ABRSM ± Theory Italian Terms & Performance Directions Grade 1
accelerando / accel. adagio allegretto allegro andante cantabile crescendo / cresc. / da capo / D.C. dal segno / D.S. decrescendo / decresc. diminuendo / dim. / fine / forte / fortissimo legato lento mezzo / mezzo forte / mezzo piano moderato / piano / pianissimo poco rallentando / rall. ritardando / rit. ritenuto / rit. staccato / stacc. tempo 8va
gradually getting quicker slow fairly quick (but not as quick as allegro) allegro) quick at a medium (walking) speed in a singing style gradually getting louder repeat from the beginning repeat from the sign gradually getting quieter gradually getting quieter the end loud very loud smoothly slow half moderately moderately loud moderately moderately quiet moderately quiet very quiet a little gradually getting slower gradually getting slower held back detached speed, time (a (a tempo: tempo: in time) octave play an octave higher NB va may be omitted play an octave lower NB vb may be omitted or even replaced with va pause on the note 72 crochet beats in a minute accent (placed over or under a note) slur (joining two different notes) dot over / under note =
staccato
repeat marks ± at the second sign go ba ck to the first sign and repeat the music from there (if the first sign is missed out, repeat from the beginning)
Grade 2
a al, alla allargando
at, to, by, for, in the style of to the, in the manner of broadening (getting a little slow and probably louder)
andantino assai con, col dolce e, ed espressivo / express. / espr.
slightly faster than andante very with sweet, soft and expressive loud, then immediately soft
/ fortepiano giocoso grave grazioso larghetto largo ma maestoso meno molto mosso, moto non più presto senza / / sforzando / zforzato simile / sim. sostenuto tenuto troppo vivace, vivo
playful, merry very slow, solemn graceful rather slow (not as slow as largo) slow, stately but majestic less very, much movement not more fast without forced, accented in the same way sustained held too much lively, quick A wedge sign above or below the notes indicates superstaccato (staccatissimo), played as briefly as possible and possibly accented Dots inside a slur over or below the notes mean the notes should be slightly separated ( semi-staccato), but less so than notes with ordinary staccato over or under the notes means accented and slightly separated (marcato)
over or below the note means the note is given a slight pressure (tenuto)
Grade 3
adagietto ad libitum, ad lib. agitato alla breve
amore anima animato animando comodo deciso delicato energico forza largamente leggiero marcato / marc. marziale mesto
prima / primo risoluto ritmico rubato / tempo rubato scherzando / scherzoso seconda / secondo semplice sempre stringendo subito tanto tranquillo triste / tristamente volta
rather slow (faster than adagio) at choice, meaning that a passage may be played freely agitated with a minim beat, equivalent to 2/2, implying a faster tempo than the note values might otherwise suggest love (amoroso ± loving) soul, spirit animated, lively becoming lively ben well brio vigour convenient, comfortable with determination delicate energetic force broadly light, nimble emphatic, accented in a military style sad pesante heavy first bold, strong rhythmically with some freedom of time playful, joking second simple, plain always gradually getting faster suddenly so much calm sad, sorrowful time ( prima volta ± first time, seconda volta ± second time)
Grade 4 ± Italian & French
affettuoso affrettando amabile appassionato calando cantando come facile fuoco giusto l¶istesso morendo niente nobilmente perdendosi possibile quasi sonoro sopra sotto veloce voce
tenderly hurrying amiable, pleasant with passion getting softer, dying away singing as, similar to (come prima ± as before, come sopra ± as above) easy fire proper, exact (tempo giusto ± in strict time) the same (l¶istesso temo ± the same speed) dying away nothing nobly dying away possible ( presto possibile ± as fast as possible) as if, resembling resonant, with rich tone above below ( sotto voce ± in an undertone) swift voice
à animé assez avec cédez douce en dehors
to, at animated, lively enough, sufficient with yield, relax with speed sweet prominent (a direction to make a melody stand out)
et légèrement lent mais moins modéré non peu plus presser ralentir retenu
