A battuta with the beat - in strict rhythm

A capella is singing without instrumental accompaniment

A capriccio performer is free to modify the tempo - at liberty to change
A due intended as a duet - for two voice or instruments
A niente to nothing - an indication to make a diminuendo to pppp
A piacere performer is free to modify the tempo - at liberty to change
A piacere at pleasure - the performer need not follow the rhythm strictly
A quatre mains for four hands
A tempo return to the normal state or tempo
A tempo in time
A tempo primo return to the normal state or tempo
A tempo rubato irregularity of rhythm or tempo not indicated on the score
Accelerando indicates a gradual acceleration of tempo with some degree of excitement also
Accentato music is accented - with emphasis
Acciaccatura an ornament in voice
Accompagnamento the accompaniment
Ad lib. performer is free to modify the tempo - at liberty to change
Ad libitum performer is free to modify the tempo - at liberty to change
Adagietto slow tempo
Adagio quite slow tempo
Adagissimo slowest tempo
Affrentando indicates a gradual acceleration of tempo with some degree of excitement also
Agile swiftly
Agitato agitated
Alla in the manner of
Alla capella same as a capella
Alla marcia in the style of a march
Alla zingara in gypsy style
Allargando slower tempo, but more broad power
Allegretto slower than slow tempo
Allegrissimo much faster than allegro
Allegro moderately slow tempo
Allegro (ma) no presto an allegro movement, but not too rapid
Allegro (ma) no troppo an allegro movement, but not too rapid
Allegro (ma) non tanto an allegro movement, but not too rapid
Allegro agitato a moderately rapid tempo, and in agitated style
Allegro appasionato a moderately rapid tempo, and in passionate style
Allegro assai very fast
Allegro assai very allegro - faster than allegro
Allegro commodo a conveniently rapid tempo
Allegro con brio an allegro played in brilliant style - faster than allegro
Allegro con fuoco an allegro played with fire - extreme animation - faster than allegro
Allegro con moto faster than allegro
Allegro con spirito an allegro performed with spirit
Allegro di bravura an allegro performed in brilliant style - demanding great skill in execution
Allegro di molto exceedingly fast
Allegro furioso quicker than allegro - very brilliant - furious execution
Allegro giusto an allegro movement, but in exact rhythm
Allegro ma grazioso an allegro played in graceful style
Allegro moderato slower than allegro
Allegro quasi andante almost as slow as an andante
Allegro vivace faster than allegro
All'unisono in unison
Altissimo very high
Alto the lowest female voice - range approximately g-e''
Amabile amiable - pleasant
Amoroso loving
Andante moderately slow tempo
Andante affettuoso moderately slow with tenderness and pathos
Andante amabile moderately slow with loving
Andante cantabile moderately slow with singing grace
Andante con moto slightly faster than a moderate slow tempo
Andante grazioso moderately slow with grace
Andante ma non troppo not too slow
Andante maestoso moderately slow with majesty
Andante pastorale moderately slow in simple and unaffected style
Andante quasi allegro almost as rapid as moderate slow tempo
Andante sostenuto sustained moderately slow tempo
Andantino moderately slow tempo
Animando tempo with animation
Animato tempo with animation
Animato animated - lively
Antiphony (antiphonal) the responsive singing of two choirs - against each other at times
Apaisé calmed
Appasionato passionately
Appoggiatura an ornament in voice
Arco the bow used for playing some string instrument
Aria found in opera - the opposite of recitative - the word-text is entirely subordinate to the
Aria da capo normally refers to the repeating of the aria at the beginning
Aria dal segno normally refers to the repeating of the aria from the specified mark
Arietta a short aria
Arioso a flowing vocal style - in the style of an air or song
Arpeggio in music accompaniment patterns
Assai very
Assai very
Attacca attack the next division without any pause
Attack the promptness or firmness with which a musical phrase is begun
Azione teatrale typically a one act opera
B
Ballad a short song
