Glossary of Terms
Related to Interpreting Music
Italian English
Largo broad
Lento slow
Adagio slow
Grave heavy
Andante at a walking pace
Moderato moderate
Allegro fast
Vivace lively
Presto very fast
Assai very
Molto very
Poco, un poco a little
Piu more
- issimo even more
non troppo not too
meno or – etto less
Dynamics
Pianissimo (pp) very soft
Piano (p) soft
Mezzo piano (mp) moderately soft
Mezzo forte (mf) moderately loud
Forte (f) loud
Fortissimo (ff) very loud
Fortississimo (fff) very, very loud)
Affettuoso affectionate
Agitato agitated
Amabile amiable
Animando animated
Appassionato impassioned
Cantabile singing
Con anima with spirit
Con brio with vigor
Con fuoco with fire
Con moto with movement
Dolce sweetly
Dolente grieving
Expressivo expressive
Funebre funeral
Giocoso playfully
Gioioso joyously
Grazioso gracefully
Leggiero lightly
Marcia march
Maestoso majestically
Marziale martially
Mesto mournfully
Misterioso mysteriously
Risoluto resolutely
Semplice simply
Sostenuto sustained
Teneramente tenderly