Music Terminology Glossary
Comprehensive reference to 250+ Italian, Latin, French, German and English music terms — every common tempo marking, dynamic, articulation, expression direction and ornament you'll encounter in scores. Full definitions, etymology, pronunciation and performance practice. From ritardando and allegro to scatenato and perdendosi.
Tempo MarkingsDynamicsArticulationExpression & MoodMusical FormOrnamentsVoice & InstrumentsNotation & Score MarkingsOther Common Terms
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Tempo Markings
Words that indicate the speed or pacing of music.
- Ritardandoalso: rit., ritard.Gradually slowing down. The performer reduces the tempo little by little, usually leading into a cadence or a moment of repose.
- Rallentandoalso: rall.Slowing down progressively, with a slightly broader, more deliberate feel than ritardando.
- Accelerandoalso: accel.Gradually speeding up. The tempo increases progressively, usually building tension or excitement toward a climax.
- Stringendoalso: string.Pressing forward, getting faster — typically with growing intensity, not just tempo.
- Allargandoalso: allarg.Broadening — slower and slightly louder, with a sense of weight and dignity.
- Calandoalso: cal.Decreasing in both volume and tempo simultaneously — a fading away.
- Morendoalso: mor.Dying away — a gradual decrease in both volume and tempo until the sound disappears.
- Perdendosialso: perd.Losing oneself — the music gradually fades away, often slowing as well, as if the sound is dissolving.
- Smorzandoalso: smorz.Smothering or muting the sound — fading away, slightly more abruptly than morendo or calando.
- SlentandoGradually slackening — slowing down, often associated with relaxation rather than dramatic effect.
- AllentandoSlackening — a gradual slowing, often slightly softer in dynamic.
- Rapidoalso: rapidamenteRapid, fast — an instruction to play swiftly, with the tempo moving briskly forward.
- ScatenatoUnleashed, wild, frenetic — an instruction to play with abandon, often very fast and intensely.
- Agitatoalso: agit.Agitated, restless — played with a feeling of unease, urgency, or nervous energy.
- PrestoVery fast — one of the quickest standard tempo markings, typically 168–200 beats per minute.
- PrestissimoAs fast as possible — the fastest standard tempo marking, faster than presto.
- VivaceLively, brisk — a fast tempo with bright, animated character. Roughly 140–168 BPM.
- VivacissimoVery lively — the superlative of vivace, even quicker and more animated.
- AllegroFast, lively — the most common ‘fast’ tempo marking, around 120–168 BPM.
- AllegrettoModerately fast — slower than allegro, faster than andante. Roughly 100–120 BPM.
- AllegrissimoVery fast — the superlative of allegro, faster than the standard allegro range.
- ModeratoAt a moderate tempo — neither slow nor fast, around 108–120 BPM.
- AndanteAt a walking pace — moderate, flowing, neither fast nor slow. Roughly 76–108 BPM.
- AndantinoA diminutive of andante — usually slightly faster, but historically ambiguous.
- AdagioSlow and stately — one of the most common slow tempo markings. Roughly 66–76 BPM.
- AdagiettoA diminutive of adagio — slightly faster, lyrical and intimate in character.
- AdagissimoThe superlative of adagio — extremely slow.
- LentoSlow — slower than adagio, but with a less stately character. Roughly 40–60 BPM.
- LentissimoVery slow — the superlative of lento, indicating a tempo slower than lento itself.
- LargoVery slow and broad — solemn, dignified, often the slowest standard tempo. Roughly 40–60 BPM.
- LarghissimoExtremely slow and broad — the superlative of largo, often considered the slowest standard tempo.
- LarghettoA diminutive of largo — slightly faster, less ceremonial. Roughly 60–66 BPM.
- GraveSlow and solemn — heavy, weighty, often used for funereal or tragic music. Roughly 25–45 BPM.
- Sostenutoalso: sost.Sustained — each note held to its full value, often with a slightly slower or more deliberate feel.
- A Tempoalso: a tempoReturn to the original tempo — used after a passage of ritardando, accelerando, rubato, or other tempo modification.
- Tempo Primoalso: tempo IThe first (original) tempo — return to the tempo at the start of the movement or piece.
- L'istesso Tempoalso: l'istesso tempoThe same tempo — usually applied at a meter change, instructing the performer to keep the beat constant.
- Doppio MovimentoTwice as fast — the new tempo is exactly double the previous one.
