Difference between revisions of "Musical terms"

Revision as of 01:13, July 26, 2012

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)

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

@@ Line 6: / Line 6: @@
 :'''Afettuoso''' - affectionate, with tender emotion<br>
 :'''Agitato''' - agitated, restless and wild<br>
-:'''Alleggretto''' - moderately quick movement, somewhat slower than ''allegro''<br>
+:'''Allegretto''' - moderately quick movement, somewhat slower than ''allegro''<br>
-:'''Alleggro''' - lively (sometimes used with other qualifiers)<br>
+:'''Allegro''' - lively (sometimes used with other qualifiers)<br>
 :'''Andante''' - a moderate tempo (walking pace)<br>
+:'''Assai''' - very (as in "allegro assai" = very lively)<br>
+:'''Brio''' - brilliant; usually "con brio" = with vivacity, energy, fire<br>
+:'''Cantabile''' - singable<br>
 :'''Forte''' - loud<br>
 :'''Fortissimo''' - very loud<br>
+:'''Grazioso''' - graceful<br>
 :'''Largetto''' - slow and broad but less so than ''largo''<br>
 :'''Largo''' - slow and broad<br>
+:'''Lento''' - same as "largo"<br>
+:'''Maestoso''' - majestic<br>
+:'''Molto''' - very, much<br>
+:'''Non troppo''' - not too much (as in "allegro non troppo" = lively but not too lively)<br>
 :'''Piano''' - soft, abbreviated<br>
 :'''Pianissimo''' - very soft and abbreviated<br>
+:'''poco''' - little<br>
 :'''Presto''' - originally lively, but later the fastest speed in normal use<br>
+:'''Sostenuto''' - sustained<br>
 :'''Prestissimo''' - the fastest speed possible<br>
 :'''Vivace''' - lively
 [[Category:Musical terms]]