Music terms
The words on printed music up to Grade 3.
Every term up to Grade 3
Learn these by heart
Grade 1
| Term | Language | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| a tempo | Italian | back to the speed before |
| accelerando | Italian | gradually getting quicker |
| adagio | Italian | slow |
| allegretto | Italian | fairly quick, a little slower than allegro |
| allegro | Italian | quick and lively |
| andante | Italian | at a walking pace |
| cantabile | Italian | in a singing style |
| crescendo | Italian | gradually getting louder |
| da capo | Italian | repeat from the beginning |
| diminuendo | Italian | gradually getting softer |
| dolce | Italian | sweetly and softly |
| fine | Italian | the end |
| moderato | Italian | at a moderate speed |
| rallentando | Italian | gradually getting slower |
| staccato | Italian | short and detached |
Grade 2
| Term | Language | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| più mosso | Italian | with more movement, quicker |
| poco a poco | Italian | little by little |
| allargando | Italian | broadening, getting a little slower and fuller |
| dal segno | Italian | repeat from the sign |
| grave | Italian | very slow and solemn |
| grazioso | Italian | gracefully |
| largo | Italian | slow and broad |
| meno mosso | Italian | with less movement, slower |
| presto | Italian | very quick |
| ritenuto | Italian | held back, slower at once |
| vivace | Italian | lively and quick |
| tenuto | Italian | held for its full value |
Grade 3
| Term | Language | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| agitato | Italian | agitated |
| andantino | Italian | a little faster than andante |
| energico | Italian | with energy |
| giocoso | Italian | playful and merry |
| leggiero | Italian | lightly |
| maestoso | Italian | majestically |
| marcato | Italian | emphasised, marked |
| pesante | Italian | heavily |
| prestissimo | Italian | as quick as possible |
| risoluto | Italian | boldly and firmly |
| scherzando | Italian | playfully, in a joking way |
| semplice | Italian | simply |
| simile | Italian | in the same way |
| subito | Italian | suddenly |
| tranquillo | Italian | calmly |
| sforzando | Italian | with a sudden strong accent |
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