talian Musical Terms
The majority of musical terms are in Italian, so this page has quite a long list. The other common languages for
musical terms are German and French.
Some of the words below have an audio file attached so you can hear how it is pronounced. Just click on the speaker
icon.
Remember, there is often more than one way to pronounce some words. The examples given here are just one
suggested pronunciation.
Musical Term Abbreviation English Other information and examples of usage
a at; to; by; for; in eg: a tempo = in time (back to the previous speed).
a capella unaccompanied usually in choral music
a piacere at pleasure The performer is not bound to follow the given rhythm
exactly.
accelerando (accel.) gradually getting An increase in the speed of the music.
faster
accento accented;
emphasised
ad libitum (ad lib.) at choice; freely 1) A passage may be performed freely.
2) An instrument in a score may be omitted.
adagietto rather slow Usually a little faster than adagio
adagio slowly Often indicates a speed somewhere between andante and
largo
affabile friendly
affettuoso tenderly
affrettando hurrying
agitato agitated; restless
al; alla in the manner of eg: alla marcia = in the style of a march
alla breve with a minim beat
allargando broadening
allegretto fairly quick Faster than Andante and usually slower than Allegro
allegro fast
alt high "in alt" is used in volcal music to refer to notes in the octave
above the treble stave.
amabile amiable; pleasant
amore love
andante walking speed Moderately slow
andantino like walking speed This can mean either slightly slower or slightly faster than
andante. It is ambiguous.
anima soul; spirit eg: con anima = with spirit
animando becoming more
lively
animato animated; lively
appassionato with passion
arco with the bow An instruction to string players to use the bow.
arioso like an aria Play in the style of an aria (singing)
assai very eg: allegro assai = very fast
attacca go straight on Indicates an immediate move to the next section of music.
ben well
bis twice Indicates the repetition of a short passage.
bravura skill; brilliance
brio vigour eg: con brio = with vigour
calando getting softer; dying Usually includes slowing down
away
cantabile in a singing style
cantando singing
capriccioso in a whimsical or
fanciful style
col; colla; colle with eg: colla voce = with the voice
come as; similar to eg: come prima = as before
comodo convenient eg: tempo comodo = at a comfortable speed
con with eg: con moto = with movement
crescendo (cresc.) gradually getting
louder
da capo (D.C.) from the beginning An instruction to repeat the misc from the beginning.
dal segno (D.S.) from the sign An instruction to repeat the misc from the sign.
deciso with determination
decrescendo (decresc.) gradually getting
softer
delicato delicate
diminuendo (dim.) gradually getting
softer
dolce sweetly eg: dolcissimo = as sweet as possible
dolente sad; mournful
dolore grief eg: doloroso = sorrowful
doloroso sorrowful
doppio movimento twice as fast
e; ed and
energico energetic
espressivo (espr.) expressive
estinto as soft as possible
facile easy
felice happy
fermata pause
feroce fierce
fine the end Often used in conjunction with "da capo" or "dal segno" to
indicate where to end the piece after repeating.
eg: al fine = to the end
flessibile flexible
forte (f) loud; strong
fortepiano (fp) loud then
immediately soft
fortissimo (ff) very loud
forza force eg: forzando (fz) = strongly accented
fretta haste
fuoco fire
furioso furious
giocoso playful; humerous
giojoso joyful; merry
giusto proper; exact
grandioso grandly
grave very slow; solemn
grazioso graceful
impetuoso impetuous
incalzando getting quicker
inquieto restless
in relievo prominent A direction to make the melody stand out.
lacrimoso sad
largamente broadly
larghetto rather slow Slightly faster than largo.
largo rather slow; stately
legato smoothly Indicates no break between notes.
leggiero light; nimble
lento slow
liberamente freely
l'istesso the same eg: l'istesso tempo = at the same speed
loco at the normal pitch Used to cancel an 8va direction. Also used to confirm that
8va is not intended.
lugubre mournful
lunga long eg: lunga pausa = long pause
lusigando coaxing
ma but eg: allegro ma non troppo = quick but not too quick
maestoso majestic
mancando fading away
marcato (marc.) emphatic; accented
marziale in a military style
meno less eg: meno forte = less loud
mesto sad
mezzoforte (mf) moderately loud
mezzopiano (mp) moderately soft
misterioso mysterious
misura measure eg: alla misura = in strict time; senza misura = in free time
moderato moderate speed eg: allegro moderato = moderately fast.
molto very; much eg: allegro molto = very fast
morendo dying away
mosso movement
moto movement
niente nothing
nobilmente nobly
non not
nuovo new e.g. di nuovo = again
obbligato obligatory Indicates that an instrument has a special role and is
essential.
ossia or; alternatively Often used to indicate a simpler version of a difficult passage.
ostinato persistent Generally refers to a persistently repeated rhythmic or
melodic figure.
parlando speaking A direction for a singer to sing in a conversational style.
patetico with deep feeling
pausa pause
per by; for; to
perdendosi dying away
pesante heavy
piacevole pleasant
piangevole plaintive
pianissimo (pp) very soft
piano (p) soft
più more e.g. più forte = louder
pizzicato plucked An instruction to string players to pluck the strings, rather
than bow them.
placido calm; peaceful
pochettino (poch.) rather little
poco a little e.g. poco a poco = little by little
possible possible e.g. presto possible = as fast as possible
precipitando rushing; headlong
presto very fast
prima first (Prima; Primo) e.g. prima volta = first time; tempo primo =
revert to the speed at the beginning of the piece of music
quasi as if; resembling e.g. quasi recitativo = like a recitative
rallentando (rall.) gradually getting
slower
rigoroso strict
rinforzando (rf; rfz) reinforcing
risoluto bold; strong
ritardando (rit.) gradually getting
slower
ritenuto (rit.) held back
ritmico rhythmically
rubato with some freedom
of time
scherzando playful; joking Also scherzoso.
scherzo joke; jest A movement in a piece, generally light and humerous in
nature.
seconda second (Seconda; secondo)
semplice simple; plain
sempre always e.g. sempre staccato = always detached
senza without e.g. senza misura = freely (not in time)
segue go straight on
sforzando (sf; sfz) forced; accented
simile (sim.) in the same way
slargando getting slower
slancio enthusiasm
smorzando (smorz.) dying away Both tone and speed
soave gentle; smooth
solenne solemn; grave
sonoro resonant; with rich
tone
sopra above
sospirando sighing
sostenuto sustained
sotto below eg: sotto voce = in an undertone
spirito spirited
spiritoso spirited
staccato detached
strepitoso noisy; boisterous
stretto quickening the Also means overlapping entries of a fugue subject.
speed
stringendo gradually getting
faster
subito suddenly
tacet silent A direction that a particular part has nothing to play in a
section of music.
tanto so much
tempo speed eg: a tempo = return to the previous speed, after a slowing
down or speeding up.
teneramente tenderly
tenuto held
tosto swift; rapid
tranquillo calm
trionfale triumphant
triste sad; sorrowful
troppo too much eg: allegro ma non troppo = fast, but not too fast.
tutti all; everyone
veloce swift
vigoroso vigorous; strong
vivace lively
vivo lively
voce voice
volante flying; fast
volta time e.g. prima volta = first time
volti subito (V.S.) turn the page at
once
