From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article needs additional citations for . Please help
by . Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (June 2015) ()
This is a list of musical terms that are likely to be encountered in printed scores, , and program notes. Most of the terms are Italian (see also ), in accordance with the Italian origins of many European musical conventions. Sometimes, the special musical meanings of these phrases differ from the original or current Italian meanings. Most of the other terms are taken from French and German, indicated by "Fr." and "Ger.", respectively.
Unless specified, the terms are Italian or English. The list can never be complete: some terms are common, and others are used only occasionally, and new ones are coined from time to time. Some composers prefer terms from their own language rather than the standard terms listed here.
On these organ stops, some of the knobs have numbers indicating the length in feet of the longest (the lowest note) organ pipe of the stop
in violin family instrument music, used to indicate that the player should play the passage on the highest-pitched, thinnest string
"Sifflet" or one foot organ stop
1 3/5′ 
Tierce organ stop
Two feet – see
in violin family instrument music, used to indicate that the player should play the passage on the string adjacent to the highest-pitched, thinnest string
2 2/3′  
Pipe organ stop for the twelfth interval
IV–VI 
on pipe organ
Cymbal stop on pipe organ
in violin family instrument music, used to indicate that the player should play the passage on string adjacent to (but higher in pitch) than the lowest-pitched, thickest string
in violin family instrument music, used to indicate that the player should play the passage on the lowest-pitched, thickest string
Four feet –
rank that speaks one
higher than 8′
– pipe organ indication
16′ 
Sixteen foot pipe – pipe organ indication calling for one octave below 8′
32′ 
Thirty-two foot pipe – pipe organ indication calling for two octaves below 8′, also called sub-bass (on most organs this is the lowest, deepest pitch)
64′ 
Sixty-four foot pipe – pipe organ indication (only a few organs have this deep a pitch)
a or à (Fr.) 
at, to, by, for, in, in the style of...
a battuta 
Return to normal tempo after a deviation. Not recommended in string parts, due to possible confusion with battuto (qv.); use a tempo, which means the same thing.
a bene placito 
Up to the performer
(i.e. without instrumental accompaniment)
A free and capricious approach to tempo
for two v two instruments are to play in unison after a solo passage for one of the instruments
T indicating a diminuendo which fades completely away
For accompanists, being able to play a piano score "a prima vista" (sightreading) is an important skill.
a piacere 
At pleasure (i.e. the performer need not follow the
strictly, for example in a cadenza)
a prima vista 
(lit. "at first sight") (i.e. played or sung from written notation but without prior review of the written material)
a tempo 
In time (i.e. the performer should return to the main tempo of the piece, such as after an accelerando or ritardando); also may be found in combination with other terms such as a tempo giusto (in strict time) or a tempo di menuetto (at the speed of a minuet)
ab (Ger.) 
off, organ stops or mutes
abafando (Port.) 
muffled, muted
abandon or avec (Fr.) 
free, unrestrained, passionate
abbandonatamente, con abbandono 
free, relaxed
aber (Ger.) 
Expressive and caressing
accelerando (accel.) 
A gradually increasing the
accelerato 
suddenly increasing the tempo
Emphasize, make a particular part more important
accentato/accentuato 
A with emphasis
acceso 
Ignited, on fire
accessible 
Music that is easy to listen to/understand
acciaccato 
Broken down, the sounding of the notes of a chord not quite simultaneously, but from bottom to top.
Crushing (i.e. a very fast
that is "crushed" against the note that follows and takes up no value in the measure)
accompagnato 
Accompanied (i.e. with the accompaniment following the soloist, who may speed up or slow down at will)
accuratezza 
P accuracy con accuratezza: with precision
Relating to music produced by instruments, as opposed to
(commonly ad lib; Latin) 
At liberty (i.e. the speed and manner of execution are left to the performer)
adagietto 
Fairly slow (but faster than adagio)
adagio 
At ease (i.e. play slowly)
adagissimo 
Very, very slow
affannato, affannoso 
affetto or con affetto
(that is, with emotion)
affettuoso, affettuosamente, or affectueusement (Fr.) 
(that is, with emotion); see also
affrettando 
Hurrying, pressing onwards
agile 
agitato 
al or alla 
To the, in the manner of (al before masculine nouns, alla before feminine)
alcuna licenza 
lit. "no restriction", used in con alcuna licenza to mean (play) with some freedom in the time, see
all' ottava 
"at the octave", see
In cut- two beats per measure or the equivalent thereof
alla marcia 
In the style of a march
alla polacca 
In the style of a , a 3/4 dance
allargando 
Broadening, becoming a little slower each time
allegretto 
A little lively, moderately fast
allegretto vivace 
A moderately quick tempo
allegrezza 
Cheerfulness, joyfulness
allegrissimo 
Very fast, though slower than presto
allegro 
C but commonly interpreted as lively, fast
als (Ger.) 
alt (Eng.), alt dom, or altered dominant 
A jazz term which instructs chord-playing musicians such as a jazz pianist or jazz guitarist to perform a dominant (V7) chord with at least one (often both) altered (sharpened or flattened) 5th or 9th
altissimo 
alto 
H often refers to a particular range of voice, higher than a tenor but lower than a soprano
alzate sordini 
Lift or raise the
(i.e. remove mutes)
am Steg (Ger.) 
At the bridge (i.e. playing a bowed string instrument near its bridge, which produces a heavier, stronger tone). See .
amabile 
Amiable, pleasant
Range between highest and lowest note
amore or amor (in Spanish/Portuguese and sometimes in Italian) 
Love, con amore: with love, tenderly
amoroso 
A note or notes that preced a pickup
Used to refer to a fugue subject of above-average length
andante 
At a walking pace (i.e. at a moderate tempo)
andantino 
Slightly faster than andante (but earlier it is sometimes used to mean slightly slower than andante)
?ngstlich (Ger.) 
anima 
L feeling con anima : With feeling
animandosi 
Animated, lively
animato 
Animated, lively
A liturgical or other composition consisting of choral responses, sometime a passage of this nature forming part of a repeated passage in a psalm or other liturgical piece, similar to a .
antiphonal
A style of composition in which two sections of singers or instrumentalists exchange sections or music typically the performers are on different sides of a hall or venue
apaisé (Fr.) 
appassionato 
Passionately
or leaning note 
One or more
that take up some note value of the next full note.
