Introduction to Music Theory
August 16, 2005
Musical Terms
• Tempos
– Adagio – A slow tempo marking between
Largo and Andante.
– Allegretto – A rather fast tempo marking
between Allegro and Moderato.
– Allegro – A fast tempo marking between
Allegretto and Vivace.
– Andante – A moderate tempo marking
between Largo and Moderato
Musical Terms
• Tempos (contd.)
– Andantino – A moderate tempo marking slightly
faster than Andante and slower than Moderato.
– Larghetto – A tempo not quite as slow as Largo.
Often between 60-66 beats per minute.
– Largo – A slow tempo marking, having between
40 and 60 beats per minute.
– Lento – Slow.
– Moderato – A directive to perform a certain
passage of a composition in a moderate tempo;
moderately restrained.
Musical Terms
• Tempos (contd.)
– Prestissimo – A directive to perform a certain
passage of a composition very, very fast, as fast
as possible; faster than presto.
– Presto – A directive to perform a certain passage
of a composition very quickly.
– Vivace – A directive to perform a certain passage
of a composition in a lively or brisk manner.
– Vivo – A directive to perform a certain passage of
a composition in a lively, animated or brisk
manner. Slightly more animated or brisk than
Vivace.
Musical Terms
• Activity
– Arrange the tempo notecards from
slowest to fastest
Musical Terms
• Basic Dynamic Markings
– Fortissimo
– Forte
– Mezzo-Forte
– Mezzo-Piano
– Piano
– Pianissimo
Musical Terms
• Other Musical Terms
– Accelerando – Gradually accelerating or getting
faster.
– Crescendo – A musical directive to the performer
to smoothly increase the volume of a particular
phrase or passage
– Decrescendo – A musical directive to the
performer to smoothly decrease the volume of a
particular phrase or passage.
– Dolce – A directive to a performer to play a
certain passage sweetly, softly, with tender
emotion.
– Legato – A directive to perform a certain passage
of a composition in a smooth, graceful,
connected style.
– Marcato – Marked, accented, emphatic, stressed.
Musical Terms
• Musical Terms
–
–
–
–
Meno – Less
Mosso – Movement, motion; moved; agitated.
Piu - More
Rallentando – A directive to perform a certain
passage of a composition with a gradual slowing
of the tempo.
– Ritardando – A directive to perform a certain
passage of a composition with a ritard the tempo,
to gradually delay the tempo.
– Rubato – It involves the performer tastefully
stretching, slowing, or hurrying the tempo as
she/he sees fit, thus imparting flexibility and
emotion to the performance.
Musical Terms
• Musical Terms
– Schnell – Fast, quickly, rapidly.
– Sempre – Always.
– Sforzando – A directive to perform a specific note
or chord of a composition with particular
emphasis.
– Sostenuto – Sustained.
– Staccato – A style of playing notes in a detached,
separated, distinct manner, as opposed to legato.
– Tenuto – A directive to perform a certain note or
chord of a composition in a sustained manner for
longer than its full duration.
Works Cited
• Definitions are from the Virginia Tech
Multimedia Music available online at
http://www.music.vt.edu/musicdictionary/