Banda a small group of instrumentalists who play either on the stage or backstage, not in the
Barcarole (or barcarolle) a term applied to a vocal or instrumental composition in the style of the gondolier's bo
Baritone the male voice - range between that of tenor and bass - approximate range G-g'
Bass (basso - basso profundo) the lowest male voice - approximate range E-e'
Basso continuo continuous bass notes played throughout a piece to give harmonic structure, used es
Beat speed of the tempo/rhythm
Beat the pronounced rhythm of music
Ben well
Ben marcato well marked
Berceuse a cradle song
Bis twice - used to indicate a repetition
Bocca chiusa with closed mouth
Bravura with boldness - boldly
Breeches role a male role in an opera or operetta played by a woman - usually a mezzo-soprano
Brillante played as rapidly as possible without regard for measure rhythm
Brillante brilliantly - with sparkle
Brio vigor - usually in con brio
Burletta a brief, comic Italian opera style
C
Cabaletta the second half of a double aria but at a faster rhythm
Cacophony harsh, discordant, unpleasant, especially incorrect combinations of tones
Cadence the close of a musical phrase - in melody the last two tones - in harmony the last two
Cadenza a brilliant technical passage, usually in an instrumental composition
Cantabile in a singing style
Cantando in a singing style
Cantata vocal composition for chorus and soloists with or without music, sacred or secular
Canto the highest voice part - the soprano part
Capo head - the beginning of a movement
Capriccioso capriciously - unpredictable - volatile
Carol a hymn of joyful praise
Cavatina the second half of a double aria but at a faster rhythm
Chest voice the lowest of three vocal registers (chest voice - passagio - head voice)
Choral/chorale is a hymn-tune in the German Protestant Church style - slower than the English hymn
Chord a combination of several tones sounding together and bearing an harmonic relation to
Choreographer the person who designs the movement on the stage of a dance
Claque a group of people hire to sit in the audience and applaud to ensure success or jeer to
Clavicord resembles a piano - the tone is produced by wedging a shaped metal piece against th
Coda the tail - the closing section appended to a movement
Coloratura ( 1 ) elaborated ornamentation of a vocal line - specially a soprano voice suited to such ela
Coloratura ( 2 ) applied to the type of singing employed in rendering passages with elaborated ornam
Come as - like
Come é scritto as it is written or scored
Come escritto as written
Come primo as at first
Comic opera is a humorous opera
Comico a male role in an opera or operetta played by a woman - usually a mezzo-soprano
Comprimario a supporting role in an opera
Con amore tone offered with tenderness
Con anima tempo with animation
Con bravura tone offered with boldness
Con celerita tone offered rapidly
Con delicato tone offered with delicacy
Con energico tone offered with energy - urgent delivery
Con espressione tone offered with expression
Con forza tone offered with force
Con fuoco tone offered with fire and passion
Con grande espressione tone offered with great expression
Con grazia tone offered with grace
Con malinconia tone offered with melancholy
Con moto tempo with motion - not too slow
Con passione tone offered with passion
Con pedale with pedals
Con spirito tone offered with spirit
Con tenerezza tone offered with tenderness
Con variazioni with variations
Concertino the first chair violinist
Concertmaster the first chair violinist
Counterpoint the art of combining melodies or parts
Countertenor an adult male who sings in the alto, mezzo or soprano range, often through the use o
Crescendo a gradual increase in sound power
Crescendo al fortissimo raise the sound volume until a true fortissimo is reached
Crescendo e diminuendo first increase sound volume, then diminish the tone
Crescendo molto increase the sound volume
Crescendo poco a poco increase the sound volume little by little - gradually
Crescendo poi diminuendo first increase sound volume, then diminish the tone
Crescendo subito increase the sound volume suddenly - rapidly - immediately
Cue the signal to a singer or orchestra member to start
D
Da capo from the top
Da capo from the beginning