- Alla Brevealso: cut time‘In the manner of a breve’ — typically indicating cut time (2/2), with a brisk two-beat feel per measure.
- Alla MarciaIn the manner of a march — with a strong, regular pulse and military character.
- Ad Libitumalso: ad lib.At liberty — the performer may play freely with respect to tempo, ornamentation, or pacing.
- Rubatoalso: tempo rubatoStolen time — a flexible, expressive distortion of tempo, where the performer ‘steals’ time from one beat and gives it back to another.
- Meno MossoLess motion — a tempo somewhat slower than the preceding section.
- Più Mossoalso: più mossoMore motion — a tempo somewhat faster than the preceding section.
- Tempo GiustoStrict tempo — exact, even pulse without rubato or expressive flexibility.
- Tempo ComodoAt a comfortable tempo — moderate, neither rushed nor lethargic.
- Ritenutoalso: riten.Held back — an immediate slight slowing of tempo, usually momentary and abrupt.
- PrecipitandoRushing headlong — accelerating with abandon, almost recklessly fast.
- Affrettandoalso: affrett.Hurrying — accelerating, with a sense of nervous urgency.
- IncalzandoPressing on — accelerating with growing intensity, often coupled with a crescendo.
Dynamics
Words that indicate volume, loudness, or changes in intensity.
- Pianissimoalso: ppVery soft — a dynamic level quieter than piano, typically the second-softest standard dynamic. Notated *pp*.
- Piano (dynamic)also: pSoft — a moderate-quiet dynamic level. Notated *p*. (Not to be confused with the piano keyboard instrument.)
- Mezzo-pianoalso: mpModerately soft — between piano and mezzo-forte. Notated *mp*.
- Mezzo-fortealso: mfModerately loud — between mezzo-piano and forte. Notated *mf*.
- Fortealso: fLoud — a strong, assertive dynamic level. Notated *f*.
- Fortissimoalso: ffVery loud — louder than forte. Notated *ff*.
- Fortississimoalso: fffExtremely loud — louder than fortissimo. Notated *fff*.
- Pianississimoalso: pppExtremely soft — softer than pianissimo. Notated *ppp*.
- Crescendoalso: cresc.Growing — a gradual increase in volume from softer to louder. Abbreviated *cresc.* or shown with a hairpin (<).
- Decrescendoalso: decresc.Decreasing — a gradual decrease in volume from louder to softer. Abbreviated *decresc.* or shown with a hairpin (>).
- Diminuendoalso: dim.Diminishing — a gradual decrease in volume. Essentially synonymous with decrescendo. Abbreviated *dim.*
- Sforzandoalso: sfz, sfForced — a sudden, sharp accent on a single note or chord, louder than the surrounding context. Notated *sfz* or *sf*.
- Fortepianoalso: fpA note attacked loudly and immediately reduced to soft. Notated *fp*.
- Nientealso: nNothing — an instruction to fade to complete silence, or to begin from silence. Often combined as *al niente* or *dal niente*.
- Rinforzandoalso: rinf., rfzReinforcing — a sudden emphasis on a single note or short passage. Notated *rinf.* or *rfz*.
- Subitoalso: sub.Suddenly — a modifier indicating an abrupt change, often in dynamics (*subito piano*) or other elements.
- Poco a PocoLittle by little — a modifier indicating a gradual change, often combined with crescendo or diminuendo.
- Sotto VoceUnder the voice — softly, in an undertone, as if whispered or spoken aside.
- Mezza VoceHalf voice — at half-volume, with a restrained but full-bodied tone.
- Al NienteTo nothing — fading to complete silence, the endpoint of a diminuendo.
- Dal NienteFrom nothing — emerging from silence, the starting point of a crescendo.
Articulation
Words that describe how individual notes are attacked, released, and connected.
- Staccatoalso: stacc.Detached — notes are played short and separate, each clearly disconnected from the next. Indicated by a dot above or below the note.
- StaccatissimoVery detached — notes shortened even more than staccato, often indicated by a wedge symbol.
- Legatoalso: leg.Bound — notes are played smoothly connected, with no audible separation between them. Indicated by a curved line (slur) above the notes.
- LegatissimoVery bound — extremely smooth and connected, with notes overlapping or maximally bound together.
- Tenutoalso: ten.Held — the note is played at full value, with slight emphasis. Indicated by a horizontal line above or below the note.
