Abrsm Music Theory Terms, Grades 1-2

Front 1

accelerando (or accel.)

Back 1

gradually getting quicker

Front 2

adagio

Back 2

slow

Front 3

allegretto

Back 3

fairly quick (but not as quick as allegro)

Front 4

allegro

Back 4

quick (literally "cheerful")

Front 5

andante

Back 5

at a medium "walking" speed

Front 6

cantabile

Back 6

in a singing style

Front 7

crescendo (or cresc.)

Back 7

gradually getting louder

Front 8

da capo (or D.C.)

Back 8

repeat from the beginning

Front 9

dal segno (or D.S.)

Back 9

repeat from the sign

Front 10

decrescendo (or decresc.)

Back 10

gradually getting quieter

Front 11

diminuendo (or dim.)

Back 11

gradually getting quieter

Front 12

fine

Back 12

the end

Front 13

f (forte)

Back 13

loud

Front 14

ff (fortissimo)

Back 14

very loud

Front 15

legato

Back 15

smoothly

Front 16

lento

Back 16

slow

Front 17

mezzo

Back 17

half

Front 18

mf (mezzo forte)

Back 18

moderately loud (literally "half" loud)

Front 19

mp (mezzo piano)

Back 19

moderately quiet (literally "half" quiet)

Front 20

moderato

Back 20

moderately (ex: allegro moderato = moderately quick)

Front 21

p (piano)

Back 21

quiet

Front 22

pp (pianissimo)

Back 22

very quiet

Front 23

poco

Back 23

a little

Front 24

rallentando (or rall.)

Back 24

gradually getting slower

Front 25

ritardando (or ritard. or rit.)

Back 25

gradually getting slower

Front 26

ritenuto (or riten. or rit.)

Back 26

held back

Front 27

staccato (or stacc.)

Back 27

detached

Front 28

tempo

Back 28

speed, time (ex: a tempo = in time)

Front 29

fermata

Back 29

pause on note or rest

Front 30

repeat marks

Back 30

at the second sign, go back to the first sign and repeat the music from there (the first sign is left out if the music is repeated from the beginning)

Front 31

8va (ottava)

Back 31

If above notes, perform an octave higher; if below notes, perform an octave lower

Front 32

a

Back 32

at, to, by, for, in, in the style of

Front 33

al, alla

Back 33

to the, in the manner of (ex: alla marcia = in the style of a march)

Front 34

allargando

Back 34

broadening (getting a little slower and probably a little louder)

Front 35

andantino

Back 35

slightly faster than andante (but may also mean slightly slower)

Front 36

assai

Back 36

very (ex: allegro assai = very quick)

Front 37

con, col

Back 37

with

Front 38

dolce

Back 38

sweet, soft

Front 39

e, ed

Back 39

and

Front 40

espressivo (or espress. or espr.)

Back 40

expressive

Front 41

fp (fortepiano)

Back 41

loud, then immediately soft

Front 42

giocoso

Back 42

playful, merry

Front 43

grave

Back 43

very slow, solemn

Front 44

grazioso

Back 44

graceful

Front 45

larghetto

Back 45

rather slow (but not as slow as largo)

Front 46

largo

Back 46

slow, stately

Front 47

ma

Back 47

but

Front 48

maestoso

Back 48

majestic

Front 49

meno

Back 49

less

Front 50

molto

Back 50

very, much

Front 51

mosso, moto

Back 51

movement (ex: meno mosso = slower, con moto = with movement)

Front 52

non

Back 52

not

Front 53

più

Back 53

more

Front 54

presto

Back 54

fast (faster than allegro)

Front 55

senza

Back 55

without

Front 56

sf, sfz (sforzando or sforzato)

Back 56

forced, accented

Front 57

simile (or sim.)

Back 57

in the same way

Front 58

sostenuto

Back 58

sustained

Front 59

tenuto

Back 59

held

Front 60

troppo

Back 60

too much (ex: non troppo = not too much)

Front 61

vivace, vivo

Back 61

lively, quick

Front 62

Marcato (^ sign)

Back 62

very strong accent

Front 63

Staccatissimo

Back 63

note is to be played as briefly as possible and perhaps accented as well