Da capo aria the first part of an aria is repeated with improvised variations and ornaments
Decrescendo gradual diminishing of the sound volume - same as diminuendo
Delicato tone offered delicately
Di bravura with daring
Di molto very much
Dirge a funeral chant
Diva a celebrated female singer much like "prima donna"
Dolce tone offered sweetly - gently
Dolce e cantabile tone offered gently and with a singing tonality
Dolcissimo tone offered most sweetly
Doloroso music/voice played plaintively or sorrowfully
Doppio movimento tempo twice as rapid as before
Double stop the act of playing two notes simultaneously on a stringed instrument
Dramatic soprano a soprano with powerful, rich, emotive voice that can sing over the full orchestra (i.e.:
Duet a composition for two performers
Dynamics refers to the relative volumes in the execution of a piece of music
E
E poi la coda and then the coda
Encore ( 1 ) again - perform the relevant passage once more
Encore ( 2 ) an added piece at the end of a performance
Ensemble together, the opposite of solo
Espressivo music/voice played expressively
F
Fanfare a trumpet call
Fantasia an instrumental composition not based on any regular form
Favola in musica (fables with music) after 1600 or so name given to music dramas and the like - later th
Fermata a mark on a rest or note which is to be held for a duration at the discretion of the perfo
Finale the ending of a work
Fioritura the flowery, embellished vocal line found in many arias
Flamenco the form for poetry, song, dance and music for the gypsies of Spain
Flat ( b ) any note a semitone lower than another note
Focoso passionately
Folk-song a short song usually originating among the common people
Forte (f) sound loudly - literally strong sound
Forte piano (fp) sound loudly, followed at once by soft sound
Forte possibile as loudly as possible
Fortepiano a forerunner of the modern piano
Fortepiano (fp) strong-gentle - loud note, then immediately soft
Fortisissimo (fff) sound as loudly as possible
Fortissimo (ff) sound very loudly - literally very strong sound
Fortissimo possibile sound as loudly as possible
Forzando (fz) an strong sound accent on a single tone or chord
Forzato (fz) an strong sound accent on a single tone or chord
Furioso furiously
G
Gamut all the tones of the scale
Gentile gentle
Giocoso music/voice played humorously
Glissando gliding over a musical scale
Grand Opera opera in the grand manner, signified by grandeur and size of cast, orchestra and sets
Grandly music/voice played grandly or pompously
Grave slowest tempo
Grazioso music/voice played gracefully
H
Harmony refers to tones sounding simultaneously
Harpshichord resembles a piano - the tone is produced by plucking the strings
Head voice the highest of vocal registers in bel canto
Heldentenor a robust tenor noted for energy and endurance - mostly for Wagnerian, Mascagni and
Heterophonic a type of voice music which is basically non-harmonic
Homophony one voice/instrument has the pronounced melody - the others support with harmony
Hz (Hertz) kHz (kilo Hertz) number of vibrations per second
I
Idyl a short, romantic piece of music in simple and unaffected style
Il piu the most
Il piu forte possible as loud as possible
Impresario those who undertake the task of producing/staging operas commercially
In altissimo play or sing an octave higher
Ino diminutive ending
Interlude a short movement between two larger movements
Intermezzo a middle section of a large orchestral work or opera, usually less serious than the piec
Issimo superlative ending
J
K
Kapellmaister the first chair violinist
L
Lacrimoso music/voice played sorrowfully
Laghissimo slowest tempo
Largando slower tempo, but more broad power
Larghetto slow tempo
Larghissimo very slower - slower than largo
Largo a musical term meaning "slow and dignified"
Largo assai very slow
Largo di molto very slow
Largo ma non troppo slow but not too slow
Largo un pocco slow but not so slow as quite slow tempo
Legato music/voice played smoothly
Leggiero music/voice played lightly
Leitmotiv a musical term used throughout an opera or orchestral work to identify a character or
Lentando with increasing slowness
Lentemente slowly
Lentissimo slowest tempo
Lento quite slow tempo