The bow used for playing some string instrument (i.e. played with the bow, as opposed to , in music for bowed instruments); normally used to cancel a pizzicato direction
Self-contained piece for one voice usually with orchestral accompaniment (which may be provided by a pianist using an )
arietta 
A short aria
Airy, or like an air (a melody) (i.e. in the manner of an aria); melodious
armonioso 
Harmoniously
, arpeggiato
(i.e. the notes of the
are to be played quickly one after another instead of simultaneously). In music for , this is sometimes a solution in playing a wide-ranging chord whose notes cannot be played otherwise. Arpeggios are frequently used as an accompaniment. See also .
articulato 
Articulately
assai 
Much, Very much
assez (Fr.) 
Enough, sufficiently
attacca 
A go straight on (i.e. at the end of a , a direction to attach the next movement to the previous one, without a gap or pause)
Ausdruck (Ger.) 
Expression
ausdrucksvoll or mit Ausdruck (Ger.) 
Expressively, with expression
avec (Fr.) 
With or with another
German for
(also in Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, Icelandic, Danish, Croatian, Estonian and Hungarian); H in German is
ballabile 
(from the Italian Ballabile meaning "danceable") In
the term refers to a dance performed by the . The term Grand ballabile is used if nearly all participants (including principal characters) of a particular scene in a full-length work perform a large-scale dance.
barbaro 
Barbarous (notably used in
A term that instructs string performers to play a pizzicato note to pull the string away from the fingerboard so that it snaps back percussively on the fingerboard.
The lowest of the standard four voice ranges (bass, tenor, alto, soprano); the lowest melodic line in a musical composition, often thought of as defining in an orchestral context, the term usually refers to the .
Continuous bass (i.e. a bass
part played continuously throughout a piece by a chordal instrument (pipe organ, harpischord, lute, etc.), often with a bass instrument, to give harmonic structure), used especially in the
battement (Fr.) 
Used in the 17th-century to refer to ornaments consisting of two adjacent notes, such as
battuto (Ital.) 
To strike the strings with the bow (on a bowed stringed instrument)
1. The pronounced
2. One single stroke of a
belebt or belebter (Ger.) 
Spirited, vivacious, lively
bellicoso 
Warlike, aggressive (English cognate is "bellicose")
ben or bene 
W in ben marcato ("well marked") for example
bend 
Jazz term referring either to establishing a pitch, sliding down half a step and returning to the original pitch or sliding up half a step from the original note.
beschleunigte (Ger.) 
Accelerated, as in mit beschleunigter Geschwindigkeit, at an accelerated tempo
bewegt (Ger.) 
Moved, with speed
A musical form in two sections: AB
bird's eye 
A slang term for , which instructs the performer to hold a note or chord as long as they wish of following cues from a
bis (Lat.) 
Twice (i.e. repeat the relevant action or passage)
bisbigliando 
Whispering (i.e. a special tremolo effect on the
where a chord or note is rapidly repeated at a low volume)
bocca chiusa
with closed mouth (sometimes abbreviated B.C.)
B as in con bravura, boldly
breit (Ger.) 
bridge 
1. Transitional passage connecting two sections of a composition, or between two A sections (e.g., in an A/B/A form).
2. Part of a violin family or guitar/lute stringed instrument that holds the strings in place and transmits their vibrations to the resonant body of the instrument.
brillante 
Brilliantly, with sparkle. Play in a showy and spirited style.
brio or brioso 
V usually in con brio: with spirit or vigour
broken chord 
in which the notes are not all played at once, but in some more or less consistent sequence. They may follow singly one after the other, or two notes may be immediately followed by another two, for example. See also , which as an accompaniment pattern may be seen as a
bruscamente 
The concluding, rapid, audience-rousing section of an aria
A melodic or harmonic configuration that creates a sense of resolution
A solo section, usually in a
or similar work, that is used to display the performer's technique, sometimes at considerable length
calando 
Falling away, or lowering (i.e. gettin ritardando along with diminuendo)
calma 
C so con calma, calmly. Also calmato meaning calmed, relaxed
calore 
W so con calore, warmly
cambiare 
To change (i.e. any change, such as to a new instrument)
or kanon (Ger.) 
A theme that is repeated and imitated and built upon by other instruments with a time delay, creat see .
or cantando 
In a singing style. In instrumental music, a style of playing that imitates the way the human voice might express the music, with a measured tempo and flexible, legato.
canto 
capo 
(short for capotasto: "nut") : A key-changing device for stringed instruments (e.g. guitars and banjos)
2. head (i.e. the beginning, as in )
capriccio 
"A humorous, fanciful, or bizarre, composition, often characterized by an idiosyncratic departure from current stylistic norms." See also:
capriccioso 
Capriciously, unpredictable, volatile
cavalleresco 
Chivalrous (used in Carl Nielsen's violin concerto)
cédez (Fr.) 
Yield, give way
or caesura (Lat.) 
Break, (i.e. a complete break in sound) (sometimes nicknamed "railroad tracks" in reference to their appearance)
chiuso 
Closed (i.e. muted by hand) (for a horn, o but see also , which uses the feminine form)
A tail (i.e. a closing section appended to a movement)
A small coda, but usually applied to a passage appended to a section of a movement, not to a whole movement
col or colla
with the (col before a masculine noun, colla before a feminine noun); (see next for example)
With the wood (i.e. the strings) (for example, of a ) are to be struck with the wood of the bow, makin also battuta col legno: beaten with the wood
col pugno 
With the fist (i.e. bang the piano with the fist)
With the addition of the octave note above or be abbreviated as col 8, coll' 8, and c. 8va
colla parte 
W as an instruction in an orchestral score or part, it instructs the conductor or orchestral musician to follow the rhythm and tempo of a solo performer (usually for a short passage)
colla voce 
W as an instruction in a choral music/opera score or orchestral part, it instructs the conductor or orchestral musician to follow the rhythm and tempo of a solo singer (usually for a short passage)
Coloration (i.e. elaborate ornamentation of a vocal line, or a soprano voice that is well-suited to such elaboration)
Tremendously
come prima 
Like the first (time) (i.e. as before, typically referring to an earlier tempo)
come sopra 
As above (i.e. like the previous tempo)
: four beats per measure, each beat a
(a crotchet) in length.
is often written on the
as . The symbol is not a C as an abbreviation for common time, the full circle at one time stood for triple time, .
comodo 
Comfortable (i.e. at moderate speed); also, allegro comodo, tempo comodo, etc.
comp 
1. abbreviation of accompanying, accompanying music,
2. describes the chords, rhythms,and countermelodies that instrumental players used to support a musician's melody and improvised solos.
