Glossary of Italian musical terms.
- A -A TEMPO = In time (back to previous speed).
ALLARGANDO - Broadening. eg. Poco Allargando - Broadening a little. ALLEGRETTO - Fairly quick, faster than andante and usually slower than allegro. ALLEGRO - Cheerful & lively - generally taken as fast, but not as fast as vivace or presto. ALLEGRO ENEGICO - Energetically fast, cheerful and lively. ALLEGRO MAESTOSO - Majestic, but cheerful and lively. ALLEGRO MODERATO - Moderately fast. ALLEGRO NON TROPPO - Fast, cheerful and lively, but not too much. ANDANTE - Walking speed; moderately slow. ANDANTE MODERATO - Walking moderately i.e. suggestion of speed. ANIMATO - animated; lively - C -CRESCENDO (cresc.) - Gradually getting louder.
- D -DIMINUENDO (dim.) - Gradually getting softer.
DOLCE - Sweetly. DOLCISSIMO - As sweet as possible. |
- L -LEGATO - Smoothly. Indicates no break between notes. eg. Pui Legato - More smoothly.
LENTO - Slow - M -MA - But. eg. Ma dolce e legato - But sweetly and smoothly.
MARCARTO (marc.) - Emphatic; accented. MAESTOSO - Majestic. MENO - Less. eg Meno forte - Less loud. MODERATO - Moderate speed eg. allegro moderato = moderately MOLTO Very;much. eg Molto ritmico - Very rhythmically. - P -PIU - More. eg. Pui Legato More smoothly.
POCHETTINO )poch.) - Rather little. POCO - A little. eg Poco allargando - Broadening a little. POCO A POCO - Little by little. POCO PIU ALLEGRO - A little more lively, cheerful generally fast. |
- R -RALLENTANDO (rall.) - Gradually getting slower.
RISOLUTO - bold;strong RITMICO - Rhythmically - S -SEMPRE - Always; i.e sempre piano - always soft.
SENZA - Without. eg, Senza misura = freely (not in time) - T -TUTTI - All; everyone.
|