Lento slowly
Lento a capriccio slowly but capriciously
Lento assai very slowly
Lento di molto very slowly
Libretto is the word-text of an opera, oratorio, cantata or some other similar work
Lied a vocal solo wit - a poem to be sung to a melody
Lieto fine an opera with a happy ending
Light opera is one with an exceedingly trivial plot
L'istesso tempo tempo at the same rate of speed
Loco perform the notes at the pitch written
Lontano from a distance - distantly
Lunga trillo a long trill in coloratura singing
Lyric a light to medium-weight voice, capable of both sustained, forceful singing and delicat
M
Ma but
Ma non troppo but not too much
Madrigal a secular vocal composition in contrapuntal style sung a capella
Maestoso music/voice played majestically
Malinconia melancholy
Malinconico melancholy
Marcatissimo with much accentuation
Marcato execute every note as if it were to be accented
Marcato il canto subdued accompaniment so that the melody may stand out strongly
Martellato hammered out
Marziale played as war-like
Mass music attached to the liturgy for the celebration of the last supper in Roman Catholic C
Measure a group of beats marked off by a bar line; also called a bar line
Melisma the technique of changing the note (pitch) of a syllable of text which it is being sung
Melodic contour the line of highs and lows that is created by the melody
Melody a succession of single tones of various pitches, unified, coherent, and pleasing to the
Meno less
Meno forte less loud
Meno mosso less movement at once
Meter (or metre) the pattern of a music piece's rhythm of strong and weak beats
Mezza voce with half voice
Mezzo half, medium
Mezzo forte medium loudly
Mezzo piano (mp) medium softly
Mezzo soprano female voice of soprano quality but able to reach a lower tone than the soprano - app
Mezzo voce music/voice played with half voice
Misterioso music/voice played with a mysterious tone
Moderato moderate tempo
Modulation is a change of key without any break in the continuity of the chord or melody tones
Molto much, very much
Molto lots of it
Molto crescendo very much louder
Monodic a single melodic line supported by a simple accompaniment
Monody a single melodic line supported by a simple accompaniment
Monophonic one voice/instrument has the pronounced melody - the others support with harmony
Motet a sacred choral composition in contrapuntal style
Music drama term used by Richard Wagner to his own opera where the dramatic element predomin
N
Niente (nothing) barely audible, dying away
Non not
O
Obbligato an accessory melody accompanying harmonized music - a melody of independent va
Octet a musical piece for eight voices
Opera drama set to music
Opera buffa comic opera, often with elements of farce
Opera comique is a species of opera - part of the dialog is spoken and part sung
Opus used by composers to designate the order in which their compositions were written
Oratorio music on a large scale for chorus, soloists and orchestra written for concert performan
Orchestration the art of writing for the orchestra taking into consideration the range, quality and poss
Ostinato a short motif in a melody or rhythm, which is repeated throughout a section or entire c
Ottava octave
Ottava bassa an octave lower
Overture an instrumental prelude to an opera or oratorio - also an independent orchestral comp
P
Pants role a male role in an opera or operetta played by a woman - usually a mezzo-soprano
Parlando like speech - enunciated
Parlante like speech - enunciated
Partitura full orchestral score
Passagio the mid-range of the three vocal registers (chest voice - passagio - head voice)
Pastorale music/voice played in simple and unaffected style
Pausa rest
Pedal point or organ point - is a tone sustained through a succession of harmonic progression
Per for
Per il violino for the violin
Pesante slower tempo - heavy tempo
Peu little
Pianisissimo (ppp) sound as softly as possible
Pianissimo (pp) sound very softly
Pianissimo possibile sound as softly as possible
Piano (p) sound softly
Piano assai sound very softly
Pianoforte a forerunner of the modern piano
Pie mosso indicates a tempo to become faster at once
Pie tosto indicates a tempo to become faster at once
