Descriptionary

geheimnisvoll German directive to play in a myste­rious manner.

Generalpause German term for a "general rest," usually referring to a silence lasting one or more mea­sures and involving all musicians.

grave slowly and solemnly.

heftig German directive to perform lightly and cheerfully.

indeciso tentatively or indecisively. innig German directive to play with deep sincerity. inquieto in an agitated manner. lamentoso mournfully.

larghetto a slow tempo between largo and andante, specifically from 69 to 98 quarter notes per minute.

largo a very slow tempo, specifically from 42 to 69 quarter notes per minute.

legato smooth-flowing with no pauses, opposite of staccato.

lestissimo very quickly. malinconico in a melancholy manner. mancando progressively softer.

marcato with sharp accents.

mezza voce to sing at half the singer's normal volume.

mezzo forte with moderate loudness.

mezzo piano with moderate softness.

militare, alla with a military air.

ossia refers to an alternative and often easier way of performing a particular passage.

parlato "spoken."

pathetique with deep feeling.

pianissimo very softly.

prestissimo the fastest tempo possible.

presto a very fast tempo, from 182 to 208 quarter notes per minute.

ravvivando continuously speeding up the music. ritardando gradually slowing the tempo. ritenuto slowing the tempo at once.

schleppend

German directive to perform in a drag­ging manner.

sciolto nimbly and lightly.

seconda volta Italian term referring to a second ending or a second time played.

slancio, con with dash.

sospirando in a plaintive manner.

sotto voce softly.

spiritoso with high spirit.

staccato with quick, light, broken or detached notes.

strisciando a very smooth legato.

tacet Latin directive to remain silent throughout a passage.

teneramente with tenderness.

tonante very loudly.

tranquillo in a tranquil manner.

tre, a Italian directive for three instruments to play the same music at the same time.

vide directive alerting a musician that a particular passage may be omitted if desired.

vigoroso with vigor.

vivo lively.

volti subito turn the page quickly so the music will continue flowing without a break.

zoppa, alla in a syncopated rhythm.

Directives to individual instruments

bois a direction to play with the wood of a bow as opposed to the hair.

chiuso to "close" an instrument by inserting a hand into its bell to muffle or change its pitch.

coperto "covered," referring to a cloth to be placed over a drum to muffle or mute its sound.

deux, a French directive for two instruments to play the same music at the same time.

Frosch, am German directive to play with the part of the bow closest to the hand.

gauche French directive to play a note or passage with the left hand.

gedampft

German directive to mute or muffle a tone.

jete French directive for a violinist to let the bow bounce several times on the strings. Also known as ricochet.

licenza, con alcuna Italian directive allowing a musician some creative license in performing a par­ticular passage.

martele French directive for a violinist to bow with brief, short strokes, producing a staccato effect.

martellato Italian directive for a piano player to strike the piano keys very hard, as a hammer.

m.d. mano destra or "right hand." A directive to play a piece or passage with the right hand.

m.s. mano sinistra or "left hand." A directive to play a piece or passage with the left hand.

muta Italian directive for wind instrument players to switch instruments or for timpanists to change the tuning of a drum.

ondeggiando Italian directive to a violinist to "rock" the bow back and forth over the strings to produce a tremolo or undulating effect.

pavillons en l'air French directive to a horn player to play with his horn or bell pointing up to project sound further and more powerfully.

pique French directive to a violinist to bow in an intermittently detached or bouncing manner to pro­duce a slurring, staccato effect.

pizzicato in music for violin or cello, a directive to pluck the strings with the fingers or thumb instead of or in addition to bowing.

punta play with the point of the bow.

sautille French directive to a violinist to bounce the upper portion of the bow off the strings.

scordatura Italian directive to change the tuning of a stringed instrument in order to perform a particular composition.

sinistra play with the left hand.

sopra in keyboard music, a directive to cross one hand over the other to play a particular passage.