Italian Music Terms Group 3

Front 1

a cappella

Back 1

unaccompanied (referring to choral music)

Front 2

a piacere

Back 2

at pleasure, meaning the performer not bound to follow the given rhythm exactly

Front 3

a punto d'arco

Back 3

Use the bow at the point

Front 4

al tallone

Back 4

Use the bow at the heel

Front 5

alt

Back 5

high (vocal music refers to notes in the octave above the treble stave)

Front 6

arco

Back 6

bow of a string instrument (used after pizzicato section)

Front 7

attacca

Back 7

go straight on, indicating a move onto the next section

Front 8

bis

Back 8

twice (repeat the passage)

Front 9

bravura

Back 9

skill, brilliance

Front 10

col legno

Back 10

with the wood, direction to string player to play with the wood of the bow

Front 11

coll' ottava

Back 11

with the octave, a direction to keyboard player to double notes an octave higher.

Front 12

coll' ottava bassa

Back 12

with the octave, a direction to keyboard player to double notes an octave lower

Front 13

colla parte

Back 13

keep with the soloist, a direction to an accompanist

Front 14

colla voce

Back 14

keep with the soloist, a direction to a singer

Front 15

con alcuna licenza

Back 15

with some freedom

Front 16

con slancio

Back 16

with impetuosity

Front 17

con sordini

Back 17

with mutes

Front 18

divisi, div.

Back 18

divided, direction to orchstral groups to split into groups

Front 19

doloroso

Back 19

sorowful

Front 20

doppio movimento

Back 20

twice as fast

Front 21

eguale

Back 21

equal

Front 22

estinto

Back 22

as soft as possible, lifeless

Front 23

feroce

Back 23

fierce

Front 24

flessibile

Back 24

flexible - i.e not in strict tempo

Front 25

fretta

Back 25

haste

Front 26

giojoso

Back 26

joyful, merry

Front 27

impetuoso

Back 27

impetuous

Front 28

in relievo

Back 28

prominent - lit in relief, a direction to make the melody stand out

Front 29

incalzando

Back 29

getting quicker - lit. pressing forward

Front 30

inquieto

Back 30

restless

Front 31

libermente

Back 31

freely

Front 32

licenza

Back 32

licence, freedom

Front 33

loco

Back 33

at normal pitch (used to cancel 8va)

Front 34

lontano

Back 34

distant

Front 35

lugubre

Back 35

mournful

Front 36

lusingando

Back 36

coaxing; in a sweet, persuasive style

Front 37

m

Back 37

hand (main;mano)

Front 38

m.d.

Back 38

right hand (mano droite)

Front 39

m.s.

Back 39

left hand (mano sinistra)

Front 40

mano

Back 40

hand

Front 41

misura

Back 41

measure

Front 42

muta

Back 42

change

Front 43

naturale, nat.

Back 43

in the ordinary way - return to normal)

Front 44

nuovo

Back 44

new (di nuovo: again)

Front 45

obbligato

Back 45

obligatory

Front 46

ossia

Back 46

or, alternatively

Front 47

parlando

Back 47

speaking, a direction to sing in a conversational style

Front 48

patetico

Back 48

with deep feeling, with pathos

Front 49

pausa

Back 49

a pause

Front 50

pietoso, pietosamente

Back 50

tenderly (lit: pitifully)

Front 51

pizzicato, pizz.

Back 51

plucked, a direction for plucking

Front 52

pochissimo, pochiss.

Back 52

very little

Front 53

poi

Back 53

then

Front 54

ponticello

Back 54

bridge (of a stringed instrument)

Front 55

portamento

Back 55

slide from one note to the next (for voice, strings or trumpet)

Front 56

rigoroso

Back 56

strict

Front 57

rinforzando, rinforzato, rinf., rf

Back 57

reinforcing

Front 58

saltando, saltato

Back 58

springing, bouncing bow technique on strings

Front 59

secco

Back 59

crisp (lit: dry. Do not allow the note to reverberate, suppress as soon as possible)

Front 60

segue

Back 60

go straight on (lit. follow)

Front 61

slancio

Back 61

enthusiasm, impetus

Front 62

slargando, slentando

Back 62

getting slower

Front 63

sonoramente

Back 63

resonant, with a rich tone

Front 64

sordino, sord

Back 64

mute

Front 65

sospirando

Back 65

sighing

Front 66

spiccato

Back 66

detatched (lit. clearly articulated) a bouncing bow technique on stringed instruments)

Front 67

strepitoso

Back 67

noisy, boisterous

Front 68

stretto

Back 68

quickening the speed, also means overlapping entries of a fugue subject)

Front 69

suave

Back 69

gentle, smooth

Front 70

sul G

Back 70

on the G string

Front 71

sul ponticello

Back 71

on the bridge

Front 72

sul, sulla

Back 72

on the

Front 73

tacet (L)

Back 73

silent, a direction that a particular part has nothing to play in a section of music (L)

Front 74

tasto

Back 74

the fingerboard of a stringed instrument

Front 75

tasto solo, T.S.

Back 75

direction to a continuo player not to add anything above the given bass

Front 76

tosto

Back 76

swift, rapid (but often used in the same sense as troppo)

Front 77

tremolando, tremelo, trem.

Back 77

trembling, a direction for the rapid reiterations of a single note or alternations of different notes

Front 78

tutti

Back 78

all, everyone

Front 79

una corda

Back 79

one string, a direction for pianists to press the left pedal

Front 80

una, uno

Back 80

one

Front 81

unisono, unis.

Back 81

in unison, with everyone performing the same notes, a direction that cancels divisi

Front 82

vibrato

Back 82

vibrating

Front 83

volante

Back 83

flying, fast

Front 84

volti subito, V.S.

Back 84

turn (the page) at once