Pitch the highness or lowness of tone - audible 16 to 38000 Hz - orchestra 30 to 5000 Hz -
Piu more
Piu allegro indicates a tempo to become faster at once
Piu forte more loudly
Piu lento slower immediately
Pizzicato from plucked - the strings in the stringed instruments are plucked to create a tone
Poco little
Poco a poco little by little
Poco a poco animato indicates a gradual acceleration of tempo with some degree of excitement also
Poi then
Polacca a Polish dance
Polonaise a Polish dance
Polyphonic each voice/instrument is to a certain extent melodically significant
Pomposo music/voice played pompously
Portamento a term denoting a vocal slide (upwards or downwards) between two pitches
Prestissimo most rapid tempo possible
Prestissimo extremely quickly - as fast as possible
Prestissimo possibile most rapid tempo possible
Presto most rapid tempo possible
Presto (ma) non troppo a presto movement, but not too rapid
Presto assai as rapidly as possible
Prima Donna "Leading Woman" in opera - the soprano
Prima volta the first time - repeat as the first time
Primo (prima) first
Primo Uommo "Leading Man" in opera - the tenor
Q
Quarter a musical piece for four voice
Quasi in the manner of
R
Rallentando gradual slower tempo
Rapidamente played as rapidly as possible without regard for measure rhythm
Rapido fast
Recitative a style of vocal solo common to operas being governed by rhetorical rather than musi
Recitativo a melody that stands out above the orchestra's accompaniment
Recitativo accompagnato recitative is accompanied by the orchestra's string section
Recitativo obbligato recitative implies full orchestral support
Recitativo secco recitative is accompanied by a keyboard instrument - generally, the singers set the tem
Regiè the person responsible for controlling the performance - same as regiesseur or stage
Regiesseur the person responsible for controlling the performance - same as stage manager or re
Requiem mass music attached to the memorance for the dead
Rhapsody an irregular instrumental composition of the nature of an improvisation
Rhythm harmonic speed from one chord to chord - note to note
Rhythm the regular recurrence of accent or beats/pulse
Rinforzando (rinf) sound is reinforced by a sudden increase in power to include more than one note or c
Rinforzato (rfz) sound is reinforced by a sudden increase in power to include more than one note or c
Ripieno the type of orchestra without any dominant soloists that played early symphonies
Risoluto music/voice played firmly
Ritardando gradual slower tempo
Ritenente gradual slower tempo
Ritenuto gradual slower tempo
Ritornello in opera - a short instrumental prelude, interlude, or postlude
Rondo an instrumental composition in which a certain theme appears several time always in
Rubato flexible in tempo - applied to notes within a musical phrase for expressive effect
S
Saltando bouncing the bow as in a staccato arpeggio
Sans without
Sans pedale without pedals
Scale a series of notes arranged in descending or ascending order of pitch
Scherzando meaning a musical joke
Schnell fast
Schneller faster
Schottische a dance similar to the polka
Scordatura an alternative tuning used for the strings of a string instrument - usually an octave hig
Score the pages upon which all the music and words of an opera or orchestral are written
Secco dry, unornamented: applied to a style of opera recitative
Semitone a half step or half tone, an interval midway between two whole tones
Semplice music/voice played simply
Sempre always or continually
Sempre forte always or continually forte
Sempre lento malinconico assai tempo always slowly and in a very melancholic style
Sempre marcatissimo music/voice strongly accented and always well marked
Senza without
Senza accompagnamento without accompaniment
Senza misura without measure
Senza sordina without the mute
Septet a musical piece for seven voices
Sextet a musical piece for six voices
Sforzando (sf) an strong sound accent on a single tone or chord
Sforzato (sfz) an strong sound accent on a single tone or chord
Sharp ( # ) any note a semitone higher than another note
Silenzio without reverberations
Slentando gradual slower tempo
Solo alone
Sonata a musical composition for one instrument or two, usually with two or three movements
