ABRSM Theory Italian Terms & Performance Directions

Grade 1 accelerando / accel. adagio allegretto allegro andante cantabile crescendo / cresc. / da capo / D.C. dal segno / D.S. decrescendo / decresc. diminuendo / dim. / fine / forte / fortissimo legato lento mezzo / mezzo forte / mezzo piano moderato / piano / pianissimo poco rallentando / rall. ritardando / rit. ritenuto / rit. staccato / stacc. tempo 8va

gradually getting quicker slow fairly quick (but not as quick as allegro) quick at a medium (walking) speed in a singing style gradually getting louder repeat from the beginning repeat from the sign gradually getting quieter gradually getting quieter the end loud very loud smoothly slow half moderately loud moderately quiet moderately quiet very quiet a little gradually getting slower gradually getting slower held back detached speed, time (a tempo: in time) octave play an octave higher NB va may be omitted play an octave lower NB vb may be omitted or even replaced with va pause on the note 72 crochet beats in a minute accent (placed over or under a note) slur (joining two different notes) dot over / under note = staccato repeat marks at the second sign go back to the first sign and repeat the music from there (if the first sign is missed out, repeat from the beginning)

Grade 2 a al, alla allargando andantino assai con, col dolce e, ed espressivo / express. / espr. / fortepiano giocoso grave grazioso larghetto largo ma maestoso meno molto mosso, moto non pi presto senza / / sforzando / zforzato simile / sim. sostenuto tenuto troppo vivace, vivo at, to, by, for, in the style of to the, in the manner of broadening (getting a little slow and probably louder) slightly faster than andante very with sweet, soft and expressive loud, then immediately soft playful, merry very slow, solemn graceful rather slow (not as slow as largo) slow, stately but majestic less very, much movement not more fast without forced, accented in the same way sustained held too much lively, quick A wedge sign above or below the notes indicates superstaccato (staccatissimo), played as briefly as possible and possibly accented Dots inside a slur over or below the notes mean the notes should be slightly separated (semi-staccato), but less so than notes with ordinary staccato
over or under the notes means accented and slightly separated (marcato)

over or below the note means the note is given a slight pressure (tenuto)

Grade 3 adagietto ad libitum, ad lib. agitato alla breve rather slow (faster than adagio) at choice, meaning that a passage may be played freely agitated with a minim beat, equivalent to 2/2, implying a faster tempo than the note values might otherwise suggest love (amoroso loving) soul, spirit animated, lively becoming lively well vigour convenient, comfortable with determination delicate energetic force broadly light, nimble emphatic, accented in a military style sad heavy first bold, strong rhythmically with some freedom of time playful, joking second simple, plain always gradually getting faster suddenly so much calm sad, sorrowful time (prima volta first time, seconda volta second time)

amore anima animato animando ben brio comodo deciso delicato energico forza largamente leggiero marcato / marc. marziale mesto pesante prima / primo risoluto ritmico rubato / tempo rubato scherzando / scherzoso seconda / secondo semplice sempre stringendo subito tanto tranquillo triste / tristamente volta

Grade 4 Italian & French affettuoso affrettando amabile appassionato calando cantando come facile fuoco giusto listesso morendo niente nobilmente perdendosi possibile quasi sonoro sopra sotto veloce voce anim assez avec cdez douce en dehors et lgrement lent mais moins modr non peu plus presser ralentir retenu sans trs un / une vif vite tenderly hurrying amiable, pleasant with passion getting softer, dying away singing as, similar to (come prima as before, come sopra as above) easy fire proper, exact (tempo giusto in strict time) the same (listesso temo the same speed) dying away nothing nobly dying away possible (presto possibile as fast as possible) as if, resembling resonant, with rich tone above below (sotto voce in an undertone) swift voice to, at animated, lively enough, sufficient with yield, relax with speed sweet prominent (a direction to make a melody stand out) and light slow but less at a moderate speed not little more hurry (en pressant hurrying on) slow down held back (en retenant holding back, slowing a little) without very one lively quick

