Last modified on July 28, 2016, at 15:29

Difference between revisions of "Musical terms"

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Commonly used terms are:
 
Commonly used terms are:
:'''Adagio''' - slow<br>
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:'''[[Adagio]]''' - slow
:'''Adagissimo''' - very slow<br>
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:'''Adagissimo''' - very slow
:'''Afettuoso''' - effectionate, with tender emotion<br>
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:'''Afettuoso''' - affectionate, with tender emotion
:'''Agitato''' - agitated, restless and wild<br>
+
:'''Agitato''' - agitated, restless and wild
:'''Alleggretto''' - moderaltely quick movement, somewhat slower than ''allegro''<br>
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:'''Allegretto''' - moderately quick movement, somewhat slower than ''allegro''
:'''Alleggro''' - lively (sometimes used with other qualifiers)<br>
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:'''Allegro''' - lively (sometimes used with other qualifiers)
:'''Andante''' - a moderate tempo (walking pace)<br>
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:'''Andante''' - a moderate tempo (walking pace)
:'''Forte''' - loud<br>
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:'''Assai''' - very (as in "allegro assai" = very lively)
:'''Fortissimo''' - very loud<br>
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:'''Brio''' - brilliant; usually "con brio" = with vivacity, energy, fire
:'''Largetto''' - slow and broad but less so than ''largo''<br>
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:'''Cantabile''' - singable
:'''Largo''' - slow and broad<br>
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:'''Forte''' - loud
:'''Piano''' - soft, abbreviated<br>
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:'''Fortissimo''' - very loud
:'''Pianissimo''' - very soft and abbreviated<br>
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:'''Grazioso''' - graceful
:'''Presto''' - originally lively, but later the fastest speed in normal use<br>
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:'''Largetto''' - slow and broad but less so than ''largo''
:'''Prestissimo''' - the fastest speed possible<br>
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:'''Largo''' - slow and broad
 +
:'''Lento''' - same as "largo"
 +
:'''Maestoso''' - majestic
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:'''Molto''' - very, much
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:'''Non troppo''' - not too much (as in "allegro non troppo" = lively but not too lively)
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:'''Ostinato''' - a short recurring theme or phase lasting the length of a composition or movement.
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:'''Piano''' - soft, abbreviated
 +
:'''Pianissimo''' - very soft and abbreviated
 +
:'''poco''' - little
 +
:'''Presto''' - originally lively, but later the fastest speed in normal use
 +
:'''Sostenuto''' - sustained
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:'''Prestissimo''' - the fastest speed possible
 
:'''Vivace''' - lively
 
:'''Vivace''' - lively
 +
 +
[[Category:Musical Terms]]
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[[Category:Glossaries]]

Latest revision as of 15:29, July 28, 2016

Classical music often uses Italian terms to describe the mood or tempo of a movement in an orchestral work.

Commonly used terms are:

Adagio - slow
Adagissimo - very slow
Afettuoso - affectionate, with tender emotion
Agitato - agitated, restless and wild
Allegretto - moderately quick movement, somewhat slower than allegro
Allegro - lively (sometimes used with other qualifiers)
Andante - a moderate tempo (walking pace)
Assai - very (as in "allegro assai" = very lively)
Brio - brilliant; usually "con brio" = with vivacity, energy, fire
Cantabile - singable
Forte - loud
Fortissimo - very loud
Grazioso - graceful
Largetto - slow and broad but less so than largo
Largo - slow and broad
Lento - same as "largo"
Maestoso - majestic
Molto - very, much
Non troppo - not too much (as in "allegro non troppo" = lively but not too lively)
Ostinato - a short recurring theme or phase lasting the length of a composition or movement.
Piano - soft, abbreviated
Pianissimo - very soft and abbreviated
poco - little
Presto - originally lively, but later the fastest speed in normal use
Sostenuto - sustained
Prestissimo - the fastest speed possible
Vivace - lively