with spirit becoming more lively animated; lively with passion with the bow like an aria very go straight on well twice skill; brilliance vigour getting softer; dying away in a singing style singing in a whimsical or fanciful style

animato appassionato arco arioso assai attacca ben bis bravura brio calando cantabile cantando capriccioso

An instruction to string players to use the bow. Play in the style of an aria (singing) eg: allegro assai = very fast Indicates an immediate move to the next section of music. Indicates the repetition of a short passage. eg: con brio = with vigour Usually includes slowing down

col; colla; colle come comodo con crescendo da capo dal segno deciso decrescendo delicato diminuendo dolce dolente dolore doloroso doppio movimento e; ed energico espressivo estinto facile felice fermata feroce fine (decresc.)

with as; similar to convenient

(cresc.) (D.C.) (D.S.)

(dim.)

(espr.)

flessibile forte fortepiano fortissimo forza fretta

(f) (fp) (ff)

with gradually getting louder from the An instruction to repeat the beginning misc from the beginning. from the sign An instruction to repeat the misc from the sign. with determination gradually getting softer delicate gradually getting softer sweetly eg: dolcissimo = as sweet as possible sad; mournful grief eg: doloroso = sorrowful sorrowful twice as fast and energetic expressive as soft as possible easy happy pause fierce the end Often used in conjunction with "da capo" or "dal segno" to indicate where to end the piece after repeating. eg: al fine = to the end flexible loud; strong loud then immediately soft very loud force eg: forzando (fz) = strongly accented haste

eg: colla voce = with the voice eg: come prima = as before eg: tempo comodo = at a comfortable speed eg: con moto = with movement

fuoco furioso giocoso giojoso giusto grandioso grave grazioso impetuoso incalzando inquieto in relievo lacrimoso largamente larghetto largo legato leggiero lento liberamente l'istesso loco lugubre lunga lusigando ma maestoso mancando marcato marziale meno mesto mezzoforte mezzopiano misterioso misura

(marc.)

(mf) (mp)

fire furious playful; humerous joyful; merry proper; exact grandly very slow; solemn graceful impetuous getting quicker restless prominent A direction to make the melody stand out. sad broadly rather slow Slightly faster than largo. rather slow; stately smoothly Indicates no break between notes. light; nimble slow freely the same eg: l'istesso tempo = at the same speed at the normal Used to cancel an 8va direction. pitch Also used to confirm that 8va is not intended. mournful long eg: lunga pausa = long pause coaxing but eg: allegro ma non troppo = quick but not too quick majestic fading away emphatic; accented in a military style less eg: meno forte = less loud sad moderately loud moderately soft mysterious measure eg: alla misura = in strict time;

moderato molto morendo mosso moto niente nobilmente non nuovo obbligato ossia ostinato parlando patetico pausa per perdendosi pesante piacevole piangevole pianissimo piano pi pizzicato placido pochettino poco possible precipitando presto prima

moderate speed very; much dying away movement movement nothing nobly not new obligatory or; alternatively persistent speaking

senza misura = in free time eg: allegro moderato = moderately fast. eg: allegro molto = very fast

e.g. di nuovo = again Indicates that an instrument has a special role and is essential. Often used to indicate a simpler version of a difficult passage. Generally refers to a persistently repeated rhythmic or melodic figure. A direction for a singer to sing in a conversational style.

(pp) (p)

(poch.)

quasi

with deep feeling pause by; for; to dying away heavy pleasant plaintive very soft soft more e.g. pi forte = louder plucked An instruction to string players to pluck the strings, rather than bow them. calm; peaceful rather little a little e.g. poco a poco = little by little possible e.g. presto possible = as fast as possible rushing; headlong very fast first (Prima; Primo) e.g. prima volta = first time; tempo primo = revert to the speed at the beginning of the piece of music as if; resembling e.g. quasi recitativo = like a

recitative rallentando rigoroso rinforzando risoluto ritardando ritenuto ritmico rubato scherzando scherzo seconda semplice sempre senza segue sforzando simile slargando slancio smorzando soave solenne sonoro sopra sospirando sostenuto sotto spirito spiritoso staccato strepitoso stretto stringendo (rall.) gradually getting slower strict reinforcing bold; strong gradually getting slower held back rhythmically with some freedom of time playful; joking Also scherzoso. joke; jest A movement in a piece, generally light and humerous in nature. second (Seconda; secondo) simple; plain always e.g. sempre staccato = always detached without e.g. senza misura = freely (not in time) go straight on forced; accented in the same way getting slower enthusiasm dying away Both tone and speed gentle; smooth solemn; grave resonant; with rich tone above sighing sustained below eg: sotto voce = in an undertone spirited spirited detached noisy; boisterous quickening the Also means overlapping entries speed of a fugue subject. gradually getting faster

(rf; rfz) (rit.) (rit.)

(sf; sfz) (sim.)

(smorz.)

subito tacet tanto tempo teneramente tenuto tosto tranquillo trionfale triste troppo tutti veloce vigoroso vivace vivo voce volante volta volti subito

suddenly silent so much speed tenderly held swift; rapid calm triumphant sad; sorrowful too much all; everyone swift vigorous; strong lively lively voice flying; fast time turn the page at once

A direction that a particular part has nothing to play in a section of music. eg: a tempo = return to the previous speed, after a slowing down or speeding up.

eg: allegro ma non troppo = fast, but not too fast.

e.g. prima volta = first time

(V.S.)