- Marcatoalso: marc.Marked — each note emphasized strongly, with weight and accent. Indicated by ^ or by the word *marc.*
- MartellatoHammered — each note attacked sharply and percussively, with great force. From the Italian *martello*, ‘hammer’.
- PortatoCarried — notes are slightly separated but each given weight, between staccato and legato.
- Mezzo-staccatoHalf-detached — notes slightly separated, between staccato and tenuto. Often the same as portato.
- SpiccatoA bowing technique where the bow bounces lightly off the string for short, detached notes.
- Accentalso: accentoAn emphasis on a particular note, indicated by the symbol > above or below the note.
- Pizzicatoalso: pizz.Plucked — on bowed string instruments, the strings are plucked with the fingers rather than bowed. Abbreviated *pizz.*
- ArcoWith the bow — instructing string players to return to bowing after a pizzicato passage.
- Col LegnoWith the wood — striking the string with the wood of the bow rather than the hair.
- Sul Ponticelloalso: s.p.On the bridge — bowing very close to the bridge, producing a glassy, harmonic-rich tone. Abbreviated *s.p.*
- Sul Tastoalso: s.t.On the fingerboard — bowing over the fingerboard, producing a soft, hollow, flutelike tone. Abbreviated *s.t.*
- FlautandoFlute-like — a soft, hollow string tone, similar to or overlapping with sul tasto.
- Ricochetalso: jetéA bouncing bow technique where multiple notes are played in a single down-bow with the bow rebounding naturally.
- Détachéalso: détachéDetached — a bowing technique where each note is given a separate, sustained bow stroke.
- Louréalso: louréA slurred détaché — multiple notes within a single bow stroke, but each clearly articulated with a slight pulse.
- SlurA curved line connecting two or more notes, indicating they should be played legato as a single phrase.
- TieA curved line connecting two adjacent notes of the same pitch, joining them into one sustained note.
- Fermataalso: pauseA pause — the note or rest is held for an indefinite duration, longer than its written value. Symbol: 𝄐
- Caesuraalso: railroad tracksA pause or break in the flow of music, often indicated by parallel diagonal slashes (//) above the staff.
- Breath MarkA symbol (usually an apostrophe-like mark, ’) indicating where to take a breath, typically used in vocal and wind music.
- Portamentoalso: port.Carrying — a smooth slide between two pitches, audible as a continuous sweep of pitch.
- Glissandoalso: gliss.A continuous slide between pitches — on piano and harp, sweeping across the keys/strings; on strings, a slide.
- Tremoloalso: trem.A rapid repetition of a single note, or rapid alternation between two notes. Abbreviated *trem.*
Expression & Mood
Words that describe character, feeling, and the emotional quality of a passage.
- DolceSweet, gentle — a direction to play with a soft, lyrical, tender character.
- DolcissimoVery sweet — the superlative of dolce, indicating an even more tender and gentle character.
- Espressivoalso: espr.Expressively — with feeling and intensity, allowing emotional shaping of the music.
- Cantabilealso: cant.Singing — a direction to play melodically, as if the line were being sung.
- AppassionatoPassionately — with fervor and intense emotional engagement.
- Con AnimaWith soul — playing with deep feeling and inner spirit.
- Con BrioWith vigor — playing with vivacity, spirit, and brilliance.
- Con FuocoWith fire — playing with intense passion, fierce energy, and dramatic urgency.
- Con MotoWith motion — playing with forward movement and a sense of momentum.
- Con SpiritoWith spirit — playing with lively, animated character.
- Con AmoreWith love — playing with tender, affectionate feeling.
- Con DoloreWith pain — playing with sorrow, grief, and emotional anguish.
- Con GraziaWith grace — playing elegantly, delicately, with refined poise.
- GraziosoGraceful — refined and elegant, with tasteful poise.
- Leggieroalso: legg.Lightly — playing with light touch, light tone, and airy character.
- MaestosoMajestically — playing with stately grandeur and noble dignity.
- MestoSad — playing with sorrow, melancholy, mournful character.
- PesanteHeavily — playing with weight, gravity, deliberate emphasis on each note.
- ReligiosoReligiously — playing with devotional, sacred, spiritually elevated character.
- Scherzandoalso: scherz.Playfully, jokingly — with humorous and lighthearted character.
- SempliceSimply — playing with simple, unaffected, unornamented character.
- SerenoSerenely — calm, untroubled, peaceful in character.
- TranquilloTranquilly — playing with calm, peaceful, unhurried character.
