As a musician, understanding musical terms is crucial because we have to interpret the composer’s intention written in their own composition. And this is part of the music theory.
Table of Contents
Italian Terms
a – at, to, by, for, in the style of
a niente – dying away
a tempo – in time
ad libitum, ad lib. – at choice, freely
accelerando (or accel.) – gradually getting faster
Adagietto – rather slow (quicker than Adagio)
Adagio – slow
affettuoso – tenderly
affrettando – hurrying
agitato – agitated
alla breve – with a minim beat
alla marcia – in the style of march
allargando – broadening (getting slower and louder)
allegretto – fairly fast (slower than allegro)
allegro – fast (allegro assai: very fast)
amabile – amiable, pleasant
andante – at a medium (walking) speed
andantino – Slightly faster than andante
anima – soul, spirit (con anima: with spirit)
animando – becoming lively
animato – Animated, lively
appassionato – with passion
assai – very
attacca – go straight on
ben – well
cantabile – in a singing style
cantando – singing
come prima – as before
comodo, tempo comodo – convenient, comfortable (tempo comodo: at a comfortable normal speed)
con, col – with
con brio – with vigour
con dolore – with sadness
con forza – with force
con moto – with movement
con spirito – with spirit
crescendo (or cresc.) – gradually getting louder
da capo (or D.C) – repeat from the beginning
dal segno (or D.S) – repeat from the sign
deciso – with determination
decrescendo (or decresc.) – gradually getting softer
diminuendo (or dim.) – gradually getting softer
dolce – sweet, soft
doloroso – sorrowful
e, ed – and
energico – energetic
espressivo (or express.) – expressive
f (forte) – loud
ff (fortissimo) – very loud
fp (fortepiano) – loud, then immediately soft
fine , al fine – the end
giocoso – playful, merry
grave – very slow, solemn
grazioso – graceful
largamente – broadly
larghetto – rather slow (faster than largo)
largo – slow, stately
legato – smoothly
leggiero – light, nimble
lento – slow
lunga – long (lunga pausa: long pause)
lusingando – coaxing, in a sweet and persuasive style
ma – but
maestoso – majestic
marcato, marc – emphatic, accented
meno – Less
meno mosso – slower
mesto – sad
mf (mezzo forte) – moderately loud
misterioso – mysteriously
moderato – moderately
molto – very, much
mp (mezzo piano) – moderately soft
morendo – dying away
non troppo – not too much
p (piano) – soft
pp (pianissimo) – very soft
perdendosi – dying away
pesante – heavy
più – more
più mosso – more movement
poco, poco a poco – a little
prestissimo – fastest
presto – very fast
prima, primo – first
quasi – as if, resembling
rallentando (or rall.) – gradually getting slower
rinforzando, rf, rfz, rinf – reinforcing
risoluto – bold, strong
ritardando (or ritard/rit.) – gradually getting slower
ritenuto (or riten/rit.) – held back
ritmico – Rhythmically
rubato, tempo rubato – with some freedom of time
scherzando – playful, joking
semplice – simple, plain
sempre – always
senza – without
sforzando, sforzato, sfz, sf – forced, accented
simile (or sim.) – in the same way
smorzando, smorz – dying away
sonoro – resonant, with rich tone
sostenuto, sost – sustained
sotto voce – in an undertone
staccato (or stacc.) – detached
stringendo – gradually getting faster
subito, sub. – suddenly
tranquillo – calm
tranquillo – calm
triste, tristamente – sad, sorrowful
vivace, vivo – lively, fast
French Terms
à – to, at
Animé – animated, lively
assez – enough, sufficiently
avec – with
cédez – yield, slow down
Douce – sweet
en dehors – prominent
et – and
expressif – expressive
légèrement, légère, léger – light
Lent – slow
mais – but
moins – less
Modéré – at a moderate speed
non – not
peu – little
plus – more
presser – hurry (en pressant: hurrying on)
ralentir – slow down
Retenu – held back
sans – without
Très – very
un, une – one
vif – lively
Vite – fast
German Terms
aber – but
Ausdruck – expression
bewegt – with movement, agitated
breit – broad, expansive
ein – a,one
einfach – simple
etwas – somewhat, rather
fröhlich – cheerful, joyful
immer – always
langsam – slow
lebhaft – lively
mässig – at a moderate speed
mit – with
nicht – not
ohne – without
ruhig – peaceful
schnell – fast
sehr – very
süss – sweet
traurig – sad
und – and
voll – full
wenig – little
wieder – again
zart – tender, delicate
zu – to, too