| Term | Definition |
|---|
| con sordini (or con sord.) | with mutes |
| senza sordini (or senza sord.) | without mutes |
| arco | with bow |
| pizzicato | plucked |
| sul G | play on the G string |
| sul ponticello | play near the bridge |
| una corda (literally 'one string') | press the left pedal |
| tre corda (literally 'three strings') | release the left pedal |
| mano | hand |
| affettuoso | tenderly |
| affrettando | hurrying |
| amabile | pleasant |
| appassionato | with passion |
| calando | getting softer, dying away |
| cantando | singing |
| come | as, similar to |
| facile | easy |
| fuoco | fire |
| giusto | proper, exact |
| l'istesso | same |
| morendo | dying away |
| possibile | possible |
| quasi | as if, resembling |
| sonoro | resonant, with rich tone |
| sopra | above |
| sotto | below |
| sotto voce | in an undertone |
| come prima | as before |
| come sopra | as above |
| tempo giusto | in strict time |
| presto possibile | as fast as possible |
| veloce | swift |
| voce | voice |
| à | to, at |
| animè | animated, lively |
| assez | enough |
| avec | with |
| cédez | yield, relax the speed |
| douce | sweet |
| en dehors | prominent |
| et | and |
| légèrement | light |
| lent | slow |
| mais | but |
| moins | less |
| modéré | at a moderate speed |
| non | not |
| peu | little |
| plus | more |
| presser | hurry |
| en pressant | hurrying on |
| ralentir | slow down |
| retenu | held back |
| en retenant | holding back |
| sans | without |
| très | very |
| un, une | one |
| vif | lively |
| vite | quick |
| adagietto | rather slow (but faster than adagio) |
| ad libitum, ad lib | at choice |
| agitato | agitated |
| alla breve | with a a minim beat |
| amore | love |
| amoroso | loving |
| anima | soul, spirit |
| animato | animated, lively |
| ben | well |
| brio | vigour |
| comodo | convenient |
| deciso | with determination |
| delicato | delicate |
| energico | energetic |
| forza | force |
| largamente | broadly |
| leggiero | light, nimble |
| marcato, marc. | emphatic, accented |
| marziale | in a military style |
| mesto | sad |
| pesante | heavy |
| prima, primo | first |
| risoluto | bold, strong |
| ritmico | rhythmically |
| rubato, tempo rubato | with some freedom of time |
| scherzando, scherzoso | playful, joking |
| seconda, secondo | second |
| semplice | simple, plain |
| sempre | always |
| stringendo | gradually getting faster |
| subito | suddenly |
| tanto | so much |
| tranquillo | calm |
| triste, tristamente | sad, sorrowful |
| volta | time |
| al, alla | in the manner of |
| allargando | broadening |
| assai | very |
| con, col | with |
| dolce | sweet |
| e, ed | and |
| expressivo | expressive |
| fp = (fortepiano) | loud, then immediately soft |
| giocoso | playful, merry |
| grave | very slow, solemn |
| grazioso | graceful |
| larghetto | rather slow (not as slow as largo) |
| largo | slow, stately |
| ma | but |
| maestoso | majectic |
| meno | less |
| molto | very, much |
| mosso, moto | movement |
| non | not |
| piu | more |
| presto | fast (faster than allegro) |
| senza | without |
| sf, sfz, sforzando | forced, accented |
| simile | similar |
| sostenuto | sustained |
| tenuto | held |
| troppo | too much |
| vivace, vivo | lively, quick |
| accelerando | gradually getting quicker |
| adagio | slow |
| allegretto | fairly quick |
| allegro | quick |
| andante | medium speed (walking) |
| cantabile | in a singing style |
| crescendo | gradually getting louder |
| da capo (D.C.) | repeat from the beginning |
| dal segno (D.S.) | repeat from the sign |
| decrescendo | gradually getting quieter |
| diminuendo | gradually getting quieter |
| fine | end |
| f (=forte) | loud |
| ff (=fortissimo) | very loud |
| legato | smoothly |
| lento | slow |
| mezzo | half |
| moderato | moderately |
| p (=piano) | quiet |
| pp (=pianissimo) | very quiet |
| poco | a little |
| rallentando (rall.) | gradually getting slower |
| ritardando (ritard. or rit.) | gradually getting slower |
| ritenuto | held back |
| staccato | detached |
| tempo | speed, time |
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