css3menu.com
  • Violin
    • sheilascorner Home
    • Violins and Bows
    • Violin Fun/Games
    • Violin Music
    • Violin Educators
    • Violin History
    • Board Archives
    • Violin Resources
  • Photography
  • Websites
    • World War 1
    • Genealogy Websites

menu css by Css3Menu.com


Music Terms from my college notes
© Sheila Helser M © Sheila Helser U © Sheila Helser S © Sheila Helser I © Sheila Helser C © Sheila Helser

    A

  • A = at, for,with
  • Accelerando (accel.) = gradually increase speed
  • Adagio = slowly, leisurely
  • Ad libitum(ad lib.) = at the performer's pleasure
  • Agitato = restless, agitated
  • Allargando = gradually slower, louder and broader
  • Alla napolitana = In the Neapolitan style
  • Allegretto = moderatly fast, lively
  • Allegro = lively, brisk, rapid, quick
  • Amore = tenderness, affection
  • Andante = moderatly slow time, a walking speed
  • Animato = with spirit
  • A poco a poco = little by little
  • Assai = very
  • A tempo = in the original tempo (speed)

    B

  • Ben = well
  • Ben marcato = very well
  • Bravura = boldness, force
  • Brio = vigor, animation

    C

  • Cadence = The conclusion to a phrase, movement, or piece based on a recognizable melodic formula, harmonic progression, or dissonance resolution
  • Cantabile = in a singing style
  • Cadenza = A passage or section in a style of brilliant improvisation, usually inserted near the end of a movement or composition
  • Canzonetta = A short, simple song. The term was also adopted for instrumental pieces of a song like nature
  • Capriccioso = fanciful, freely
  • Chord = The simultaneous sounding of three or more tones
  • Coda = A concluding section or passage added in order to confirm the impression of finality
  • Con = with
  • Con moto = with motion
  • Con spirito = with spirit
  • Counterpoint = A term that describes the combination of simultaneously sounding musical lines
  • Crescendo (cresc.) = increasing in loudness, gradually louder

    D

  • Da capo (D.C.) = repeat from the begining
  • Dal segno (D.S.) = repeat from the sign
  • Decresendo (decresc.) = decrease in loudness, gradually softer
  • détaché = detached
  • Diminuendo (dim.) = gradually softer
  • Dolce = sweetly, softly

    E

  • Energia = energy, force
  • Expressione = expression, feeling

    F

  • Farza = force or emphasis
  • Forte (f) = strong, loud
  • Fortissimo (ff) = very strong, loud
  • Fortississimo(fff) = very strong, loud
  • Fuoco = fire, energy

    G

  • Grandioso = grandly
  • Grave = slow and solemn
  • Grazia = grace, elegance
  • Grazioso = in a gracful manner

    L

  • Largo = broad and smooth
  • Legato = Smoothly (opposite of staccato) even, without any break between notes
  • Lento = moderately slow

    M

  • Ma = but
  • Maestoso = majestic, stately
  • Marcato = marked
  • martelé = hammered stroke
  • Meno = less
  • Meno mosso = less motion, slower
  • Meter = The symmetrical grouping of musical rhythms
  • Mezzo = half, moderately medium
  • Moderato = moderately fast
  • Molto = much
  • Morendo = dying away in tone and time
  • Mosso = action movement

    N

  • Non = not

    O

  • Opus (op.) = a musical composiiton, a work

    P

  • Passionato = with fervor
  • Passione = passion, feeling
  • Piano (p) = softly
  • Pianissimo (pp) = very softly
  • Pianississimo (ppp) = very very softly
  • Piu = more
  • Poco = a little
  • Poco a poco = little by little
  • Poco a poco animato = animated little by little
  • Pomposo = pompously
  • Piu mosso = more motion
  • Presto = very quick, very very lively, very fast

    Q

  • Quasi = almost

    R

  • Rallentando (rall.) = gradually slower
  • Risoluto = in a resolute manner
  • Ritardando(rit) = Rallentando(rall.) = gradually retarding
  • Rondo = A form frequently used in symphonies and concertos for the final movement. It consists of a main section that alternates with a variety of contrasting sections(A-B-A-C-A etc.)
  • Rubato = robbed time - increasing and decreasing tempo in a passage

    S

  • Sautillé = skipped or hopped tones
  • Scale = The series of tones which form (a) any major or minor key or (b) the chromatic scale of successive semi-tonic steps
  • Scherzando = playfully, sportively
  • Scherzo = Literally (a joke). Usually the third movement of symphonies and quartets that was introduced by Beethoven to replace the minuet. The scherzo is followed by a gentler section called a trio, after which a scherzo is repeated. Its characteristics are a rapid tempo in triple time, a vigorous rhythm, and humorous contrasts.
  • Sempre = always
  • Simile = in the same manner
  • Simplice = simply
  • Sonata form = The form in which the first movements (and sometimes others) of symphonies are usually cast. the sections are exposition, development, and recapitulation, the last sometimes followed by a coda. The exposition si the introduction of musical ideas, which are then (developed) in the recapitulation, the exposition is repeated with modifications.
  • son filé = with a spun sound
  • Sostenuto = sustained, prolonged
  • Sotto voce = in a quiet subdued tone, subdued voice
  • Staccato = detached separated
  • Subito = suddenly, immediately
  • Symphonic poem = A type of 19th century symphonic piece in one movement, which is based upon an extra-musical idea, either poetic or descriptive.
  • Syncopation = A shift of rhythmic emphasis off the beat

    T

  • Tarantella = A Neapolitan dance in rapid triple time
  • Tempo = rate of speed
  • Tempo di valse = in waltz time
  • Tempo primo = Return to original tempo
  • Tenerezza = tenderness, delicacy
  • Tenuto (ten.) = held full value, held longer
  • Tonic = The keynote of a scale
  • Tranquillo = peacefully, calmly, quiet, soft
  • troppo = too, too much

    V

  • Vibrato = a wavering tone effect
  • Vigoroso = vigorously, spirited in manner
  • Vivo = with life and animation
  • Vivace = briskly, brightly, very lively

Visit SHEILA'S CORNER © Sheila Helser
~ website and graphics © Sheila K. Helser ~
graphics not available for download or use in a collection
return to sheilascorner.com