1. to comp ; action of accompanying.
W used in very many musical directions, for example con allegrezza (with liveliness), con amore (with tenderness); (see also
con sordina or con sordine (plural) 
With a , or with mutes. Frequently seen in music as (incorrect Italian) con sordino, or con sordini (plural).
An adjective applied to a
line that moves by step ( of a 2nd) rather in disjunct motion (by leap).
Lowest female singing
coperti 
(plural of coperto) covered (i.e. on a drum, muted with a cloth)
corda 
String. On piano refers to use of the
which controls whether the hammer strikes
Series of regularly occurring sounds to assist with ready identification of beat
G (i.e. progressively louder) (contrast )
cuivré 
Brassy. Used almost exclusively as a
to indicate a forced, rough tone. A note marked both stopped and loud will be cuivré automatically
custos 
Symbol at the very end of a staff of music which indicates the pitch for the first note of the next line as a warning of what is to come. The custos was commonly used in handwritten Renaissance and typeset Baroque music.
Same as the
: two half-note (minim) beats per measure. Notated and executed like
(), except with the beat lengths doubled. Indicated by . This comes from a literal cut of the
symbol of . Thus, a
in cut time is only half a beat long, and a measure has only two beats. See also .
From the head (i.e. from the beginning) (see also )
(D.S.) 
From the sign ()
dal segno al coda (D.S. al coda) 
Repeat to the sign and continue to the
sign, then play coda
dal segno al fine (D.S. al fine) 
From the sign to the end (i.e. return to a place in the music designated by the sign
and continue to the end of the piece)
dal segno segno al coda (D.S.S. al coda) 
Same as D.S. al coda, but with a double segno
dal segno segno al fine (D.S.S. al fine) 
From the double sign to the end (i.e. return to place in the music designated by the double sign (see D.S. al coda) and continue to the end of the piece)
decelerando 
S opposite of accelerando (same as ritardando or rallentando)
deciso 
Decisively
declamando 
Solemn, expressive, impassioned
decrescendo (decresc.) 
Gradually decreasing volume (same as diminuendo)
deest 
meaning to be missing; placed after a
abbreviation to indicate that this particular work does not appear in it. The , desunt, is used when referring to several works.
delicatamente or delicato 
Delicately
détaché (Fr.) 
Act of playing notes separately
devoto 
Religiously
, dim. 
Dwindling (i.e. with gradually decreasing volume) (same as )
An adjective applied to a
line which moves by leap ( of more than a 2nd) as opposed to conjunct motion (by step)
dissonante 
(div.) 
Divided (i.e. in a part in which several musicians normally play exactly the same notes they are instead to split the playing of the written simultaneous notes among themselves). It is most often used for string instruments, since with them another means of execution is often possible. (The return from divisi is marked .)
doit 
Jazz term referring to a note that slides to an indefinite pitch chromatically upwards.
dolce 
dolcissimo 
Very sweetly
dolente 
Sorrowfully, plaintively
dolore 
Pain, distress, sorrow, grief con dolore: with sadness
doloroso 
Sorrowfully, plaintively
doppio movimento 
Twice as fast
Two dots placed side by side after a note to indicate that it is to be lengthened by three quarters of its value.
The technique of playing two notes simultaneously on a bowed
downtempo 
A slow, moody, or decreased tempo or played or done in such a tempo. It also refers to a genre of
based on this ().
drammatico 
Dramatically
Bass note or chord performed continuously throughout a composition
drop 
Jazz term referring to a note that slides to an indefinite pitch chromatically downwards
duolo 
(Ital.) grief
dumpf (Ger.) 
Dur (Ger.)
as, for example, A-Dur (), B-Dur (), or H-Dur (). (see also
The relative volume in the execution of a piece of music
e (Ital.) or ed (Ital., – used before vowels) 
The Italian word for "echo"; an effect in which a group of notes is repeated, usually more softly, and perhaps at a different octave, to create an echo effect
ein wenig (Ger.) 
Empfindung (Ger.) 
en dehors (Fr.) 
Prominently
en pressant (Fr.) 
Hurrying forward
en retenant (Fr.) 
(Fr.) 
Again (i.e. perform the relevant passage once more); a performer returning to the stage to perform an unlisted piece
energico 
Energetic, strong
enfatico 
Emphatically
eroico 
Heroically
espansivo 
E excessive in
espirando 
Expiring (i.e. dying away)
espressione 
E expressively (e.g. con (gran, molta) espressione: with (great, much) expression)
espressivo, espress. or espr. 
(Italian) Expressively
estinto 
Extinct, extinguished (i.e. as soft as possible, lifeless, barely audible)
esultazione 
With Exultation
etwas (Ger.) 
facile 
Easily, without fuss
fall 
Jazz term describing a note of definite pitch sliding downwards to another note of definite pitch.
above the normal voice
A piece not adhering to any strict musical form. Can also be used in con fantasia: with imagination
feierlich (Ger.) 
Solemn, solemnly
Finished, closed (i.e. a rest or note is to be held for a duration that is at the discretion of the performer or conductor) (sometimes called bird's eye); a fermata at the end of a first or intermediate movement or section is usually moderately prolonged, but the final fermata of a symphony may be prolonged for longer than the note's value, typically twice its printed length or more for dramatic effect.
feroce 
Ferociously
festivamente 
Cheerfully, celebratory
feurig (Ger.) 
fieramente 
fil di voce 
"thread of voice", very quiet, pianissimo
(Eng.) 