Grade 5 Italian & German attacca dolente dolore doppio movimento estinto incalzando lacrimoso loco lunga lusingando misura ossia piacevole piangevole pochettino, poch. rinforzando, rf, rfz segue smorzando, smorz. teneramente, tenerezza tosto volante aber ausdruck bewegt breit ein einfach etwas frhlich immer langsam lebhaft mssig mit nicht ohne ruhig schnell sehr sss traurig und voll wenig wieder zart zu go straight on to the next section of music sad, mournful grief (doloroso: sorrowful) twice as fast as soft as possible, lifeless getting quicker sad at the normal pitch (used often to cancel an 8va direction) long (lunga pausa: long pause) coaxing, in a sweet and persuasive style measure (all misura: in strict time; senza misura: in free time) or, alternatively pleasant plaintive, in the style of a lament rather little reinforcing go straight on dying away in tone and speed tenderly, tenderness swift, rapid (but often used in the same sense as troppo) flying fast but expression with movement, agitated broad, expansive a, one simple somewhat, rather cheerful, joyful always slow lively at a moderate speed with not without peaceful fast very sweet sad and full little again tender, delicate to, too

Performance Directions Left pedal Soft pedal, or Muting pedal, also called una corde. Normally three strings are used per note. When the soft pedal is pressed, the whole keyboard is shifted along so that hammers on strike two strings in the upper register and one string in the lower register Sostenuto pedal (not fitted to all pianos). Depressing the pedal dampens only the notes that have been struck Damper pedal. When pressed, felts are lifted off the piano strings to allow the sound to be sustained. Press down / release the damper pedal spread the notes of the chord quickly starting from the bottom mano Una corde Tre corde S.P._______ hand (mano sinistra, m.s. - left handed; mano destra, m.d. right handed; also used for the harp) one string, depress the soft pedal three strings, release the soft pedal Sostenuto Pedal hold the sustain pedal down for the notes indicated by the line

Middle pedal Right pedal

Performance directions for strings (violin, viola, cello and double bass) Down bow

Up bow

arco pizzicato sul G sul ponticello

bowed plucked play on the G string (also sul D, sul A, sul E) play near the bridge a slur shows that the notes are to be played in a single bow stroke (either up or down)

Mute terms for strings and brass (trumpet, trombone, tuba, etc.) con sordini / con sord. senza sordini / senza sord. with mute without mute

Ornaments

Trill (also called a shake)

Mordent (also called the upper mordent, inverted mordent, or pralltriller)

Lower Mordent (also called mordent)

Note the line through the symbol

Turn (also called grouppetto)

Inverted Turn

Appoggiatura (also called a grace note)

Double Appoggiatura

Acciaccatura (also called a short appoggiatura or a grace note)

Portamento (played as a smooth slide between two notes)

Glissando (played as a smooth or stepped slide between two notes)

Musical Instruments & Clefs

Brass Instrument Clef Transposing

Trumpet French Horn Trombone Euphonium (used in some of the larger orchestral works) Tuba
Woodwind Instrument

Treble Treble + bass Bass + tenor Bass

Transposing: in B-flat
Transposing: in F

No No

Bass

No

Clef

Piccolo Flute Clarinet Oboe Cor Anglais

Bassoon Contra-bassoon (or double bassoon) Strings Instrument

Treble Treble Treble Treble Treble

Bass + tenor Bass

Transposing Transposing: sounds an octave higher than written No Transposing: in B-flat

No
Transposing: in F No Transposing: sounds an octave lower than written

Clef

Transposing

Violin Viola Cello Double bass

Treble Alto + treble Bass + tenor, treble Bass + tenor, treble

No
No

No Transposing: sounds an octave lower than written

Percussion Instrument Clef Transposing

Timpani (kettle drums) side drum Bass drum Cymbals Piano

Treble, Bass

No
No

No No No

Voice Instrument Clef Transposing

Soprano Mezzo-soprano Alto Tenor

Treble Treble Treble + alto Treble + tenor, bass

No
No

Bass

Bass

No If treble clef, the voice sounds an octave lower than written; this is often denoted by a small 8 placed under the treble clef No