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350 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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a, à (Fr)
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at, to, by, for, in, in the style of
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aber (Ger)
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but
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a bene placido
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up to the performer
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a cappella
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in the manner of singing in a chapel; i.e., without instrumental accompaniment
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accelerando
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accelerating; gradually increasing the tempo
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accentato
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accented; with emphasis
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acciaccatura
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crushing; i.e., a very fast grace note that is "crushed" against the note that follows and takes up no value in the measure
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accompagnato
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accompanied; i.e., with the accompaniment following the soloist, who may speed up or slow down at will
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adagietto
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rather slow
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adagio
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at ease; i.e., slow
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adagissimo
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very slow
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ad libitum
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(commonly ad lib; Latin) – at liberty; i.e., the speed and manner of execution are left to the performer
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a due
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Intended as a duet; for two voices or instruments; together; two instruments are to play in unison, after divisi or a solo passage for one of the instruments
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affettuoso
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with affect (that is, with emotion)
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affectueusement
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with affect (that is, with emotion)
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affrettando
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hurrying, pressing onwards
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agile
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swiftly
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agitato
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agitated
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al, alla
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to the, in the manner of
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alla breve
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two minim (half-note) beats to a bar, rather than four crotchet (quarter-note) beats
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alla marcia
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in the style of a march
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allargando
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broadening, becoming a little slower
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allegretto
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a little lively, moderately fast
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allegro
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cheerful or brisk; but commonly interpreted as lively, fast
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als (Ger)
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than
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altissimo
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very high
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alto
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high; often refers to a particular range of voice, higher than a tenor but lower than a soprano
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am Steg (Ger)
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at the bridge; i.e., playing a bowed string instrument near its bridge
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amabile
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amiable, pleasant
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amoroso
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loving
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andante
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at a walking pace; i.e., at a moderate tempo, just this side of slow
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andantino
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slightly faster than andante (but earlier it sometimes used to mean slightly slower than andante)
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a niente
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to nothing; an indication to make a diminuendo to pppp
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animato
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animated, lively
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antiphon
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a liturgical or other composition consisting of choral responses, sometimes between two choirs; a passage of this nature forming part of another composition
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apaisé (Fr)
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calmed
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a piacere
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at pleasure; i.e., the performer need not follow the rhythm strictly
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appassionato
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passionately
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appoggiatura
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a grace note that "leans" on the following note, taking up some of its value in the measure
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a prima vista
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at first sight; i.e., playing or singing something at first sight of the music sheet
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arco
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the bow used for playing some string instrument; i.e., played with the bow, as opposed to pizzicato (plucked), in music for bowed instruments; normally used to cancel a pizzicato direction
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arietta
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a short aria
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arioso
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airy, or like an air (a melody); i.e., in the manner of an aria; melodious
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assai
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very
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assez (Fr)
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enough, sufficiently; sometimes used in the same sense as assai
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a tempo
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in time; i.e., the performer should return to the main tempo of the piece
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attacca
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attack, or go on; i.e., at the end of a movement, a direction to begin (attack) the next movement immediately, without a gap or pause
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Ausdruck (Ger)
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expression
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ausdrucksvoll (Ger)
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expressively
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avec (Fr)
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with or with another
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barbaro
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barbarous
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basso continuo
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continuous bass; i.e., a bass part played continuously throughout a piece to give harmonic structure, used especially in the Baroque period
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bellicoso
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warlike, aggressive
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ben or bene
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well, as in, for example, ben marcato (meaning "well-marked")
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bewegt (Ger)
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moved, speeded
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bis
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twice
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bisbigliando
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whispering; i.e., a special tremolo effect on the harp where a chord or note is rapidly repeated at a low volume
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bocca chiusa
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with closed mouth
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bravura
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boldness; as in con bravura, boldly
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breit (Ger)
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broad
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brillante
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brilliantly, with sparkle
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brio
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vigour; usually in con brio
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brioso
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vigorously (same as con brio)
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bruscamente
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brusquely
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cadenza
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a solo section, usually in a concerto or similar work, that is used to display the performer's technique, sometimes at considerable length
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calando
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falling away, or lowering; i.e., getting slower and quieter; ritardando along with diminuendo
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calore
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warmth; so con calore, warmly
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cambiare
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to change; i.e., any change, such as to a new instrument
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cantabile or cantando
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in a singing style
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capo
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head; i.e., the beginning (of a movement, normally)
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capriccioso
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capriciously, unpredictable, volatile
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cédez (Fr)
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yield, give way
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cesura or caesura (Latin form)
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break, stop; i.e., a complete break in sound (sometimes called "railroad tracks")
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chiuso
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closed; i.e., muted by hand (horn)
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coda
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a tail; i.e., a closing section appended to a movement
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codetta
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a small coda, but usually applied to a passage appended to a section of a movement, not to a whole movement
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col, colla
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with the (col before a masculine noun, colla before a feminine noun); (see next for example)
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colla parte
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with the soloist
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colla voce
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with the voice
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col legno
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with the wood; i.e., the strings (for example, of a violin) are to be struck with the wood of the bow; also battuta col legno: beaten with the wood
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coloratura
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coloration; i.e., elaborate ornamentation of a vocal line, or (especially) a soprano voice suited to such elaboration
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colossale
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tremendously
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col pugno
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with the fist; i.e., bang the piano with the fist
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come prima
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like the first (time); i.e., as before, typically referring to an earlier tempo
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come sopra
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as above; i.e., like the previous tempo (usually)
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comodo
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(or, commonly but less correctly, commodo) – comfortable; i.e., at moderate speed; also, allegro comodo, tempo comodo, etc
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con
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with; used in very many musical directions, for example con allegrezza (with liveliness), con amore (with tenderness); (see also col, colla, above)
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con amore
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with love, tenderly
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con affetto
