Performance Directions
TERMS
MEANING
Accelerando, accel. Getting gradually faster
Adagio At ease. Slow (not as slow as largo but slower than andante)
Allegretto Fairly quick, but not quite as quick as allegro
Allegro Quick
Andante At a walking pace
Animato Animated, lively
Arco Bow
Articulation Musical shaping and phrasing. E.g. Staccato/legato
Cantabile In a singing style
Crescendo, cresc. (<) Gradually getting louder
Da capo, D.C. Repeat from the beginning until you reach the word fine
(end)
Dal segno, D.S. Repeat from the sign until you reach the word fine (end)
Decrescendo, decresc.( >) Gradually getting quieter
Diminuendo, dim.( >) Gradually getting quieter
Dolce Sweetly
Dynamics Volume. E.g. p, mf, f, cresc.
Forte, f Loud
Fortissimo, ff Very loud
G.P General Pause
Largo Broad, slow, stately
Legato Smooth
Lento Slow
Maestoso Majestic
Meno Less
Mezzo forte, mf Moderately loud
Mezzo piano, mp Moderately quiet
Misterioso Mysteriously
Moderato At a moderate speed
Mosso Moved. Eg. Meno mosso means less moved, i.e. slower
Piano Quiet
Pianissimo, pp Very quiet
Più More. E.g. più forte means louder
Pizzicato, pizz. Plucked
Poco A little
Presto Quick. Faster than allegro.
Rallentando, rall. Gradually getting slower
Ritardando, ritard., rit. Gradually getting slower
Ritenuto, riten., rit. Held back immediately, not gradually like rall. or ritard.
Staccato, stacc. Detached, short
Sforzando/sforzato, sf, sfz Accented/forced
Sfp Sforzando immediately followed by piano
Tempo Time(s). The speed at which the piece of music is
performed.
