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a capella [It.] choral music without instrumental accompaniment
adagio [It.] slow, at ease (not as slow as largo); a slow movement is usually called an "Adagio"
adagissimo [It.] extremely slow
allegretto, allegro [It.] bright, lively, quick
andante [It.] moving along, flowing; not slow, but moderate (between allegretto and adagio)
appassionata [It.] impassioned
assai [It.] very
bewegt [G.] moved
cantabile [It.] singingly
con brio [It.] with spirit
con moto [It.] with motion; quickly
concerto a composition for orchestra and (typically) a solo instrument. An essential feature of such works is the contrast between passages dominated by the soloist and passages for the orchestra alone.
feierlich [G.] solemn
forte [It., abbr. fJ loud
fortissimo [It., abbr. ffj very loud
gemessen [G.] measured; moderate
grazioso [It.] gracefully
kraftig [G.] forceful, energetic, vigorous
langsam [G.] slow
largo [It.] very slow, broad; slower than adagio
larghetto [It.] slightly faster than largo
legato [It.] to be played without any perceptible interruption between the notes
lento [It.] slow
maestoso [It.] majestically
massig [G.] moderate
mehr [G.] more
meno [It.] less
mezza voce [It.] "half voice;" with restrained volume of tone
mezzo forte [It., abbr. mf] half loud
mezzo piano [It., abbr. mp] half soft
minuet a French country dance introduced at the court of Louis XIV. It quickly spread through Europe and established a new period of dance music, superseding the older types (courantes, pavanes).
moderato [It.] moderate speed
molto [It.] very
mosso [It.] moved, animated
non troppo [It.] not too much
piano [It., abbr. p] soft
pianissimo [It., abbr. pp] very soft
piu [It.] more
pizzicato [It.] for violins and other bowed stringed instruments, indication that the string is to be plucked with the finger
poco [It.] little
presto [It.] very fast
quasi [It.] almost, nearly rondo symmetrical, or round form, in which the repetition of the principal theme is in alteration with other themes
scherzo [It., joke] playful, often humorous movement with surprises of rhythm and sharp contrasts; developed from the minuet, but replacing its stateliness for a more light, charming form
schleppen [G.] to drag
schnell [G.] fast
sehr [G.] very
sonata a composition for piano (piano sonata) or for violin, cello, flute, etc., usually with piano accompaniment, that typically consists of three or four movements. Almost all features of the sonata are also found in other types of instrumental music.
sostenuto [It.] sustained
staccato [It.] detached
stiirmisch [G.] stormy, passionate
suite an instrumental form in baroque music consisting of a number of movements, each in the character of a dance and all in the same key; also, any work consisting of several movements of varying character drawn from a larger work such as an opera or ballet.
symphonic poem also called a tone poem, a type of orchestral music based on an extramusical idea, either poetic or realistic symphony a composition for symphony orchestra in the form of a sonata
vivace [It.] lively
ziemlich [G.] rather
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