Italian musical terms
musical terms are in Italian . It shouldn't be surprising that so many musical terms are Italian , since many of the most important early composers in the renaissance period were Italian , and that period is when numerous musical indications were used extensively for the first time. (See also sheet music .)
Here are some of these expressions:
Italian term
Literal translation
Definition
Musical forms
A cappella in chapel style
Sung with no instrumental accompaniment
Aria air
A song, esp. one from an opera
Arietta
little air
A short or light aria
Ballabile
danceable
(song) to be danced to
Battaglia
battle
A piece suggesting a battle
Bergamasca
from Bergamo
A peasant dance from Bergamo
Burletta
a little joke
A light comic or farcical opera
Cadenza falling
A florid solo at the end of a performance
Capriccio caprice
A lively piece of music
Coda tail
The end of a piece
Concerto concert
A work for a solo instrument accompanied by an orchestra
Concertino
little concert
A short concerto; the solo instrument in a concerto
Concerto grosso big concert
A Baroque form of concerto, with a group of solo instruments
Libretto little book
A work containing the words to an opera or musical
Opera work
A drama set to music for singers and instrumentalists
Opera buffa humorous opera
A comic opera
Opera seria serious opera
An opera with a serious, esp. classical theme
Sonata sounded
A composition for one or two instruments in sonata form
Intermezzo interval
A short connecting instrumental movement
Piano(forte) soft-loud
A keyboard instrument
Viola viola , orig. Latin vitulari "be joyful"
A medium-sized stringed instrument
(Violon)cello Small violone (violone means "big viola")
A large stringed instrument
Viola da gamba leg viola
A stringed instrument held between the legs
Viola da braccio
arm viola
A stringed instrument held in the arm, such as a violin or viola
Viola d'amore love viola
A tenor viol with no frets
Tuba tube
A large brass instrument
Piccolo little
A tiny woodwind instrument
Timpani drums
A large drum
Cornetto little horn
An old woodwind instrument
Campana
bell
A bell used in an orchestra; also campane "bells"
Orchestra orchestra , orig. Greek orkesthai "dance"
An ensemble of instruments
Voices
Tempo time
The speed of a piece of music
Largo broad
Slow and dignified
Larghetto a little bit broad
Not as slow as largo
Lento slow
Slow
Adagio ad agio, at ease
Slow, but not as slow as largo
Adagietto
little adagio
Faster than adagio; or a short adagio composition
Andante walking
Moderately slow, flowing along
Comodo
comfortable
At moderate speed
Allegretto a little bit joyful
Slightly slower than allegro
Allegro joyful
Moderately fast
Presto ready
Very fast
Prestissimo very ready
Very very fast
Accelerando accelerating
accelerating
Affrettando
becoming hurried
accelerating
Accompagnato
accompanied
The accompaniment must follow the singer who can speed up or slow down at will
Dynamics - volume
Calando
quietening
Becoming softer
Crescendo growing
Becoming louder
Decrescendo shrinking
Becoming softer
Diminuendo dwindling
Becoming softer
Forte strong
Loud
Fortissimo very strong
Very loud
Mezzo forte
half-strong
Moderately loud
Piano gentle
Soft
Pianissimo very gentle
Very soft
Mezzo piano
half-gentle
Moderately soft
Moods
Affettuoso
with feeling
Tenderly
Con brio with spirit
With spirit
Cantabile singable
In a fashion suggesting singing
Vivace lively
up-tempo
Maestoso Majestic
Stately
Agitato
agitated
Excited and fast
Animato
animated
Animated
Bruscamente
brusquely
Brusquely
Con amore
with love
with love
Con fuoco
with fire
with fiery manner
Musical expression (general)
Molto
very
Used with other terms, as "molto allegro"
Assai
very
Used with other terms, as "allegro assai"
Poco little
"a little". Used with other terms, as "poco diminuendo"
ma non troppo
but not too much
But not too much (allegro ma non troppo )
Directions
Attacca attack
Proceed to the next section without pause
Cambiare change
Any change, such as to a new instrument
Techniques
Coloratura coloration
Elaborate ornamentation of a vocal line
Altissimo
very high
Very high
Arpeggio harp-like
A chord with the notes spread out in time
Acciaccatura crushing
An extra, very fast grace note
Appoggiatura leaning
A type of ornament
Bocca chiusa
mouth closed
Wordless humming in a choral piece
Chiuso
closed
Calls for a horn to be muted by hand
Col legno with the wood
Calls for a bowed instrument to be struck with the wood rather than the hair of the bow
Pizzicato plucked(?)
Calls for a bowed instrument to be plucked with the fingers
Col arco
with the bow
Cancels "col legno" and "pizzicato"
Basso continuo continuous bass
Continuous bass accompaniment
Coperti
covered
Of a drum, muted with a cloth
Una corda
one string
With the soft pedal, on a piano
Due corde
two strings
With the soft pedal, on a piano. For why both terms exist, see piano .
Tre corde or tutte le corde
Three strings or all the strings
Cancels an una corda
Scordatura (...)
Alternate tuning (of strings)
Roles
Criticism
Bel canto beautiful voice
Any fine singing, esp. that popular in 18th and 19th c. Italian opera
Bravura
skill
A performance of extraordinary virtuosity
Bravo ! skillful
a cry of congratulation to a male singer or performer. Fem. brava , pl. bravi , fem.pl. brave
See also
External links