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with affect (that is, with emotion)
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con brio
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with spirit, with vigour
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con dolore
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with sadness
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con (gran, molto) espressione
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with (great, much) expression
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con fuoco
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with fire, in a fiery manner
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con larghezza
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with broadness; broadly
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con moto
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with motion
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con slancio
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with enthusiasm
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con sordino, or con sordine
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with a mute; or with mutes
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coperti
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covered; i.e., on a drum, muted with a cloth
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crescendo
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growing; i.e., progressively louder
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da capo
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from the head; i.e., from the beginning
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D.S. al coda or dal segno al coda
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from the sign to the coda; i.e., return to a place in the music designated by the sign and continue until directed to move to the coda, a separate ending section
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D.S. al fine or dal segno al fine
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from the sign to the end; i.e., return to a place in the music designated by the sign (see preceding entry) and continue to the end of the piece
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deciso
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decisively
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decrescendo or decresc.
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same as diminuendo or dim.
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delicatamente or delicato
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delicately
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devoto
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religiously
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diminuendo, dim.
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dwindling; i.e., with gradually decreasing volume (same as decrescendo)
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dissonante
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dissonant
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divisi or div.
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divided
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dolce
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sweetly
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dolcissimo
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very sweetly
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dolente
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sorrowfully, plaintively
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doloroso
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sorrowfully, plaintively
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double stop
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the act of playing two notes simultaneously on a melodic percussion instrument or stringed instrument
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D.S.
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Dal Segno
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Dur (Ger)
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major; used in key signatures as, for example, A-Dur (A major)
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dynamics
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refers to the relative volumes in the execution of a piece of music
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eco
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the Italian word for "echo"; an effect in which a group of notes is repeated, usually more softly, and perhaps at a different octave, to create an echo effect
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ein wenig (Ger)
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a little
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Empfindung (Ger)
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feeling
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encore (Fr)
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again; i.e., perform the relevant passage once more
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en dehors (Fr)
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prominently
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energico
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energetic, strong
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enfatico
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emphatically
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en pressant (Fr)
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hurrying forward
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en retenant (Fr)
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slowing
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eroico
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heroically
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espirando
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expiring; i.e., dying away
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espressivo or espr
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expressively
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estinto
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extinct, extinguished; i.e., as soft as possible, lifeless
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etwas (Ger)
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somewhat
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facile
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easily, without fuss
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fermata
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finished, closed; i.e., a rest or note is to be held for a duration that is at the discretion of the performer or conductor
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feroce
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ferociously
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feurig (Ger)
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fiery
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fieramente
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proudly
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fine
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the end, often in phrases like al fine (to the end)
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flebile
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mournfully
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focoso or fuocoso
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fiery; i.e., passionately
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forte or f (usually)
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strong; i.e., to be played or sung loudly
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fortepiano or fp (usually)
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strong-gentle; i.e., 1. loud, then immediately soft (see dynamics), or 2. an early pianoforte
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fortissimo
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as loudly as possible
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forzando or fz
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see sforzando in this list
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freddo
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cold(ly), depressive or terror emphatizing
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fresco
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freshly
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fuoco
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fire; con fuoco means with fire
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furioso
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furiously
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gaudioso
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with joy
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gentile
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gently
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geschwind (Ger)
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quickly
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getragen (Ger)
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sustainedly
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giocoso or giojoso
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gaily
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giusto
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strictly, exactly, e.g. tempo giusto in strict time
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glissando
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a continuous sliding from one pitch to another
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grandioso
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grandly
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grave
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slowly and seriously
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grazioso
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gracefully
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gustoso
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with gusto
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H (Ger)
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B natural in German; B means B flat
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Hauptstimme (Ger)
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"head" voice, chief part; i.e., the contrapuntal line of primary importance, in opposition to Nebenstimme
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hemiola
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the imposition of a pattern of rhythm or articulation other than that implied by the time signature
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immer (Ger)
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always
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imperioso
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imperiously
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impetuoso
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impetuously
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improvisando
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with improvisation
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improvisato
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improvised, or as if improvised
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in altissimo
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in the highest; i.e., play or sing an octave higher
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incalzando
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getting faster and louder
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insistendo
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insistently, deliberate
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in modo di
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in the art of, in the style of
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intimo
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intimately
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irato
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angrily
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kräftig (Ger)
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strongly
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lacrimoso
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tearfully; i.e., sadly
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lamentando
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lamenting, mournfully
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lamentoso
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lamenting, mournfully
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langsam (Ger)
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slowly
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larghetto
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somewhat slowly; not as slow as largo
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largo
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broadly; i.e., slowly
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lebhaft (Ger)
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briskly, lively
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legato
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joined; i.e., smoothly, in a connected manner
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leggiero
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lightly, delicately
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lent (Fr)
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slowly
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lento
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slowly
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liberamente
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freely
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libero
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free, freely
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l'istesso
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the same
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loco
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place; i.e., perform the notes at the pitch written
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lontano
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from a distance; distantly
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lo stesso
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the same; applied to the manner of articulation, tempo, etc.