- LacrimosoTearfully — playing with sad, mournful, weeping character.
- GiocosoPlayfully, jovially — with cheerful, joking character.
- BrillanteBrilliantly — playing with sparkle, virtuosic flair, and dazzling clarity.
- EnergicoEnergetically — playing with vigor, force, and driving energy.
- FuriosoFuriously — playing with extreme passion, anger, or wild abandon.
- MalinconicoMelancholically — playing with melancholy, gentle sadness, wistfulness.
- NobileNobly — playing with dignity, refined elegance, and noble bearing.
- PomposoPompously — playing with grand, stately, ceremonial character.
- RisolutoResolutely — playing with firm decision, determination, and confidence.
- SognandoDreamily — playing with dreamy, reverie-like, atmospheric character.
- TeneramenteTenderly — playing with tender, affectionate, gentle character.
- VigorosoVigorously — playing with vigor, strength, and physical energy.
- AnimatoAnimatedly — playing with animation, liveliness, and increased energy.
- CalmandoCalming — gradually becoming calm, settling down, easing.
- DecisoDecidedly — playing with firm decision, decisiveness, clarity of intent.
- DelicatoDelicately — playing with delicate, refined, gentle character.
- DolorosoPainfully, sorrowfully — playing with deep sadness and emotional pain.
- EroicoHeroically — playing with heroic, noble, valiant character.
- FastosoPompously, splendidly — playing with grand, splendid, sumptuous character.
- FieroProudly, fiercely — playing with proud, bold, fiery character.
- GioiosoJoyously — playing with joyful, happy, exuberant character.
- GrandiosoGrandly — playing with grand, monumental, large-scale character.
- LamentosoLamentingly — playing with mournful, lamenting, grieving character.
- MisteriosoMysteriously — playing with mysterious, eerie, atmospheric character.
- PastoralePastoral — playing with rustic, idyllic, country-side character, often evoking shepherds or rural scenes.
- PateticoPathetically — playing with pathos, deeply moving emotional character.
- SolenneSolemnly — playing with solemn, ceremonial, dignified character.
- SoaveSweetly, gently — playing with soft, sweet, gracious character.
- AmabileAmiably — playing with amiable, lovable, pleasant character.
- AmorosoAmorously — playing with loving, affectionate, tender character.
- ArditoBoldly — playing with boldness, daring, courageous character.
- BriosoVivaciously — playing with vigor, brilliance, lively character.
- CapricciosoCapriciously — playing with whimsical, fanciful, freely shifting character.
- CantandoSingingly — playing with singing, lyrical character (similar to cantabile).
Musical Form
Words that describe the structure of a piece of music.
- CodaTail — a concluding section appended to the end of a movement or piece, providing final closure.
- CodettaLittle tail — a small concluding passage at the end of a section, smaller than a full coda.
- Da Capoalso: D.C.From the head — repeat from the beginning of the piece. Abbreviated *D.C.*
- Dal Segnoalso: D.S.From the sign — repeat from the segno marker. Abbreviated *D.S.*
- D.C. al Finealso: D.C. al fineFrom the beginning, to fine — repeat from the start until reaching the marking ‘fine’.
- D.S. al Codaalso: D.S. al codaFrom the sign, to coda — repeat from the segno, then at ‘to coda’ jump to the coda section.
- FineEnd — a marking indicating where to end the piece during a D.C. or D.S. repeat.
- SegnoSign — a notation symbol (𝄋) marking a point to which the music returns during a *D.S.* repeat.
- TuttiAll — a passage played by the entire ensemble, as opposed to soloists.
- SoliMultiple soloists — passages played by a designated subset of the ensemble, more than one but fewer than all.
- SoloAlone — a passage played by a single performer, often standing out from the ensemble.
- RitornelloLittle return — a recurring instrumental refrain, especially in Baroque concertos.
- Ostinatoalso: ost.Obstinate — a repeated rhythmic, melodic, or harmonic pattern that persists throughout a passage.
- RefrainA repeated section that returns at regular intervals — the chorus of a song, or recurring section of a longer work.
- VerseA section of a song with new lyrics each time, typically alternating with the refrain or chorus.
- BridgeA contrasting section of a song that connects two main sections, often providing harmonic and emotional contrast.
- ExpositionThe opening section of a sonata-form movement, presenting the principal themes.
- DevelopmentThe middle section of a sonata-form movement, where themes are manipulated and explored.
