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a piacere
at pleasure
The performer is not bound to follow the given rhythm exactly.
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ad libitum
at choice; freely
- 1) A passage may be performed freely.
- 2) An instrument in a score may be omitted.
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adagietto
- rather slow
- Usually a little faster than adagio
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adagio
- slowly
- Often indicates a speed somewhere between andante and largo
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agitato
agitated; restless
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al; alla
- in the manner of
- eg: alla marcia = in the style of a march
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alla breve
- with a minim beat
- cut time; half time; "playing in 2"
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allegretto
- fairly quick
- Faster than Andante and usually slower than Allegro
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alt
- high
- "in alt" is used in volcal music to refer to notes in the octave above the treble stave.
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amabile
- amiable; pleasant
- tender, gentle
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andante
- walking speed
- Moderately slow
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andantino
- like walking speed
- This can mean either slightly slower or slightly faster than andante. It is ambiguous.
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anima
- soul; spirit
- eg: con anima = with spirit
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animando
becoming more lively
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appassionato
with passion
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arioso
- like an aria
- Play in the style of an aria (singing)
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assai
- very
- eg: allegro assai = very fast
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attacca
- go straight on
- Indicates an immediate move to the next section of music.
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bis
- twice
- Indicates the repetition of a short passage.
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bravura
skill; brilliance
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brio
- vigour
- eg: con brio = with vigour
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calando
- getting softer; dying away
- Usually includes slowing down
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cantabile
in a singing style
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capriccioso
- in a whimsical or fanciful style
- in a free, playful, impulsive style
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col; colla; colle
- with
- eg: colla voce = with the voice
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come
- as; similar to
- eg: come prima = as before
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comodo
- convenient
- eg: tempo comodo = at a comfortable speed
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con
- with
- eg: con moto = with movement
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da capo (D.C.)
- from the beginning
- An instruction to repeat the misc from the beginning.
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dal segno (D.S.)
- from the sign
- An instruction to repeat the misc from the sign.
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deciso
with determination
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dolce
- sweetly
- eg: dolcissimo = as sweet as possible
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dolore
- grief
- eg: doloroso = sorrowful
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doppio movimento
twice as fast
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estinto
as soft as possible
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forza
- force
- eg: forzando (fz) = strongly accented
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giocoso
playful; humerous
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impetuoso
- impetuous
- acting or done quickly and without thought or care.
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incalzando
getting quicker
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in relievo
- prominent
- A direction to make the melody stand out.
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larghetto
- rather slow
- Slightly faster than largo.
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largo
rather slow; stately
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legato
- smoothly
- Indicates no break between notes.
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l'istesso
- the same
- eg: l'istesso tempo = at the same speed
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loco
- at the normal pitch
- Used to cancel an 8va direction. Also used to confirm that 8va is not intended.
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lunga
- long
- eg: lunga pausa = long pause
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ma
- but
- eg: allegro ma non troppo = quick but not too quick
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