A Music Dictionary - Principal Words Used In Modern Music

List of the Principal Words used in Modern Music
A B C D E F G H K L M N O P Q R S T U V

A Accelerando (accel.) Accent Adagio Ad libitum (ad lib) A due ( a 2 ) Agitato Al or Alla Alla Marcia Allegretto Allegro Allegro assai Amoroso Andante Andantino Anima, Con/Animato A piacere Appassionato Arpeggio Assai A tempo Attacca	to, in or at; a tempo, in time Gradually increasing the speed Emphasis on certain parts of the measure Slowly leisurely At pleasure; not in strict time To be played by both instruments Restless, with agitation In the style of In the style of a March Diminutive of allegro; moderately fast, lively; faster than andante; slower than allegro Lively; brisk rapid Very rapidly Affectionately In moderately slow time Diminutive of andante; strictly slower than andante, but often used in the reverse sense With animation At pleasure; equivalent to ad libitum Impassioned A broken chord Very; allegro assai, very rapidly In the original tempo Attack or begin what follows without pausing

Barcarolle Bis Bravura Brillante Brio, Con	A Venetian boatman's song Twice, repeat the passage Brilliant; bold; spirited Showy, sparkling, brilliant With much spirit

Cadenza Cantabile Canzonetta Capriccio a Cavatina Chord Coda Col or con Crescendo (cresc.)	An elaborate, florid passage introduced as an embellishment In a singing style A short song or air At pleasure, ad libitum An air, shorter and simpler than the aria, and in one division without Da Capo The harmony of three or more tones of different pitch produced simultaneously A supplement at the end of a composition With Swelling; increasing in loudness

DA or dal Da Capo (D.C.) Dal Segno (D.S.) Decrescendo (decresc.) Diminuendo (dim.) Divisi Dolce (dol.) Dolcissimo Dominant Duet or Duo	From From the beginning From the sign Decreasing in strength Gradually softer Divided, each part to be played by a separate instrument Softly, sweetly Very sweetly and softly the fifth tone in the major or minor scale A composition for two performers

E Elegante Energico Enharmonic Espressivo	And Elegant, graceful With energy, vigorously Alike in pitch, but different in notation With expression

Finale Fine Forte ( f ) Forte-piano ( fp) Fortissimo (ff) Forzando ( fz<) Forza Fuoco, con	The concluding movement The end Loud Accent strongly, diminishing instantly to piano Very loud Indicates that a note or chord is to be strongly accented Force of tone With fire, with spirit

Giocoso Giusto Grandioso Grave Grazioso	Joyously; playfully Exact; in strict time Grand; pompous; majestic Very slowly and solemn Gracefully

*Harmony*	In general, a combination of tones, or chords, producing music
*Key note*	The first degree of the scale, the tonic

Largamente Largo Legato Ledger-line Lento L'istesso tempo Loco	slow, but not so slow as Largo; nearly like Andantino Broad and slow; The slowest tempo-mark Smoothly, the reverse of staccato A small added line above or below the staff Slow, between Andante and Largo In the same time, (or tempo) In place. Play as written, no longer, an octave higher or lower

Ma Ma non troppo Maestoso Maggiore Marcato Meno Meno mosso Mezzo *Mezzo-piano (mp)* *Minore* *Modrato* *Molto* *Morendo* *Mosso* *Moto*	But Lively, but not too much so Majestically; dignified Major Key Marked Less Less quickly Half; moderately Moderately soft Minor Key *Moderately. Allegro moderato, moderately fast* Much; very Dying away *Equivalent to rapid. Piu mosso,* quicker. Motion. Con moto, with animation**

*Non* *Notation*	Not The art of representing musical sounds by means of written characters
*Obbligato* *Opus (Op)* *Ossia* *Ottava (8^va)*	An indispensable part A work. Or; or else. Generally indicating an easier method To be played an octave higher

*Pause ()* *Perdendosi* *Piacere, a* *Pianissimo (pp)* *Piano (p)* *Più* Più Allegro Più tosto *Poco or un poco* *Poco a Poco* *Poco più mosso* *Poco Meno* *Poco più* *Poi* *Pomposo* *Prestissimo* *Presto* *Primo (I^mo)* pizzicato	The sign indicating a pause or rest. Dying away gradually At pleasure Very softly Softly More More quickly Quicker A little Gradually, by degrees; little by little A little faster A little slower A little faster Then; afterwards Pompous; grand As quickly as possible Very quick; faster than Allegro The First playing by plucking the strings

*Quartet* *Quasi* *Quintet*	A piece of music for four performers. As if; in the style of A piece of music for five performers.
*Rallentando (rall...)* *Replica* *Rinforzando* *Ritardando (rit...)* *Risoluto* *Ritenuto*	Gradually slower *Repetition. Senza eplica, without repeats* With Special emphasis Gradually slower and slower Resolutely; bold; energetic In slower time

*Scherzando* *Secondo (2^do)* *Segue* *Semplice* *Senza* *Sforzando (sf)* *Simile or Simili* *Smorzando (smorz)* *Solo* *Sordino* *Sotto* *Spirito* *Staccato* *Stentando* *Stretto or stretta* *Subdominant* *Syncopation*	Playfully; supportively The second singer, instrumentalist or part Follow on in similar style Simply; unaffectedly *Without; Senza sordino* without mute Forcibly; with sudden emphasis In like manner** Diminishing in sound. Equivalent to Morendo *For one performer only. Soli; for all* *A mute. Con sordino, with the mute* *Below; under. Sotto voce, in a subdued tone* *Spirit. con Spirito* with spirit Detached; separate Dragging or retarding the tempo An increase of speed. Più stretto faster The fourth tone in the diatonic scale Change of accent from a strong beat to a weak one**

*Tacet* *Tempo* *Tempo primo* *Tenuto (ten...)* *Thema or Theme* *Tonic* *Tranquillo* *Tremolando, Tremolo* *Trio* Triplet Troppo Tutti	"In silent" Signified that an instrument or vocal part, so marked, is omitted during the movement or number in question Movement; rate of speed. Return to the original speed. Held for the full value. The subject or melody. The key note of any scale. Quietly A tremulous fluctuation of tone. A piece of music for three performers. A group of three notes to be performed I the time of two of equal value in regular rhythm. Too; too much. Allegro, ma non troppo, not too quickly. All; all the instruments.

Un *Una corda*	A, one, an. On one string.
Variatione Veloce *Vibrato* *Vivace* *Vivo* *Volti Subito V.S.*	The transformation of a melody by means of harmonic, rhythmic and melodic changes and embellishments. Quick, rapid, swift. A wavering tone-effect, which should be sparingly used. With vivacity; bright; spirited. Lively; spirited Turn over quickly.