- Recapitulationalso: recapThe closing main section of a sonata-form movement, restating the exposition’s themes in the home key.
- ThemeA principal melodic idea — the main musical material of a piece, often subjected to variation or development.
- VariationA modified version of a theme — preserving its essence while transforming its surface elements.
- Motifalso: motiveA short, recognizable musical figure — smaller than a theme, often the building block from which themes are constructed.
- PhraseA musical sentence — a coherent melodic and rhythmic unit, typically four to eight bars long.
- CadenzaAn elaborate solo passage, often improvised or freely composed, typically near the end of a concerto movement.
- Attaccaalso: att.Attack — proceed immediately to the next movement or section without break.
Ornaments
Decorative figures added to a melody, written or improvised.
- Trillalso: trA rapid alternation between a written note and the note above it, indicated by *tr* or a wavy line.
- MordentA rapid alternation between a written note and the note immediately below, returning to the principal note. Indicated by 𝆗.
- Inverted Mordentalso: upper mordentA mordent that uses the upper auxiliary instead of the lower — principal, upper auxiliary, principal.
- Turnalso: gruppettoAn ornament consisting of four notes — upper auxiliary, principal, lower auxiliary, principal. Indicated by ∽.
- AppoggiaturaA non-chord tone that ‘leans’ on the principal note, taking part of its time before resolving. Notated as a small grace note.
- AcciaccaturaA very short grace note that crushes against the principal note, taking minimal time.
- Vibratoalso: vib.A slight, regular oscillation in pitch (and sometimes volume) used to add warmth and expression to sustained notes.
- Grace NoteA small ornamental note printed before a main note, often in smaller print, played quickly.
- FiorituraFlowering — an elaborate ornamental flourish, especially in operatic vocal writing.
- RouladeA rolling, elaborate vocal flourish — a melismatic passage of fast notes on a single syllable.
- GruppettoLittle group — the Italian term for a turn ornament, the four-note figure ∽.
- NachschlagAfter-stroke — a small ornamental note appended to the end of a longer ornament, typically a trill.
- SchleiferSlide — a Baroque ornament consisting of two or more grace notes ascending (or descending) into the principal note.
- Arpeggioalso: arp.A chord broken into successive notes — playing the notes of a chord in succession rather than simultaneously. Abbreviated *arp.*
Voice & Instruments
Words that describe vocal and instrumental performance practice.
- A CappellaIn the manner of the chapel — vocal music sung without instrumental accompaniment.
- Divisialso: div.Divided — a section of an orchestra plays a passage divided into multiple parts, with different players on different notes.
- Sordinoalso: sord.Mute — a device attached to a stringed or wind instrument to soften and alter its tone. Used in directions *con sordino* (with mute) and *senza sordino* (without mute).
- Con Sordinoalso: con sord.With mute — instructing the performer to attach the mute to soften the tone.
- Senza Sordinoalso: senza sord.Without mute — instructing the performer to remove the mute and play with normal tone.
- Una CordaOne string — on grand piano, depressing the una corda (left) pedal, which shifts the keyboard so hammers strike fewer strings.
- Due CordeTwo strings — gradually releasing the una corda pedal so hammers strike two of three strings.
- Tre CordeThree strings — full release of the una corda pedal, returning to normal tone.
- Unisonalso: unis.All voices or instruments playing the same pitch (or same pitches in different octaves), in unified statement.
- Ottavaalso: 8vaOctave higher — instruction to play the marked passage one octave higher than written. Notated *8va* with a dashed line.
- Ottava Bassaalso: 8vbOctave lower — instruction to play the marked passage one octave lower than written. Notated *8vb*.
- LocoIn place — instruction to return to normal-octave reading after an *ottava* or *ottava bassa* marking.
- Bocca ChiusaClosed mouth — singing with the mouth closed, producing a hummed or muffled tone.
- FalsettoFalse voice — male vocal register above the normal modal voice, produced with thinner cord vibration.
- ParlandoSpeaking — vocal style where the singer approaches spoken word, with rhythmic precision but minimal sustained tone.
- Sprechgesangalso: sprechstimmeSpeech-song — German vocal technique combining speech and song, used notably by Schoenberg.
- Voce PienaFull voice — singing at full power and resonance, with maximum vocal commitment.
- ColoraturaColoration — elaborate vocal ornamentation; also, a soprano voice type specializing in such writing.
