Music Theory - Grade 1 - Terms and Signs

As students, we should have a knowledge of these simple Italian words and signs. These are all likely to be found in musical notation for Grade 1. There are a total of 8 Grades.

A tempo ------> Resume the normal speed (after a diversion)

Accelerando --> Becoming gradually faster.

accel.

Adagio -------> Slow, leisurely.

Allargando ---> Broadening out, often with an increase of tone.

Allegretto ---> (lit. a little allegro) Slightly slower than Allegro.

Allegro ------> Lively, reasonably fast.

Andante ------> (lit. walking) At a moderate pace.

Andantino ----> (lit. a little andante) This word has two opposite meanings; 

                 either a little slower or a little faster than Andante.

Arco ---------> (this is for string players) With the bow; a contradiction of pizzicato

Brillante ----> Sparkling, brilliant

Brio ---------> Vigour

Cantabile ----> In a singing style

Capo ---------> (lit. head) The beginning

Col, Colla ---> With the

Con ----------> With

Con moto -----> With movement

Con sordini --> With the mutes (see sordini)

Corda --------> A string (see una corda, tre corde)

Crescendo ----> Becoming gradually louder

Cresc.

Da -----------> From, of

Da Capo ------> From the beginning

D.C.

Dal Segno ----> From the sign: 

Decrescendo --> Becoming gradually softer

Diminuendo ---> Becoming gradually softer

Dim.

Dolce --------> Sweetly

Espressivo ---> With expression, with feeling

Espress.

Fine ---------> The end [D.C. al fine; back to the beginning and finish at the word fine]

Forte --------> Loud or strong

f 

Fortissimo ---> Very loud

ff

Forzando -----> With a strong accent

fz or sfz

Giocoso ------> Merry

Grave --------> Very slow

Grazioso -----> Gracefully

Largo --------> Slow and stately, broad

Larghetto ----> Less slow than Largo

Legato -------> Smoothly

Leggiero -----> Lightly

Lento --------> Slowly

Maestoso -----> Majestically

M.D. (It.) 

   Mano destra.---> Right hand

M.S. (It.) 

   Mano sinistra -> Left hand

Marcato ------> Marked, accented

Meno ---------> Less

Meno mosso ---> Less movement

Mezzo forte --> Moderately Loud

mf 

Mezzo piano --> Moderately soft

mp

Misterioso ---> Mysteriously

Molto --------> Much

Ossia --------> Or. The word indicates an alternative version

Ped. ---------> Depress the sustaining pedal of the pianoforte

Perfendosi ---> Dying away

Pesante ------> Heavily

Piacevole ----> Pleasing

Pianoissimo --> Very soft

pp

Piano --------> Soft

p

Pizzicato ----> Plucked (in string music)

Pizz.

Più ----------> More

Poco ---------> A little

Poco a poco --> Little by little (gradually)

Presto -------> Very quick

Prestissimo --> As fast as possible

Rallentando --> Becoming gradually slower

Rall.

Risoluto -----> Boldly

Ritardando ---> Becoming gradually slower

Ritard

Ritenuto (rit.)--> Hold back (i.e. slower at once)

Ritmico ------> Rhythmically

Scherzo ------> A joke

Scherzando ---> Playfully

Segno --------> a sign:  (see dal segno)

Sempre -------> Always

Senza --------> Without

Sforzando ----> With a sudden accent

sf or sfz

Simile -------> In a similar manner

Sordini ------> Mutes. Con sordi: with mutes, a direction for string or brass players. 

                Senza sordini: without mutes

Stacato ------> Short, detached

Stacc.

Stringendo ---> Gradually faster

Subito -------> Suddenly

Tempo --------> The speed of the music.

Tempo di Gavotta ---> In the time (and style) of a Gavotte

Tempo Primo --> Resume the original speed

Tempo 1

Tenito -------> Held

Ten.

Tranquillo ---> Quietly

Tre corde ----> (lit. Three strings) Release the left (soft) pedal of the pianoforte

Troppo -------> Too much

Una corda ----> (lit. One string) Depress the left (soft) pedal of the piano forte

Vivance ------> Lively, quick

Signs

This is slightly difficult to do as most things are difficult to simply type in due to the fact that they’re symbols... so these are the ones I am able to show to you.

>   -----------> Accent

⁀   -----------> Slur (smooth)

♩ = 88 --------> 88 crotchets to the minute

< > -----------> Getting louder, then softer

⌒  -----------> Phrase mark

♩‿♫ -----------> Tie or bind

♩ ------> Give prominence

Ped. Or Ped___________| --->Depress sustaining pedal, then release

||:   :|| ----> The section is to be repeated

| ♩ ♩ | ♩ ♩ | ♫ ♫ || ---> Bar lines and Double Bar

V   -----------> For String Players  --> Up Bow

Remember, this stuff is for complete beginners to fully remember in order to pass their grading. Don't force these into you head, take your time and test yourself on them. Just like you would with spelling tests back in the day. So take your time! Good luck!

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