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Dynamics

Pianissimo (pp) - very soft

Piano (p) - soft

Mezzo piano (mp) - medium soft

Mezzo forte (mf) - medium loud

Forte (mf) - loud

Fortissimo (ff/fff) - very loud

 

Dynamic Modifiers

Calando - with decreasing volume

Crescendo (Cres., <) - gradually louder

Decrescendo (Decres., Diminuendo, >) - gradually softer

Morendo - dying away

Peine entendu - barely audible

Piu - more

Rinforzando (Sforzando, rfz, sfz) - sudden sharp accent

Stinguendo - fading away Tempi (from slow to fast)

Grave - with gravity; solemn; very slow

Largo - broadly; very slow

Larghetto - very slow, but a little faster than Largo

Lento - slow

Adagio - literally means at ease; slowly

Andante - literally means at a walking tempo; moderately

Andantino - a little faster than Andante

Moderato - moderately

Allegro - literally means cheerful; fast

Allegretto - a tempo in between Allegro and Andante

Presto - very fast

Prestissimo - as fast as possible

 

Tempo Modifiers

A tempo - return to normal tempo

Accelerando - accelerate; play faster

Allargando - slowing down and becoming broader

Appoggiando - drawing out, lengthening

Assai - much, as in Allegro Assai; much faster

Cedez - slow down

Con moto - with motion

Dopplo movimento (Doppelt so schnell) - double speed

L'Itesso - the same

Meno - less

Molto - very

Non troppo - not too much

Piu - more

Rallentando (Zuruckhalten, rallentir, ritardando) - slowing down

Rasch - quick

Ritenuto - suddenly slower

Rubato - elastic, flexible tempo

Schnell - faster

Sostenuto - sustained

Stringendo - quickening; with growing excitement

Tempo primo - resume the original or first tempo

Vivace - lively

Vivasissimo - very quick

 

Expressive Markings

Affabile - sweetly and gently

Affetuoso - affectionate, tender

Affretando - hurrying

Agitato - agitated

Animato - lively

Arioso - lyric and expressive

Attaca - attack

Aufgeregt - excited

Ausdrucksvoll - expressively

Bewegt - animated, with motion

Bravura - dash, brilliancy

Cantabile - singing

Capriccioso - whimsical

Comodo - easy, comfortable

Con brio - with vigor

Con calore - with warmth

Con fuoco - with fire

Deutlich - clear, distinct

Dolce - sweet

Doucement - gently

Doulereux - sorrowful

Duramanente - harsh

Eclatante - brilliant, sparkling

Empfindung, mit - with emotion, with feeling

En dehors - emphasized

Entscheiden (Entschlossen) - resolute, determined

Expressivo - expressively

Fastoso - pompous

Fierlich - solemn

Fiero - high spirited; bold

Fleissend (Fleissender) - flowing, more flowing

Frei - free, with freedom

Frolich - joyful

Garbato (con garbo) - graceful, elegant

Gelassen - quiet, calm

Gemachlich - comfortable, leisurely

Gemendo - lamenting

Gesangvoll - songlike, cantabile

Gescgwing - quick, nimble

Giocoso - merry

Giusto - just right, as in Tempo Giusto; strict or fitting tempo

Grazioso - graceful

Gusto - with zest

Hastig - with haste, hurrying

Heftig - violent

Innig - heartfelt, tender

Kraftig - strong, vigorous

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