All-State Band And Orchestra Terminology Sheet printable pdf download

All-State Band and Orchestra Terminology Sheet

(Revised – June 2008 & June 2009 - Definitions taken from the Oxford Dictionary of Music)

*NOTE: Anyone auditioning for the Orchestra will include the bowing terms in the

shaded box at the end;

Students auditioning for the All-State Band test will not include the bowing terms

1. accelerando (accel.) - gradually growing faster

40. e, ed or et – and

2. accidental – chromatic alteration of a note from the

41. espressivo – with feeling, with expression

key signature until the next bar line

42. etude – a study or exercise focusing on a particular

(can be extended by a tie)

technical or musical problem

3. ad libitum (ad lib) or a piacere – at pleasure, at will

43. fermata – a pause or hold (

4. a due ( a 2 ) – for two parts

44. finale – last movement of a multi-movement work

5. affetuoso – tenderly, with feeling

45. fine – the end

6. alla breve (  – 2/2 time, cut time

46. forzando – a strong accent

7. allargando – getting slower and louder

47. giocoso – humorous, playful

8. amoroso – with love, with warm feeling

48. giusto – exact, appropriate or usual tempo

9. animato or con anima – lively, animated, spirited

49. glissando – a glide from one note to the next

10. appassionato or passione – passionate, fervent

50. grazioso - graceful

11. assai – much, very

51. interval – pitch difference between two notes

12. a tempo – return to the original tempo

52. key signature – sharps or flats placed at the beginning

13. attacca – continue without a pause

of a selection indicating its key

14. bravura – great technical skill, virtuosity

53. largamente - broadly

15. brillante – sparkling, spirited

54. legato – smooth, even, without breaks between notes

16. cadenza – a brilliant (often highly technical) solo,

55. l’istesso tempo – at the same tempo

often found at the end of a movement or a piece

56. loco – return to normal position

17. cadence – the close of a melodic or harmonic phrase

57. maestoso – majestic, with dignity

18. calmando or calmato – quieting down, subsiding

58. marcato – accented, stressed

19. cantando or cantabile – in a singing style, lyrical

59. marcia - march

20. capriccioso – fanciful, freely

60. meno - less

21. coda – a concluding passage added to the form proper

61. molto – much, very

22. con – with

62. morendo – fading away

23. con brio – with vigor, vigorously

63. mosso or moto – moved, motion

24. con forza – with force, strength

64. non – no, do not

25. con fuoco – with fire, passionately

65. nuance – subtle shading in style

26. con sordino – with mute

66. ossia – an alternate version



27. con spirito or spiritoso – with spirit

67. pesante – weighty, ponderous

28. crescendo – becoming louder

68. piu - more

29. da capo ( D.C.) – from the beginning

69. pochissimo – as little as possible



30. dal segno (D.S.) – from the sign (

)

70. poco a poco – little by little

31. decrescendo (decresc.) – becoming softer

71. pomposo – stately, pompous

32. diatonic – notes within a given scale or key

72. quasi – almost, as if

33. diminuendo (dim.) – becoming softer

73. rallentando ( rall. ) – becoming slower

34. divisi – divided parts where there is normally one

74. ritardando (ritard. or rit. ) – becoming slower

35. dolce – sweet, gentle

75. ritenuto ( riten. ) – immediately slower

36. doppio movimento – twice as fast

76. rinforzando ( rfz. ) – a sudden accent



37. double flat (

) – lower by one full step

77. rubato – free use of accel. and rit. within a measure



38. double sharp (

) -- raise by one full step

without altering the duration of the measure as a whole

39. dynamics – the level of loudness

78. sans or senza - without

…pianississimo – (ppp) – very, very soft

79. scherzando - playfully

…pianissimo – (pp) – very soft

80. segue – continue without pausing

…piano – (p) – soft

81. sempre – always, throughout

…mezzo piano – ( mp) – medium soft

82. sforzando (sfz. ) – a sudden accent

…mezzo forte – ( mf ) – medium loud

83. simile – in the same manner

…forte – ( f ) – loud

84. soli – a section solo, a group of soloists

…fortissimo – ( ff ) – very loud

85. solo – a part for one performer

…fortississimo – ( fff ) – very, very loud

86. sonore – resounding, loud

87. sordino - mute

88. sostenuto ( sost. ) – sustained

REVISED 7/09

MU-1

All-State Band And Orchestra Terminology Sheet

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