LEVEL I MUSICAL TERMS AND DEFINITIONS

1998 Purcell Marian High School Cavalier Band

DYMANICS: LEVEL I (from soft to loud)

pp pianissimo very soft

p piano soft

mp mezzo piano moderately soft

mf mezzo forte moderately loud

f forte loud

ff fortissimo very loud

CHANGE OF DYNAMIC MARKINGS: LEVEL I

cres. crescendo getting louder

crescendo getting louder

dim. diminuendo getting softer

decres. decrescendo getting softer

decrescendo getting softer

sfz. sfortzando loud impact

TEMPO MARKINGS: LEVEL I (from slow to fast)

Largo very slow

Grave grave, solemn

Adagio slow, at ease

Andante walking tempo

Moderato moderate tempo

Allegro fast, cheerful

Presto very fast

Vivace quick and lively

CHANGE OF TEMPO MARKINGS: LEVEL I

accelerando becoming faster

meno mosso less motion

piu mosso more motion

rallentando (rall.) gradual slackening in speed

ritardardano (ritard., rit.) gradual slackening in speed

stringendo (string.) faster, “drawing closer”

RUDIMENTARY PHRASING, STYLE, AND ARTICULATION TERMS: LEVEL I

amabile graceful

amoroso tender and affectionate

animato animated, lively

bel canto vocal style emphasizing beauty of sound

cantabile in a signing style

con brio with vigor and spirit

con moto with motion

con spirito spirited

deciso boldly, decisively

detache detached

dolce sweetly

espressivo expressively

giocoso humorous

grandioso with grandeur

legato connected, smoothly

leggiero lightly

maestoso majestically

marcato marked, stressed, “march-like”

marziale martial, in the style of a march

passionato passionate

pesante heavy

religioso religiously, solemn

risoluto bold

rubato freely with respect to tempo

scherzando playful and lively

semplice simple

sempre always, continuously

sentimentale sentimentally

simile similarly, continue in the same manner

solenne solemn

sostenuto sustained, legato

spiritoso spirited

staccato detached or shortened

tenuto (ten.) sustained, held out

tranquillo tranquil