A jazz or rock term which instructs performers to improvise a scalar passage or
to "fill in" the brief time between , the lines of , or between two sections
fine 
The end, often in phrases like al fine (to the end)
flat 
A symbol (?) that lowers the pitch of a note by a semitone. The term may also be used as an adjective to describe a situation where a singer or musician is performing a note in which the intonation is an eighth or a quarter of a semitone too low.
flautando or flautendo 
; used especially for string instruments to indicate a light, rapid bowing over the fingerboard
flebile 
Mournfully
flessibile 
focoso or fuocoso 
Fiery (i.e. passionately)
forte () 
Strong (i.e. to be played or sung loudly)
forte piano () 
Strong-gentle (i.e. loud, then immediately soft (see ), or an )
fortissimo () 
Very loud (see note at )
fortississimo () 
As loud as possible
forza 
Musical force con forza: with force
forzando () 
freddo 
Cold(ly); hence depressive, unemotional
fresco 
fr?hlich (Ger.)
Lively, joyfully
(Fr.), fuga (Latin and Italian) 
Literally "flight"; hence a complex and highly regimented
form in music. A short theme (the subject) is introduced in one voice (or part) alone, then in others, with imitation and characteristic development as the piece progresses.
funebre 
F often seen as marcia funebre (funeral march), indicating a stately and plodding tempo.
fuoco 
F con fuoco: with fire, in a fiery manner
furia 
furioso 
G.P. 
Grand Pause, General P indicates to the performers that the entire ensemble has a rest of indeterminate length, often as a dramatic effect during a loud section
gaudioso 
gem?chlich (Ger.) 
Unhurried, at a leisurely pace
gemendo 
Groaningly
gentile 
geschwind (Ger.) 
geteilt (Ger.) 
getragen (Ger.) 
Solemnly, in a stately tempo
giocoso or gioioso 
giusto 
Strictly, exactly (e.g. tempo giusto in strict time)
A continuous sliding from one pitch to another (a true glissando), or an incidental scale executed while moving from one melodic note to another (an effective glissando). See
for and compare .
An extra note added as an embellishment and not essential to the harmony or melody.
grandioso 
grave 
Slowly and seriously
grazioso 
Gracefully
guerriero 
War-like, militarily
gustoso 
With happy emphasis and forcefulness
G B in German means
(Ger.) 
Main voice, chief part (i.e. the contrapuntal line of primary importance, in opposition to Nebenstimme)
(English, from Greek) 
The imposition of a pattern of
other than that implied b specifically, in triple time (for example in ) the imposition of a duple pattern (as if the time signature were, for example, ). See .
hervortretend (Ger.) 
Prominent, pronounced
A musical texture with one voice (or melody line) accompanied b also used as an adjective (homophonic). Compare with , in which several independent voices or melody lines are performed at the same time.
immer (Ger.) 
imperioso 
Imperiously
impetuoso 
Impetuously
improvvisando 
With improvisation
improvvisato 
Improvised, or as if improvised
improvise 
To create music at the spur of the moment, spontaneously, and without preparation (often over a given harmonic framework or )
in alt 
in altissimo 
Octave above the in alt octave, G6 to F7
in modo di 
In the art of, in the style of
in stand 
A term for brass players that requires them to direct the bell of their instrument into the music stand, instead of up and toward the audience, thus muting the sound but without changing the timbre as a mute would
incalzando 
Getting faster and louder
innig 
Intimately, heartfelt
insistendo 
Insistently, deliberate
intimo 
Intimately
intro 
Opening section of a piece
irato 
-issimamente 
A suffix meaning as ... as can be (e.g. leggerissimamente, meaning as light as can be)
-issimo 
A suffix meaning extremely (e.g. fortissimo or prestissimo)
(or simply "") 
A well-known composition from the jazz repertoire which is widely played and recorded.
(Fr. jeté) 
technique in which the player is instructed to let the bow bounce or jump off the strings.
(Eng.) 
A musician who plays any instrument with a keyboard. In Classical music, this may refer to instruments such as the piano, pipe organ, harpsichord, and so on. In a jazz or popular music context, this may refer to instruments such as the piano, electric piano, synthesizer, Hammond organ, and so on.
(Ger.) 
"tone-color-melody", distribution of pitch or melody among instruments, varying timbre
kr?ftig (Ger.) 
lacrimoso or lagrimoso 
Tearfully (i.e. sadly)
laissez vibrer, l.v. (Fr.) 
French for lasciare suonare ("let vibrate").
lamentando 
Lamenting, mournfully
lamentoso 
Lamenting, mournfully
langsam (Ger.) 
largamente 
Broadly (i.e. slowly) (same as largo)
larghetto 
S not as slow as largo
larghezza 
B con larghezza: broadly
larghissimo 
V slower than largo
largo 
Broadly (i.e. slowly)
lasciare suonare 
"Let ring", meaning allow the sound to continue, used frequently in harp or guitar music, occasionally in piano or percussion. Abbreviated "lasc. suon."
leap or  
interval greater than a major 2nd, as opposed to a step. Melodies which move by a leap are called "disjunct".
leaps are not uncommon in
vocal music.
lebhaft (Ger.) 
Briskly, lively
Joined (i.e. smoothly, in a connected manner) (see also )
leggierissimo 
Very lightly and delicately
leggiero, leggiermente or leggiadro 
Lightly, delicately (The different forms of this word, including leggierezza, "lightness", are properly spelled without the i in Italian, i.e. leggero, leggerissimo, leggermente or leggerezza.)
leidenschaftlich(er) (Ger.) 
Passionately
lent (Fr.) 
lentando 
Gradual slowing and softer
lentissimo 
Very slowly
lento 
liberamente 
libero 
Free, freely
lilt 
A jaunty rhythm
l'istesso, l'istesso tempo, or lo stesso tempo 
The same tempo, despite changes of time signature, see
lo stesso 
T applied to the manner of articulation, tempo, etc.
loco 
[in] place (i.e. perform the notes at the pitch written, generally used to cancel an
direction). In string music, also used to indicate return to normal playing position (see ).
long  
Hit hard and keep full value of note (&)
lontano 
F distantly
lugubre 
Lugubrious, mournful
luminoso 
Luminously
lunga 
Long (often applied to a )
lusingando, lusinghiero 
Coaxingly, flatteringly, caressingly
ma non troppo, ma non tanto 
But not too much
maestoso 
Majestically, in a stately fashion
maggiore 
The major key
magico 
magnifico 
Magnificent
main droite (Fr.) 
