- Italian musical terms used in English
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For a general, non-language specific list of terms, see Musical terminology.
A great many musical terms are in Italian. This is because 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[citation needed]. (See also sheet music.)
Here are some of these expressions:
Contents
Italian term Literal translation Definition Musical forms
A cappella in chapel style Sung with total 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 An instrumental or vocal 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 Cantata sung A piece for orchestra and singers Capriccio caprice A lively piece of music Coda tail The end of a piece Concerto concert A work for one or more solo instruments 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 Intermezzo interval A short connecting instrumental movement 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 Musical instruments
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 Large drums 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
Soprano upper The highest vocal line Mezzo-soprano middle-upper Between soprano and alto Alto high Second-highest vocal line Contralto against high Alto, esp. a female alto Basso low Or "bass;" the lowest vocal line Basso profondo deep and low A very deep bass voice Castrato castrated A male singer, castrated so as to be able to sing soprano (now sung by women, conventional countertenors, or sopranisti) Tempo
Tempo time The speed of a piece of music Largo broad Slow and dignified Larghetto a little bit broad Not as slow as largo Lentando slowing Becoming slower 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 Moderato moderately At a moderate speed Allegretto a little bit joyful Slightly slower than allegro Largamente broadly Slow and dignified Mosso moved Agitated Allegro joyful; lively and fast Moderately fast Fermata stopped Marks a note to be held or sustained Presto ready Very fast Prestissimo very ready Very very fast, as fast as possible Accelerando accelerating Accelerating Affrettando becoming hurried Accelerating Allargando to slow and broaden Slowing down and broadening, becoming more stately and majestic, possibly louder Ritardando to slow Decelerating Rallentando becoming progressively slower Decelerating Rubato robbed Free flowing and exempt from steady rhythm Tenuto sustained Holding or sustaining a single note Accompagnato accompanied The accompaniment must follow the singer who can speed up or slow down at will Alla marcia as a march In strict tempo at a marching pace (e.g. 120 bpm) A tempo to time Return to previous tempo Dynamics - volume
Calando quietening Becoming softer and slower 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 Sforzando strained Sharply accented Moods
Affettuoso with feeling Tenderly Agitato agitated Excited and fast Animato animated Animated Brillante brilliant Brilliant, bright Bruscamente brusquely Brusquely - abruptly Cantabile singable In a singing style Comodo easily Unrestrainedly Con amore with love with love Con fuoco with fire with fiery manner Con brio (Con Spirito) with spirit With spirit Con moto with movement With movement Dolce sweetly Sweet Grazioso graciously or gracefully With charm Maestoso majestic Stately Misterioso mysterious Mysteriously, secretively, enigmatic Scherzando playfully Playfully Sotto subdued Subdued Semplicemente simply Simply Vivace vivacious up-tempo Musical expression (general)
Molto very Used with other terms, such as molto allegro Assai very Used with other terms, such as allegro assai Più more Used with other terms, such as più mosso Poco little "a little". Used with other terms, such as poco diminuendo Poco a poco little by little "little by little", "slowly but steadily". Used with other terms, such as poco a poco crescendo ma non troppo but not too much But not too much, such as allegro ma non troppo Meno less Used with other terms, such as meno mosso Directions
Attacca attach Proceed to the next section without pause Cambiare change Any change, such as to a new instrument Da Capo (al fine) from the beginning (to the end) Abbreviated as D.C., informs the performer to go back to the beginning (capo) (finishing where the part is marked "fine") Dal Segno to the sign Abbreviated as D.S., informs the performer to repeat a specific section marked by a sign (segno) Divisi divided Instructs one section to divide into two or more separate sections, each playing a separate part. Often these separate parts are written on the same staff. Techniques
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 Basso continuo continuous bass Continuous bass accompaniment (see figured bass.) A bocca chiusa mouth closed Wordless humming in a choral piece Chiuso closed Calls for a horn to be muted by hand Coll'arco with the bow Cancels "col legno" and "pizzicato" (in a string passage, arco is usually expected and is not written.) Colla voce with the voice A note to accompanists to play with (in time with) the singer, especially when slowing for textual effect Col legno with the wood Calls for a bowed instrument to be struck with the wood rather than the hair of the bow Coloratura coloration Elaborate ornamentation of a vocal line Con sordino with mute Calls for mute to be applied, esp. to string instruments. Senza sordino without mute Calls for mute to be removed, esp. from string instruments. Pizzicato plucked Calls for a bowed instrument to be plucked with the fingers 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 mistuning Alternate tuning (of strings) Roles
Prima donna first lady Leading female role Primo uomo first man Leading male role Comprimario/a con primario, with the first A supporting role Concertino little concert The smaller, more virtuosic, group of musicians in a concerto grosso Ripieno filling or stuffing The larger group of musicians in a concerto grosso 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 Musical direction
Maestro Master, teacher Conductor, music director, music teacher, also composer and other eminent musicians and singers Maestro sostituto Deputy master Assistant conductor Maestro collaboratore Collaborating master Assistant conductor Maestro suggeritore Master prompter Prompter See also
- Musical terminology
External links
Categories:- Musical terminology
- Italian loanwords
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