and light slow but less at a moderate speed not little more hurry (en pressant ± hurrying on) slow down held back (en retenant ± holding back, slowing a little)
sans très un / une vif vite
without very one lively quick
Grade 5 ± Italian & German
attacca dolente dolore doppio movimento estinto incalzando lacrimoso loco
volante
go straight on to the next section of music sad, mournful grief (doloroso: sorrowful) twice as fast as soft as possible, lifeless getting quicker sad at the normal pitch (used often to cancel an 8va direction) long (lunga pausa: long pause) coaxing, in a sweet and persuasive style measure (all misura: in strict time; senza misura: in free time) or, alternatively pleasant plaintive, in the style of a lament rather little reinforcing go straight on dying away in tone and speed tenderly, tenderness swift, rapid (but often used in the same sense as troppo) flying fast
aber ausdruck bewegt breit ein einfach etwas fröhlich immer langsam lebhaft mässig mit nicht ohne ruhig schnell sehr süss traurig und voll wenig wieder zart zu
but expression with movement, agitated broad, expansive a, one simple somewhat, rather cheerful, joyful always slow lively at a moderate speed with not without peaceful fast very sweet sad and full little again tender, delicate to, too
lunga lusingando misura ossia piacevole piangevole pochettino, poch. rinforzando, rf, rfz segue smorzando, smorz. teneramente, tenerezza tosto
Performance Directions Left
pedal
Middle pedal Right pedal
Soft pedal , or Muting pedal, also called una corde. Normally three strings are used per note. When the soft pedal is pressed, the whole keyboard is shifted along so that hammers on strike two strings in the upper register and one string in the lower register Sostenuto pedal (not fitted to all pianos). Depressing the pedal dampens only the notes that have been struck Damper pedal. When pressed, felts are lifted off the piano strings to allow the sound to be sustained.
Press down / release the damper pedal
spread the notes of the chord quickly starting from the bottom mano Una corde Tre corde S.P. _______
hand (mano sinistra, m.s. - left handed; mano destra, m.d. right handed; also used for the harp) one string, depress the soft pedal three strings, release the soft pedal Sostenuto Pedal ± hold the sustain pedal down for the notes indicated by the line
Performance directions for strings (violin, viola, cello and double bass) Down bow
Up bow
arco pizzi cato sul G sul pont ic ello
bowed plucked play on the G string (also sul D, sul A, sul E ) play near the bridge a slur shows that the notes are to be played in a single bow stroke (either up or down)
Mute terms for strings and brass (trumpet, trombone, tuba, etc.) con sord in i / con sord. sen z a sord i ni / sen z a sord.
with mute without mute
Ornaments
Trill
(also called a shake)
Mordent (also called the upper mordent, inverted mordent, or pralltriller)
Lower Mordent (also called mordent)
Note the line through the symbol
Turn
(also called grouppetto)
Inverted Turn
Appoggiatura (also called a grace note)
Double Appoggiatura
Acciaccatura (also called a short appoggiatura or a grace note)
Portamento (played as a smooth slide between two notes)
Glissando (played as a smooth or stepped slide between two notes)
Musical Instruments & Clefs Brass
Instrument
Clef
Transposing
Trumpet
Treble
Transposing:
French Horn Trombone Euphonium (used in some of the larger orchestral works) Tuba
Treble
Transposing:
+ bass Bass + tenor Bass
No No
Bass
No
in B-flat
in F
Woodwind
Instrument
Clef
Transposing
Piccolo
Treble
Transposing:
Flute Clarinet Oboe Cor Anglais
Treble
No
Treble
Transposing:
Treble
No
Treble
Transposing:
Bassoon Contra-bassoon (or double bassoon)
Bass + tenor Bass
No Transposing: sounds an octave lower than written
sounds an octave higher
than written in B-flat in F
Strings
Instrument
Clef
Transposing
Violin
Treble
No
Viola
Alto + treble Bass + tenor, treble Bass + tenor, treble
Cello Double bass
No
No Transposing: sounds an octave lower than written
Percussion Instrument
Clef
Timpani
-
(kettle drums) side drum Bass drum Cymbals Piano
Treble,
Transposing
No No
Bass
No No No
Voice
Instrument
Clef
Transposing
Soprano Mezzo-soprano Alto Tenor
Treble
No
Treble
No
Bass
Bass
Treble
+
alto
Treble + tenor,
bass
No If treble clef, the voice sounds an octave lower than written; this is often denoted by a small 8 placed under the treble clef No