[played with the] right hand (abbreviation: MD or m.d.)
main gauche (Fr.) 
[played with the] left hand (abbreviation: MG or m.g.)
malinconico 
Melancholic
mancando 
Dying away
mano destra 
[played with the] right hand (abbreviation: MD or m.d.)
mano sinistra 
[played with the] left hand (abbreviation: MS or m.s.)
marcatissimo 
With much accentuation
marcato, marc. 
Marked (i.e. with accentuation, execute every note as if it were to be accented)
marcia 
A ; alla marcia means in the manner of a march
Hammered out
marziale 
Martial, solemn and fierce
m?ssig (Ger.) 
(sometimes given as "m?ssig", "maessig") Moderately
measure (Eng.) 
Also "" the period of a musical piece that encompasses a complete cycle of the
time, a measure has four
medesimo tempo 
Same tempo, despite changes of time signature
medley 
Piece composed from parts of existing pieces, usually three, played one after another, sometimes overlapping.
melancolico 
Melancholic
The technique of changing the note (pitch) of a syllable of text while it is being sung
meno 
L see , for example, less mosso
In singing, a controlled swell (i.e.
then , on a long held note, especially in
and in the
mesto 
Mournful, sad
or metre 
The pattern of a music piece's rhythm of strong and weak beats
mezza voce 
Half voice (i.e. with subdued or moderated volume)
mezzo 
H used in combinations like mezzo forte (), meaning moderately loud
mezzo forte () 
Half loudly (i.e. moderately loudly). See .
mezzo piano () 
Half softly (i.e. moderately softly). See .
A female singer with a range usually extending from the A below middle C to the F an eleventh above middle C. Mezzo-sopranos generally have a darker vocal tone than sopranos, and their vocal range is between that of a
and that of a .
misterioso 
Mysteriously
mit D?mpfer (Ger.) 
M.M. 
Marking. Formerly "M?lzel Metronome."
mobile 
Flexible, changeable
moderato 
M often combined with other terms, usual for example, allegro moderato
modere (Fr.) 
Moderately
modesto 
The act or process of changing from one key (tonic, or tonal center) to another. This may or may not be accompanied by a change in key signature.
Moll (Ger.) 
as, for example, a-Moll (), b-Moll (), or h-Moll () (see also
molto 
Rapid alternation of a note with the note immediately below or above it in the scale, sometimes further distinguished as lower mordent and upper mordent. The term "inverted mordent" usually refers to the upper mordent.
morendo 
Dying (i.e. dying away in dynamics, and perhaps also in tempo)
mosso 
Moved, used with a preceding più or , for faster or slower respectively
moto 
M usually seen as con moto, meaning with motion or quickly
A section of a musical composition (such as a
munter (Ger.) 
Musette (Fr.) 
A dance or tune of a drone-bass character, originally played by a
muta [in...] 
Change: either a change of instrument (e.g. flute to piccolo, horn in F to horn in B?); or a change of tuning (e.g. guitar muta 6 in D). Note: does not mean "mute", for which
or con sordino is used. Muta comes from the Italian verb mutare (to change into something).
nach und nach (Ger.) 
Literally "more and more" with an increasing feeling. Ex. "nach und nach belebter und leidenschaftlicher" (with increasing animation and passion)
narrante 
Narratingly
A symbol (?) that cancels the effect of a sharp or a flat
naturale (nat.) 
Natural (i.e. discontinue a special effect, such as col legno, , , or playing in harmonics)
No chord, written in the chord row of music notation to show there is no chord being played, and no implied harmony
Nebenstimme (Ger.) 
Secondary part (i.e. a secondary contrapuntal part, always occurring simultaneously with, and subsidiary to, the )
nicht (Ger.) 
niente 
"nothing", barely audible, dying away, sometimes indicated with a dynamic
nobile or nobilmente (Ital.) or Noblement (Fr.) 
In a noble fashion
noblezza 
(Fr.) 
A piece written for the night
(Fr.) 
U a principally Baroque performance practice of applying long-short rhythms to pairs of no see also
notturno 
An opera consisting of "numbers" (e.g. , intermixed with )
Required, indispensable
Interval between one musical pitch and another with half or double its frequency. Twelve
equals an octave, so does the first and eighth (hence "oct"ave) note in a major or minor .
ohne D?mpfer (Ger.) 
omaggio 
Homage, celebration
one-voice-per-part () 
The practice of using solo voices on each musical line or part in choral music.
ordinario (ord.) (Ital.) 
In bowed string music, an indication to discontinue extended techniques such as ,
or , and return to normal playing. The same as "naturale".
In jazz or rock, a group of three musicians which includes a
player and two other instruments, often an
player and a drummer.
ossia or oppure 
Or instead (i.e. according to some specified alternative way of performing a passage, which is marked with a footnote, additional small notes, or an additional staff)
Obstinate, persistent (i.e. a short musical pattern that is repeated throughout an entire composition or portion of a composition)
ottava 
Octave (e.g. ottava bassa: an octave lower)
An orchestral composition forming the prelude or introduction to an opera, oratorio, etc.
parlando or parlante 
Like speech, enunciated
Partitur (Ger.) 
Full orchestral score
passionato 
Passionately
pastorale 
In a pastoral style, peaceful and simple
patetico 
Passionately, with great emotion. A related term is Pathetique: A name attributed to certain works with an emotional focus such as Tchaikovsky's 6th symphony.
pausa 
pedale or ped 
In piano scores, this instructs the player to press the
to sustain the note or chord being played. The player may be instructed to release the pedal with an asterisk marking (*). In organ scores, it tells the organist that a section is to be performed on the
with the feet.
penseroso 
Thoughtfully, meditatively
perdendosi 
D decrease in dynamics, perhaps also in tempo
pesante 
Heavy, ponderous
peu à peu (Fr.) 
