T E M P O

TEMPO [TIME]  - - The speed of a piece of music.

LARGO [BROAD] - Slow and dignified.

LARGHETTO [a little bit broad] - Not as slow as largo.

LENTO [SLOW] - - Slow.

ADAGIO [ad agio, at ease] - Slow, but not as slow as largo.

ADAGIETTO [little adagio] - Faster than adagio; or a short adagio composition.

ANDANTE [WALKING] - Moderately slow, flowing along.

MODERATO [MODERATELY] - At a moderate speed.

ALLEGRETTO [a little bit joyful] - Slightly slower than allegro.

ALLEGRO [JOYFUL]  - - Moderately fast.

FERMATA [STOPPED] - Marks a note to be held or sustained.

PRESTO [READY] - Very fast.

PRESTISSIMO [Very Ready] - Very very fast, as fast as possible.

ACCELERANDO [ACCELERATING] - - Accelerating.

AFFRETTANDO [Becoming hurried] - Accelerating.

RALLENTANDO [Becoming progressively slower] - Decelerating.

RUBATO [ROBBED] - Extending a note or a phrase, compensated by shortening another one nearby.

TENUTO [SUSTAINED] - Holding or sustaining a single note.

ACCOMPAGNATO [ACCOMPANIED] - The accompaniment must follow the singer who can speed up or slow down at will.

ALLA MARCIA [As a March] - In strict tempo at a marching pace [e.g. 120 bpm].

D Y N A M I C S  -  [ V O L U M E ]

CALANDO [QUIETENING] - Becoming softer.

CRESCENDO [GROWING] - Becoming louder.

DECRESCENDO [SHRINKING] - Becoming softer.

DIMINUENDO [DWINDLING] - Becoming softer.

FORTE [f] [STRONG] - Loud.

FORTISSIMO [ff] [VERY STRONG] - Very Loud.

MEZZO FORTE [mf] [Half Strong] - Moderately Loud.

MEZZO PIANO [mp] [very gentle] - Moderately soft.

PIANO [p] [gentle] - Soft.

PIANISSIMO [PP] [very gentle] - Very soft.

SFORZANDO [sf] [STRAINED] - Suddenly Accented.

M O O D S :

AFFETTUOSO [with feeling] - Tenderly.

AGITATO [AGITATED] - Excited and fast.

ANIMATO [ANIMATED] - Animated.

BRUSCAMENTE [BRUSQUELY] - Brusquely.

CANTABILE [SINGABLE] - In a fashion suggesting singing.

COMODO    [EASILY] - - - Unrestrainedly. 

CON  AMORE [with love] - With love.

CON  FUOCO [with fire] - With fiery manner.

CON  BRIO / SPIRITO [with spirit] - With spirit.

CON MOTO [with movement] - With movement.

DOLCE [SWEETLY] - Sweet.

GRAZIOSO [Graciously or Gracefully] - With charm.

MAESTOSO [MAJESTIC] - Stately.

MISTERIOSO [MYSTERIOUS] - Mysteriously, secretively, enigmatic.

SCHERZANDO [PLAYFULLY] - - Playfully.

SOTTO [SUBDUED] - Subdued.

VIVACE [VIVACIOUS] - Lively.

M U S I C A L   E X P R E S S I O N   [ G E N E R A L ]

MOLTO [VERY] - Used with other terms, such as molto allegro.

ASSAI  [VERY] - Used with other terms, such as allegro assai.

PIU  [MORE] - - Used with other terms, such as piu mosso.

POCO  [LITTLE] -  "A little".  Used with other terms, such as poco diminuendo.

POCO A POCO [little by little] - "Little by little", "slowly but steadily". 

Used with other terms, such as poco a poco crescendo.

MA NON TROPPO [but not too much] - But not too much, such as allegro ma non troppo

MENO [LESS] - Used with other terms, such as meno mosso.

This list was adapted from the Musicians' Union Practice Book.

[No special characters used: they do not always reproduce properly on different systems].

www.musiciansunion.org.uk

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