- CantilenaSmooth lyrical vocal line — a flowing, song-like melody, especially in slow movements.
- ObbligatoObligatory — an essential instrumental part, often a prominent solo line accompanying a vocal melody.
- LibrettoLittle book — the text of an opera, oratorio, or other extended vocal work.
- AriaAir — an extended vocal solo in opera or oratorio, typically expressing a single emotional state.
Notation & Score Markings
Words that describe symbols, signs, and score directions.
- Treble Clefalso: G clefG clef — the notation symbol that fixes the second line of the staff as G above middle C. Used for higher-pitched instruments and voices.
- Bass Clefalso: F clefF clef — the notation symbol that fixes the fourth line of the staff as F below middle C. Used for lower-pitched instruments.
- Alto Clefalso: C clefC clef on the middle line — the notation symbol that fixes the third line of the staff as middle C. Used primarily for the viola.
- Key SignatureSharps or flats placed at the beginning of a staff that apply to all notes of the indicated pitches throughout the piece.
- Time Signaturealso: meterTwo numbers at the beginning of the staff indicating the meter — top number specifies beats per measure, bottom indicates note value.
- Bar Linealso: measure lineA vertical line through the staff, marking the division between measures.
- Double BarTwo parallel vertical lines marking the end of a section or piece, sometimes also indicating a repeat.
- Anacrusisalso: pickup, upbeatPickup — one or more notes preceding the first complete measure, leading into the downbeat.
- DownbeatThe first beat of a measure — typically the strongest accent, marking the arrival of a new bar.
- SyncopationRhythmic emphasis on weak beats or off-beats, creating a sense of rhythmic surprise or displacement.
- SwingJazz rhythm where eighth notes are played unevenly — long-short rather than even — creating a rolling, swinging feel.
- Tupletalso: tripletA group of notes played in the time of a different note value — most commonly a triplet (three notes in the time of two).
- PolyrhythmMultiple rhythms played simultaneously — typically two or more incompatible rhythmic patterns occurring at the same time.
- HemiolaThree-against-two rhythmic relationship — typically two measures of triple meter felt as three measures of duple meter (or vice versa).
- TonicThe first scale degree — the home note that defines the key of a piece.
- DominantThe fifth scale degree — the harmonic pole that creates tension resolving to the tonic.
- ModulationA change of key during a piece — the music moves from one tonal center to another.
- Circle of fifthsalso: cof, circle of 5thsA circular diagram of the twelve tones of the chromatic scale ordered by perfect fifths — the most useful single diagram in Western music theory.
Other Common Terms
Other widely used Italian and musical terms.
- Opusalso: op.Work — a numbered designation given to a composition by the composer or publisher, abbreviated *Op.*
- Similealso: sim.Similarly — instruction to continue in the same manner as previously notated, especially with respect to articulation or pedaling.
- SegueFollow — proceed immediately to the next section without break.
- Volti Subitoalso: V.S.Turn quickly — instruction to the performer to turn the page rapidly. Abbreviated *V.S.*
- A PiacereAt pleasure — the performer may play freely with respect to tempo and expression.
- Colla ParteWith the part — instructing accompanists to follow the soloist's tempo and expression closely.
- Colla VoceWith the voice — accompanying the singer closely, following their expressive flexibility.
- Mano Destraalso: m.d., r.h.Right hand — instruction to play with the right hand, abbreviated *m.d.* or *r.h.*
- Mano Sinistraalso: m.s., l.h.Left hand — instruction to play with the left hand, abbreviated *m.s.* or *l.h.*
- BisTwice — an instruction to repeat a section. Also, French/Italian audience cry for an encore.
- EncoreAgain — an additional piece performed at the end of a concert, usually in response to audience demand.
- TacetSilent — instruction that a particular instrument or voice does not play during a movement or section.
- VampA short repeated section, often improvised, used to fill time or provide harmonic foundation.
- ZartTender — German equivalent of dolce, indicating tender, delicate playing.
- DolenteSorrowful — playing with sorrowful, mournful character. Similar to dolore.
- MorbidoSoft, gentle — playing with softness and tenderness (not ‘morbid’ in the English sense).
- Ben MarcatoWell marked — a stronger version of marcato, emphasizing the marking even more emphatically.
- Tutti ForzaAll force — full ensemble at maximum intensity, with all forces engaged.
- Ad LocumAt the place — instruction to return to a specified point or to read at written pitch.
