Music Terms
Opus
A musical work
Cadenza
A solo passage played with freedom
Agitato
Agitated
Tutti
All together
Loco
As written
Ad Libitum
At Liberty
Da Capo
Back to the beginning
Dal Segno
Back to the sign
Tacet
Be silent, don't play
Brillante
Brilliant and sparkling
Attacca
Continue with little or no pause
Divisi
Divided parts
Morendo
Dying away
Perdendosi
Dying away in sound and speed
Espressivo
Expressively
Presto
Extremely fast
Allegro
Fast and lively
Fine
Finish, the end
Grazioso
Gracefully, elegantly
Accelerando
Gradually faster
Crescendo
Gradually louder
Rallentando
Gradually slower
Ritardando
Gradually slower and slower
Decrescendo
Gradually softer
Diminuendo
Gradually softer
Ritenuto
Hold back at a slower speed
Alla Marcia
In a march style
Cantabile
In a singing style
Quasi
In the style of
Meno
Less
Poco a poco
Little by little
Forte
Loud
Maestoso
Majestic, dignified
Marcato
Marked with emphasis
Moderato
Moderately
Allegretto
Moderately fast
Mezzo Forte
Moderately loud
Andante
Moderately slow and flowing
Mezzo Piano
Moderately soft
Mosso
More
Animato
More animated
Embouchure
Mouth muscles used in controlling the tone of a wind instrument
Arpeggio
Notes of a chord played separately
Simile
Play in a similar manner
Sforzando
Played with sudden force
Scherzando
Playful, jestingly
Giocoso
Playfully, gaily
Pomposo
Pompously and dignified
Segue
Proceed in the same style
Tranquillo
Quietly
Enharmonic
Same in pitch but different notation
Accidentals
Sharps, flats and naturals not in the key signature
Andantino
Slightly faster than Andante
Largo
Slow and broad
Adagio
Slow and leisurely
Larghetto, Lento
Slowly
Legato
Smooth and connected
Piano
Soft
Subito
Suddenly, without pause
Sostenuto
Sustained
Dolce
Sweetly
Tempo Primo
Tempo same as the beginning
L'istesso
The same
A Tempo
Used to "resume original tempo"
Vivace
Very fast, vivaciously
Fortissimo
Very loud
Grave
Very slow, ponderous and solemn
Pianissimo
Very soft
Molto
Very, much
Syncopation
When the accent falls on the weak beats
Bravura
With boldness and spirit
Grandioso
With grandeur
Appassionato
With passion
Senza
Without