Little by little
pezzo 
A composition
piacevole 
Pleasant, agreeable
piangendo 
Literally 'crying' (used in Liszt's La Lugubre Gondola no. 2).
piangevole 
Plaintive:
pianissimo ()
very gently (i.e. perform very softly, even softer than piano). This conven the more s that are written, the softer the composer wants the musician to play or sing, thus
(pianississimo) would be softer than . Dynamics in a piece should be interpreted relative to the other dynamics in the same piece. For example,
should be executed as softly as possible, but if
is found later in the piece,
should be markedly louder than . More than three s () or three s () are uncommon.
piano () 
Gently (i.e. played or sung softly) (see )
The same as a , a piano arrangement along with the vocal parts of an opera, cantata, or similar
A Picardy third, Picardy cadence ('p?k?rdi ) or, in French, tierce picarde is a harmonic device used in Western classical music.It refers to the use of a major chord of the tonic at the end of a musical section that is either modal or in a minor key.
pienna (Ital.) 
Full, as, for example, a voce pienna = "in full voice"
pietoso 
Pitiful, piteous
più 
piuttosto 
Rather, somewhat (e.g. allegro piuttosto presto)
Pinched, plucked (i.e. in music for bowed strings, plucked with the fingers as opposed to compare , which is inserted to cancel a p in music for guitar, to mute the strings by resting the palm on the bridge, simlulating the sound of pizz. of the bowed string instruments)
plop 
Jazz term referring to a note that slides to an indefinite pitch chromatically downwards.
pochettino or poch. 
V diminutive of poco
pochissimo or pochiss.
V superlative of poco
poco 
A little, as in poco più allegro (a little faster)
poco a poco 
Little by little
poetico 
Poetic discourse
Then, indicating a subsequent instr diminuendo poi subito fortissimo, for example: getting softer then suddenly very loud
pomposo 
Pompous, ceremonious
ponticello (pont.) 
On the bridge (i.e. in string playing, an indication to
very near to the , producing a characteristic glassy sound, which emphasizes the higher
at the expense of the ); the opposite of
portamento 
Carrying (i.e. 1. generally, sliding in pitch from one note to another, usually pausing just above or below the final pitch, then sliding quickly to that pitch. If no pause is executed, then it
or 2. in piano music, an
and , like )
or louré 
Carried (i.e. non-legato, but not as detached as staccato) (same as )
posato 
or pot-pourri (Fr.) 
Potpourri (as used in other senses in English) (i.e. a kind of musical form structured as ABCDEF... etc.; the same as
or, sometimes, )
precipitato 
Precipitately
, prélude (Fr.), preludio (It), praeludium (Lat.), pr?ludium (Ger.) 
A musical introduction to subsequent movements during the
era (1600's/17th century). It can also be a movement in its own right, which was more common in the
(mid-1700s/18th century)
prestissimo 
Extremely quickly, as fast as possible
presto 
Very quickly
prima or primo (the masculine form) 
Leading female singer in an opera company
prima volta 
T for example prima volta senza accompagnamento (the first time without accompaniment)
quartal 
Composed of the musical
of the ; as in
H a pitch division not used in most Western music notation, except in some contemporary art music or experimental music. Quarter tones are used in Western popular music forms such as jazz and blues and in a variety of non-Western musical cultures.
quasi (Latin and Italian) 
As if, almost (e.g. quasi recitativo like a
in an opera, or quasi una fantasia like a )
quintal 
Composed of the musical
of the ; as in
rallentando or rall. 
Broadening of the tempo (often not discernible from ritardando); progressively slower
rapide (Fr.) 
rapido 
rasch (Ger.) 
rasguedo (Spa) 
(on the guitar) to play strings with the ba esp. to fan the strings rapidly with the nails of multiple fingers
ravvivando (Ital., "reviving") 
Quicken pace (as "ravvivando il tempo", returning to a faster tempo that occurred earlier in the piece)
recitativo 
R one voice without accompaniment
religioso 
Religiously
repente 
Repe return to the original theme
restez (Fr.) 
Stay (i.e. remain on a note or string)
retenu (Fr.) 
H same as the Italian ritenuto (see below)
ridicolosamente or ridicolo 
Humorously, inaccurate, and loosely
rilassato 
rinforzando ( or rinf.) 
Reinforced (i.e. emphasized); sometimes like a sudden crescendo, but often applied to a single note
risoluto 
Resolutely
rit. 
An abbreviation for ritardando; also an abbreviation for ritenuto
ritardando, ritard., rit. 
S opposite of
ritenuto, riten., rit. 
Suddenly slower, held back (usually more so but more temporarily than a ritardando, and it may, unlike ritardando, apply to a single note); opposite of accelerato
ritmico 
Rhythmical
ritmo 
Rhythm (e.g. ritmo di # battute meaning a rhythm of # measures)
A recurring passage for orchestra in the first or final movement of a solo concerto or aria (also in works for chorus).
rolled chord 
A musical form in which a certain section returns repeatedly, interspersed with other sections: ABACA is a typical structure or ABACABA
roulade (Fr.) 
A rolling (i.e. a florid vocal phrase)
Robbed (i.e. flexible in tempo), applied to notes within a musical phrase for expressive effect
ruhig (Ger.) 
Calm, peaceful
A rapid series of ascending or descending musical notes which are closely spaced in pitch forming a , , or other such pattern
ruvido 
saltando 
Bouncing the bow as in a staccato , literally means "jumping"
sanft (Ger.) 
scatenato 
Unchained, wildly
scherzando, scherzoso 
A light, "joking" or playful musical form, originally and usually in fast , often replacing the
in the later
and the , in symphonies, sonatas, string q in the 19th century some scherzi were independent movements for piano, etc.
schleppend, schleppen (Ger.) 
In a dragging manner, usually nicht schleppen ("don't drag"), paired with nicht eilen ("don't hurry") in 's scores
schnell (Ger.) 
schneller (Ger.) 
schwer (Ger.) 
schwungvoll (Ger.) 
Lively, swinging, bold, spirited
scioltezza 
Fluency, agility (used in con scioltezza)
Altered or alternative
used for the
scorrendo, scorrevole 
Gliding from note to note
secco (sec) (Fr.)
Dry (sparse accompaniment, staccato, without resonance); with
accompaniment, this often means that only the chordal instrument will play, with the sustained bass instrument not playing
sign, usually
(see above) "from the sign", indicating a return to the point marked by
Carry on to the next section without a pause
sehr (Ger.) 