Sonatina a little sonata
Sopranist a male singer able to sing the soprano part usually through the use of falsetto
Soprano the highest female voice - approximate range b to c'''
Soprano sfogato a contralto or mezzo-soprano singer able to sing soprano parts (i.e.: Cecilia Bartoli - M
Sostenuto sustained or connected; the opposite of staccato
Sotto voce hushed - in an undertone - quietly
Spinto a medium to heavy-weight voice, capable of sustained singing but also able to sing ly
Spinto soprano a lyric soprano able to also deliver a dark timbre (i.e.: Maria Callas - June Anderson)
Squillo a resonant, trumpet-like ringing sound in the voice of a soprano (i.e.: Ghena Dimitrova
Staccato detached notes - one note at the time; the opposite of sostenuto
Stage Manager the person responsible for controlling the performance - same as regièsseur or regiè
Stanza a verse of a song
Stretto indicates a tempo to become faster at once
Stringendo indicates a gradual acceleration of tempo with some degree of excitement also
Strophic aria employ the same melody for all stanzas of text
Subito immediately
Subito suddenly - immediately
Suite a collection of instrumental dances all in the same or in nearly related keys
Symcopation a momentary contradiction of regular meter - often described as "putting the accent on
T
Tacet silent note - do not play
Tempo speed of the beat/rhythm
Tempo the overall speed of a piece of music
Tempo return to the normal state or tempo
Tempo commodo in conventional tempo
Tempo di marcia tempo of march - equivalent to andante - walking to a measure rhythm
Tempo di menuetto tempo of minuet dance - equivalent to allegretto
Tempo di valso tempo of waltz - equivalent to allegro moderato
Tempo giusto tempo in exact time
Tempo ordinario in ordinary tempo
Tempo primo return to the normal state or tempo
Tempo rubato irregularity of rhythm or tempo not indicated on the score
Tenor the highest male voice - approximate range d - c''
Tenore di grazia a lightweight, flexible tenor (i.e.: Alfredo Kraus - young Luciano Pavarotti)
Tenore robusto very robust chest voice tenor mostly associated with Verdi (Franco Corelli - Mario del
Tenuto to give its full value to a chord or tone
Tessitura the average pitch of a piece - tessitura encompasses all notes from the lowest to the h
Thematic development taking a theme and building out of it a lengthy composition or section of a composition
Theme a fragment of melody used as the subject for further development - the dominant melo
Through-composed arias employs different music for each line of text, freeing the composer from employing a s
Timbre a peculiar quality of sound which enables one to differentiate musical tones from diffe
Toccata a composition for piano, organ and orchestra usually characterized by much rapid sta
Tone specific name for a musical sound of definite pitch
Transposition playing, singing, or writing a piece of music in some other key than the original
Tre three
Tree corde three violins
Tremolo a rapid repetition of the same note
Très very
Très lentement very slowly
Très vivement very lively
Trio an extended musical passage performed by three singers
Triple stop the act of playing three notes simultaneously on a stringed instrument
Trouser role a male role in an opera or operetta played by a woman - usually a mezzo-soprano
Tutti a direction signifying that all performers / instruments are to take part
U
Un peu a little
Un peu crescendo a little increase in tone
Un poco a little
Un poco animato indicates a tempo to become faster at once
Un poco crescendo a little increase in tone
Una corda one string
V
Veloce played as rapidly as possible without regard for measure rhythm
Verismo operas based on "real life" stories - a departure from French "naturalistic" operas
Vibrato waver in pitch and volume, the quality that produces warmth of feeling in the human v
Virtuoso performing with exceptional ability, technique, or artistry
Vivace a tempo between moderately slow and the most rapid tempo
Vivace very lively - up tempo
Vivacissimo most rapid tempo possible
Vivo lively
Voce voice
Volante played as rapidly as possible without regard for measure rhythm
W
X
Y
Z
Zarzuela a type of light opera-operetta originating in Spain