Music Theory - Italian Music Phrases

Front 1

col, coll', colla, colle

Back 1

with (coll'ottava = with added octave)

Front 2

ad libitum

Back 2

At the liberty of the performer

Front 3

Adagio

Back 3

A slow tempo (faster than largo, slower than andante)

Front 4

alla, all'

Back 4

in the manner of

Front 5

allargando / allarg.

Back 5

broadening, becoming slower

Front 6

allegretto

Back 6

fairly fast (slower than allegro)

Front 7

allegro

Back 7

fast

Front 8

andante

Back 8

moderately slow / walking pace

Front 9

andantino

Back 9

faster than andante

Front 10

animato

Back 10

lively; animated

Front 11

arco

Back 11

String instruments: resume bowing after pizzicato

Front 12

assai

Back 12

much; very much (allegro assai = very fast)

Front 13

attacca

Back 13

proceed without a break

Front 14

ben, bene

Back 14

well (ben marcato = well marked)

Front 15

bewegt

Back 15

moving

Front 16

calando

Back 16

becoming slower and softer

Front 17

cedez

Back 17

yield, hold tempo back

Front 18

comodo

Back 18

At a nice easy tempo

Front 19

con

Back 19

with

Front 20

con fuoco

Back 20

with fire

Front 21

con moto

Back 21

with movement

Front 22

crescendo / cresc.

Back 22

becoming louder

Front 23

dolente

Back 23

sad

Front 24

e, ed

Back 24

and

Front 25

giocoso

Back 25

humourous

Front 26

grazioso

Back 26

graceful

Front 27

langsam

Back 27

slow/slowly

Front 28

largamente

Back 28

broadly

Front 29

larghetto

Back 29

slightly faster than largo

Front 30

largo

Back 30

very slow

Front 31

leger

Back 31

light, lightly

Front 32

leggeiro

Back 32

light, nimble, quick

Front 33

lentement

Back 33

slowly

Front 34

lento

Back 34

slow

Front 35

l'istesso tempo

Back 35

the same tempo

Front 36

loco

Back 36

return to normal register

Front 37

ma

Back 37

but (ma non troppo = but not too much)

Front 38

maestoso

Back 38

majestic

Front 39

mano destra, M.D.

Back 39

right hand

Front 40

mano sinistra, M.S.

Back 40

left hand

Front 41

martellato

Back 41

strongly accented, hammered

Front 42

massig

Back 42

moderate, moderately

Front 43

meno

Back 43

less

Front 44

meno mosso

Back 44

less movement, slower

Front 45

mesto

Back 45

sad, mournful

Front 46

mit

Back 46

with

Front 47

mit Austruck

Back 47

with expression

Front 48

moderato / modere

Back 48

at a moderate tempo

Front 49

molto

Back 49

very, much

Front 50

morendo

Back 50

dying, fading away

Front 51

mouvement

Back 51

tempo, notation

Front 52

non

Back 52

not

Front 53

non troppo

Back 53

not too much

Front 54

pesante

Back 54

weighty, with emphasis

Front 55

piu

Back 55

more

Front 56

pio mosso

Back 56

more movement

Front 57

poco

Back 57

little

Front 58

poco a poco

Back 58

little by little

Front 59

prestissimo

Back 59

as fast as possible

Front 60

primo, prima

Back 60

first, the upper part of a duet

Front 61

quasi

Back 61

almost, as if

Front 62

rallentando, rall

Back 62

slowing down

Front 63

risoluto

Back 63

resolute

Front 64

ritenuto

Back 64

suddenly slower, held back

Front 65

rubato

Back 65

with freedom of tempo to enhance musical expression

Front 66

scherzando

Back 66

playful

Front 67

secondo, seconda

Back 67

second, lower part of a duet

Front 68

sehr

Back 68

very

Front 69

semplice

Back 69

simple

Front 70

sempre

Back 70

always, continuously

Front 71

simile

Back 71

continue in the same manner as previously indicated

Front 72

sonore

Back 72

sonorous

Front 73

sopra

Back 73

above

Front 74

sotto voce

Back 74

soft, subdued, under the breath

Front 75

tempo primo

Back 75

return to the original tempo

Front 76

troppo

Back 76

too much

Front 77

vite

Back 77

fast

Front 78

vivace

Back 78

lively, brisk

Front 79

vivo

Back 79

lively

Front 80

volta

Back 80

time (prima volta = first time)

Front 81

volti subito, v.s.

Back 81

turn the page quickly