The smallest
difference between notes (in most Western music) (e.g. F–F?) (Note: some contemporary music, non-Western music, and
and jazz uses microtonal divisions smaller than a semitone)
semplice 
sempre 
sentimento 
Feeling, emotion
sentito 
Expressively
senza 
senza replica
Without repetition: "when a movement, repeated in the first instance, must, on the Da Capo, be played throughout without repetition."
senza sordina or senza sordine (plural) 
Without the . See .
serioso 
( or ) 
Made loud (i.e. a sudden strong accent)
shake 
A jazz term describing a trill between one note or, with brass instruments, between a note and its next overblown harmonic.
A symbol (?) that raises the pitch of the note by a semitone. The term may also be used as an adjective to describe a situation where a singer or musician is performing a note in which the intonation is somewhat too high in pitch.
short  
Hit the note hard and short (^)
si (Fr.) 
Seventh note of the series ut, re, mi, fa, sol, la, si, in
sign 
silenzio 
Silence (i.e. without reverberations)
simile 
Similarly (i.e. continue applying the preceding directive, whatever it was, to the following passage)
sipario 
Curtain (stage)
slancio 
Momentum, con slancio: with enthusiasm
slargando or slentando 
Becoming broader or slower (that is, becoming more largo or more lento)
smorzando (smorz.) 
Exting usually interpreted as a drop in dynamics, and very often in tempo as well
soave 
Smoothly, gently
sognando 
solenne 
or soli (plural) 
Alone (i.e. executed by a single instrument or voice). The instruction soli requires more than
this refers to an entire section playing in harmony. In orchestral works, soli refers to a divided string section with only one player to a line.
solo break 
A jazz term that instructs a lead player or
member to play an improvised solo
for one or two measures (sometimes abbreviated as "break"), without any accompaniment. The solo part is often played in a rhythmically free manner, until the player performs a pickup or lead-in line, at which time the band recommences playing in the original tempo.
somma (Ital.) 
S total, con somma passione: with great passion
A piece played as opposed to sung.
A little sonata
sonatine 
A little sonata, used in some countries instead of sonatina
sonore 
Sonorous (Deep or ringing sound)
sonoro 
sopra una corda or sull'istessa corda 
To be played on one string
The highest of the standard four voice ranges (bass, tenor, alto, soprano)
, sordine (plural) 
A , Note: sordina, with plural sordine, is strictly correct Italian, but the forms sordino and sordini are much more commonly used as terms in music. Instruments can have their tone muted with wood, rubber, metal, or plastic devices, (for string instruments, mutes are c for brass instruments, mutes are inserted in the bell), or parts of the body ( French Horn), or fabric ( timpani), among other means. In piano music (notably in Beethoven's ), senza sordini or senza sordina (or some variant) is sometimes used to mean keep the
depressed, since the sustain pedal lifts the dampers off the strings, with the effect that all notes are sustained indefinitely.
sordino 
sortita 
A principal singer's first entrance in an opera
sospirando 
sostendo (Galican)
holding back, (notably used in
by Alfred Reed)
sostenuto 
Sustained, lengthened
In an undertone (i.e. quietly)
spianato 
Smooth, even
Distinct, separated (i.e. a way of playing the violin and other bowed instruments by bouncing the bow on the string, giving a characteristic staccato effect)
Literally "pushed"
spirito 
Spirit, con spirito: with feeling
spiritoso 
Spiritedly
Making each not the opposite of legato. In , a small dot under or over the head of the note indicates that it is to be articulated as staccato.
stanza 
A verse of a song
or stentato (sten. or stent.) 
Labored, heavy, in a dragging manner, holding back each note
stornello 
Originally truly 'improvised' now taken as 'appearing to be improvised,' an Italian 'folk' song, the style of which used for example by Puccini in certain of his operas.
strascinando or strascicante 
Indicating a passage should be played in a heavily slurred manner
strepitoso 
Noisy, forceful
Tight, narrow (i.e. faster or hastening ahead); also, a passage in a
in which the
texture is denser, with close overlapping entries of the subject by extension, similar closely imitative passages in other compositions
stringendo 
Gradually getting faster (literally, tightening, narrowing) (i.e. with a pressing forward or acceleration of the tempo, that is, becoming )
strisciando 
To be played with a smooth slur, a glissando
subito 
Suddenly (e.g. subito , which instructs the player to suddenly drop to pianissimo as an effect); often abbreviated as sub.
sul (Ital.) 
Literally, "on", as in sul ponticello (on the bridge); sul tasto (on the fingerboard); sul E (on the E string), etc.
sul E 
"on E", indicating a passage is to be played on the E string of a violin. Also seen: sul A, sul D, sul G, sul C, indicating a passage to be played on one of the other strings of a string instrument.
suono reale 
Actual sound. Primarily used with notated harmonics where the written pitch is also the sounding pitch.
sur la touche (Fr.) 
A disturbance or interruption of the regular flow of downbeat rhythm with emphasis on the sub-division or up-beat (e.g. in
S do not play
tasto or tastierra (tast.) 
On the fingerboard (i.e. in string playing, an indication to bow or to pluck over the ); playing over the fingerboard produces a duller, less harmonically rich, gentler tone. The opposite of .
'single key'; used on a
part to indicate that the notes should be played only by the bass instrument, without harmony/chords played by the harpsichordist/organist
Time (i.e. the overall speed of a piece of music)
tempo di marcia 
March tempo
tempo di mezzo 
The middle section of a double aria, commonly found in bel canto era Italian operas, especially those of Rossini, Bellini, Donizetti, and their contemporaries as well in many early operas by Verdi. When present, the tempo di mezzo generally signals a shift in the drama from the slow cantabile of the first part to the
of the second, and this can take the form of some dramatic announcement or action to which the character(s) react in the cabaletta finale.
tempo di valse 
Waltz tempo
tempo giusto 
In strict time
tempo primo, tempo uno, or tempo I (sometimes tempo I° or tempo 1ero) 
Resume the original speed
"Robbed time"; an expressive way of see
ten. 
tendre or tendrement (Fre) 
tenerezza 
Tenderness
The second lowest of the standard four voice ranges (bass, tenor, alto, soprano)
Held (i.e. touch on a note slightly longer than usual, but without generally altering the note's value)
Having three parts. In particular, referring to a three-part musical form with the parts represented by letters: ABA
The 'best' or most comfortable pitch range, generally used to identify the most prominent / common vocal range within a piece of music
Tierce de Picardie 
The quality of a musical tone that distinguishes voices and instruments
time 
In a jazz or rock score, after a rubato or rallentendo section, the term "time" indicates that performers should return to tempo (this is equivalent to the term "a tempo")
tosto 
tranquillo 
Calmly, peacefully
trattenuto (tratt.)
held back with a sustained tone, similar to ritardando
tre corde (tc) 
Three strings (i.e. release the
of the piano) (see )
Shaking. As used in 1) and 2) below, it is notated by a strong diagonal bar (or bars) across the note stem, or a detached bar (or bars) for a set of notes.