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lugubre
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lugubrious, mournful
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luminoso
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luminously
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lusingando
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coaxingly
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ma
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but
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ma non troppo
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but not too much
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maestoso
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majestically, in a stately fashion
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magico
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magically
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magnifico
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magnificent
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main droite (Fr)
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[played with the] right hand (abbreviation: MD or m.d.)
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main gauche (Fr)
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[played with the] left hand (abbreviation: MG or m.g.)
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malinconico
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melancholy
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mano destra
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[played with the] right hand (abbreviation: MD or m.d.)
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mano sinistra
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[played with the] left hand (abbreviation: MS or m.s.)
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marcatissimo
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very accentuatedly
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marcato
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marked
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marcia
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a march; alla marcia means in the manner of a march
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martellato
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hammered out
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marziale
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in the march style
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mässig (Ger)
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moderately
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melancolico
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melancholic
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melisma
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the technique of changing the note (pitch) of a syllable of text while it is being sung
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meno
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less; see meno mosso, for example, under mosso
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mesto
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mournful, sad
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mezza voce
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half voice; i.e., with subdued or moderated volume
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mezzo
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half; used in combinations like mezzo forte
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mezzo forte
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half loudly
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mezzo piano
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half softly
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misterioso
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mysteriously
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mobile
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flexible, changeable
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moderato
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moderate; often combined with other terms, usually relating to tempo; for example, allegro moderato
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modesto
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modest
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moll (Ger)
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minor
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molto
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very
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morendo
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dying; i.e., dying away in dynamics, and perhaps also in tempo
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mosso
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– moved, moving; used with a preceding più or meno (see in this list), for faster or slower respectively
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moto
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motion; usually seen as con moto, meaning with motion or quickly
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munter (Ger)
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lively
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narrante
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narratingly
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naturale or nat.
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natural; i.e., discontinue a special effect, such as col legno, sul tasto, sul ponticello, or playing in harmonics
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N.C.
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No chord, written in the chord row of music notation to show there is no chord being played, and no implied harmony
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Nebenstimme (Ger)
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under part; i.e., a secondary contrapuntal part, always occurring simultaneously with, and subsidiary to, the Hauptstimme
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nicht (Ger)
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not
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nobile or nobilmente
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in a noble fashion
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notes inégales (Fr)
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unequal notes; i.e., a principally Baroque performance practice of applying long-short rhythms to pairs of notes written as equal
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omaggio
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homage, celebration
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ossia
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or instead; i.e., according to some specified alternative way of performing a passage, which is marked with a footnote, additional small notes, or an additional staff
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ostinato
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obstinate, persistent; i.e., a short musical pattern that is repeated throughout an entire composition or portion of a composition
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ottava
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octave; e.g. ottava bassa: an octave lower
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parlando or parlante
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like speech, enunciated
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Partitur (Ger)
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full orchestral score
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passionato
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passionately
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pastorale
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in a pastoral style, peaceful and simple
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pausa
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rest
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pedale
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pedal
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perdendosi
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dying away
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pesante
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heavy, ponderous
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peu à peu (Fr)
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little by little
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pianissimo or pp
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very gently; i.e., perform very softly
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piano or p (usually)
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gently; i.e., played or sung softly
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piacevole
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pleasant
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piangevole
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plaintive
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più
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more
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pizzicato
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pinched, plucked; i.e., in music for bowed strings
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pochettino or poch.
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very little
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poco
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a little, as in poco più allegro
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poco a poco
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little by little
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poi
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then, indicating a subsequent instruction in a sequence; diminuendo poi subito fortissimo, for example: getting softer then suddenly very loud
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portamento
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carrying; i.e., 1. generally, sliding in pitch from one note to another
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portato
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carried; i.e., non-legato, but not as detached as staccato (same as portamento)
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posato
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settled
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precipitato
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precipitately
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prestissimo
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extremely quickly, as fast as possible
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presto
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very quickly
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prima volta
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the first time
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primo or prima
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first
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saltando
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bouncing the bow as in a staccato arpeggio, literally means "jumping"
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sanft (Ger)
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gently
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scherzando, scherzoso
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playfully
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scherzo
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a joke; i.e., a musical form, originally and usually in fast triple time
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schleppen (Ger)
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to drag; usually nicht schleppen ("don't drag")
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schnell (Ger)
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fast
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schneller (Ger)
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faster
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scordatura
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out of tune; i.e., an alternative tuning used for the strings of a string instrument
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secco, or sec (Fr)
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dry
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segno
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sign, usually Dal Segno (see above) "from the sign"
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segue
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carry on to the next section without a pause
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sehr (Ger)
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very
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semplice
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simply
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sempre
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always
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senza
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without
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senza misura
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without measure
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senza sordina
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without the mute
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serioso
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seriously
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sforzando
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made loud; i.e., a sudden strong accent
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silenzio
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silence; i.e., without reverberations
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simile
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similarly; i.e., continue applying the preceding directive, whatever it was, to the following passage
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slargando or slentando
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becoming broader or slower (that is, becoming more largo or more lento)
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smorzando or smorz.
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dying away, extinguishing or dampening; usually interpreted as a drop in dynamics, and very often in tempo as well
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soave
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smoothly, gently
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solenne
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solemn
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solo, plural soli
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alone; i.e., executed by a single instrument or voice
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sonatina
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a little sonata
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sonatine
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a little sonata, used in some countries instead of sonatina
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sonore
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sonorous
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sordina, sordine
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a mute, or a damper in the case of the piano.
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soprano
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the highest of the standard four voice ranges (bass, tenor, alto, soprano)
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sospirando
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sighing
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sostenuto
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sustained, lengthened
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sotto voce
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under voice; i.e., softly and subdued, as if speaking under one's breath
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spiccato
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distinct, separated; i.e., a way of playing the violin and other bowed instruments by bouncing the bow on the string, giving a characteristic staccato effect
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spiritoso
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spiritedly
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staccato
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making each note brief and detached; the opposite of legato
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stanza
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a verse of a song
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strepitoso
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noisy
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stretto
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tight, narrow; i.e., faster or hastening ahead
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stringendo
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tightening, narrowing; i.e., with a pressing forward or acceleration of the tempo
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subito
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suddenly
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sul ponticello
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on the bridge
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sul tasto
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on the fingerboard
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tacet
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silent; do not play
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tempo
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time; i.e., the overall speed of a piece of music
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tempo di marcia
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march tempo
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tempo di valse
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waltz tempo
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tempo giusto
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in strict time
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tempo primo, tempo uno, or tempo I
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resume the original speed
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teneramente
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tenderly
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tenerezza
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tenderness
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tenor
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the second lowest of the standard four voice ranges
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tenuto
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held; i.e., touch on a note slightly longer than usual
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tranquillo
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calmly, peacefully
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tremolo
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shaking; i.e., a rapid repetition of the same note, or an alternation between two or more notes.
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tre corde or tc
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three strings
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troppo
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too much; usually seen as non troppo, meaning moderately
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tutti
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all; i.e., all together
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un, uno, or una
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one, as for example in the following entries
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una corda
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one string
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un poco
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a little
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unisono or unis (Fr)
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in unison
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veloce
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with velocity
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velocissimo
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as quickly as possible; usually applied to a cadenza-like passage or run
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vibrato
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vibrating; i.e., a more or less rapidly repeated slight alteration in the pitch of a note
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vittorioso
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victoriously
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virtuoso
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performing with exceptional ability, technique, or artistry
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vivo
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lively
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vivace
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very lively, up-tempo
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vivacissimo
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very lively
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voce
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voice
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volante
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flying
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V.S. (volti subito)
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turn suddenly; i.e., turn the page quickly
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wenig (Ger)
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a little, not much
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Zählzeit (Ger)
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beat
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zart (Ger)
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tender
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Zartheit (Ger)
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tenderness
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zärtlich (Ger)
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tenderly
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Zeichen (Ger)
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sign
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Zeitmaß, also spelled Zeitmass (Ger)
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time-measure, i.e., tempo
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zelo, zeloso, zelosamente
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zeal, zealous, zealously
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ziehen (Ger)
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to draw out
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zitternd (Ger)
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trembling; i.e., tremolando
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zögernd (Ger)
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doubtful, delaying; i.e., rallentando
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