A rapid, measured or unmeasured repetition of the same note. String players perform this tremolo with the bow by rapidly moving the bow wh
A rapid, measured or unmeasured alternation between two or more notes, usually more than a whole step apart. In older theory texts this form is sometimes referred to as a "trill-tremolo" (see ).
A rapid, repeated alteration of volume (as on an electronic instrument);
: an inaccurate usage, since vibrato is actually a slight undulation in a sustained pitch, rather than a repetition of the pitch, or variation in volume (see vibrato).
A rapid, usually unmeasured alternation between two harmonically adjacent notes (e.g. an interval of a semitone or a whole tone). A similar alternation using a wider interval is called a tremolo.
(shown with a horizontal bracket and a '3') 
Three notes in the place of two, used to subdivide a beat.
triste 
Sad, wistful
tronco, tronca 
Broken off, truncated
troppo 
T usually seen as non troppo, meaning moderately or, when combined with other terms, not too much, such as allegro [ma] non troppo (fast but not too fast)
Multi-note ornament above and it may also be inverted. Also called gruppetto.
A all together, usually used in an orchestral or choral score when the orchestra or all of the voices come in at the same time, also seen in
where two instruments share the same copy of music, after one instrument has broken off to play a more advanced form: they both play together again at the point marked tutti. See also .
un, una, or uno 
One, as for example in the following entries
un poco or un peu (Fr.) 
una corda 
One string (i.e. in
music, depress the , altering, and reducing the volume of, the sound). For most notes in modern pianos, this results in the hammer striking two strings rather than three. Its counterpart,
(three strings), is the opposite: the soft pedal is to be released.
(unis) (Fr.) 
In unison (i.e. several players in a group are to play exactly the same notes within their written part, as opposed to splitting simultaneous notes among themselves). Often used to mark the return from .
uptempo 
A fast, lively, or increased tempo or played or done in such a tempo. It is also used as an umbrella term for a quick-paced
ut (Fr.) 
First note of the series ut, re, mi, fa, sol, la, si, in
vagans (Lat., "wandering") 
The fifth part in a motet, named so most probably because it had no specific range
vamp  
Improvised accompaniment, usually a repeating pattern played before next musical passage. See vamp till cue. See comp and .
vamp till cue 
A jazz, fusion, and
term which instructs rhythm section members to repeat and vary a short
passage, , or
until the band leader or conductor instructs them to move onto the next section
variazioni 
Variations, con variazioni: with variations/changes
veloce 
Velocity, con veloce: with velocity
velocissimo 
As usually applied to a -like passage or run
Away, out, as in via sordina or sordina via: 'mute off'
Vibrating (i.e. a more or less rapidly repeated slight variation in the pitch of a note, used as a means of expression). Often confused with , which refers either to a similar variation in the volume of a note, or to rapid repetition of a single note.
vif (Fr.) 
Quickly, lively
(noun or adjective) performing with exceptional ability, technique, or artistry
vite (Fr.) 
vittorioso 
Victoriously
vivace 
Very lively, up-tempo
vivacissimo 
Very lively
vivamente 
Quickly and lively
vivezza 
Liveliness, vivacity
vivo 
Lively, intense
or piano-vocal score 
of an , or a vocal or
composition with orchestra (like
or ) where the vocal parts are written out in full but the
is reduced to two
and adapted for playing on
voce 
volante 
volti subito (V.S.) 
Turn suddenly (i.e. turn the page quickly). While this indication is sometimes added by printers, it is more commonly indicated by orchestral members in pencil as a reminder to quickly turn to the next page.
wenig (Ger.) 
A little, not much
wolno (Pol.) 
Loose, slowly
Z?hlzeit (Ger.) 
zart (Ger.) 
Zartheit (Ger.) 
Tenderness
z?rtlich (Ger.) 
Zeichen (Ger.) 
Sign, mark
Zeitmass or Zeitmass (Ger.) 
Time-measure (i.e. tempo)
zelo, zeloso, zelosamente 
Zeal, zealous, zealously
ziehen (Ger.) 
To draw out
ziemlich (Ger.) 
Fairly, quite, rather
zitternd (Ger.) 
Trembling (i.e. tremolando)
z?gernd (Ger.) 
Hesitantly, delaying (i.e. rallentando)
zurückhalten (Ger.) 
Collins Music Encyclopedia, 1959.
"Capriccio" in The Harvard Dictionary of Music, ed. ,
. www.musictheory.org.uk.
by Sasha Newborn, August 1994, at
Sussman, R
(2012). "Muted Brass". Jazz Composition and Arranging in the Digital Age. Oxford University Press. p. 156.  .
The modern usage is L'istesso. See measures 4 and 103 of Star Wars: Main Title, in Williams, John (1997). Star wars: Suite for Orchestra. Milwaukee: Hal Leonard Corp.  .
Cole, R Schwartz, Ed.
Virginia Tech Multimedia Music Dictionary. Archived from
on April 1, 2013.
Eric Blom. "Ravvivando". In L. Root, Deane. . Oxford University Press. (subscription required)
; ; American Heritage Dictionary, 4 , Music Notation, 2nd edition, p. 282.
; Oxford American Dictionary; Collins English Dictionary.
Hummel, quoted in Rudolf, Max (2001). A Musical Life: Writings and Letters, p.125. Pendragon.  .
Gossett, Philip, Divas and Scholars: Performing Italian Opera Chicago: University of Chicago, 2006  , p. 618
, Dolmetsch Online
Cole, R Schwartz, Ed (October 22, 2012). .
Department of Music. Archived from
on July 15, 2014.
: Hidden categories: