Performance Terms AP Music Theory Mr. Silvagni Italian heritage - PowerPoint Presentation

Performance Terms AP Music Theory Mr. Silvagni

Italian heritage Most terms in music come from Italian, though there are a few in French and German An exhaustive list of musical terms: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Italian_musical_terms_used_in_English

Clarifying Terms Staying the same L’istesso tempo – at the same tempo Sempre – Always Simile – In the same manner Changing slowly Poco a poco – little by little A small amount Non troppo – not too much Poco – little Un poco – a little

Clarifying terms A large amount Assai – very Molto – very Less Meno – less Mezzo – half More Più – more With Con - with

Dynamics Dynamics indicate the volume and or mood of a piece of music. Here they are listed from softest to loudest ppp – pianississimo pp – pianissimo p – piano mp – mezzo piano mf – mezzo forte f – forte ff – fortissimo fff - fortississimo

Other dynamic terms Crescendo – increasing in loudness Decrescendo – decreasing in loudness Diminuendo – decreasing in loudness fp – fortepiano – forte immediately followed by piano rf or rfz – rinforzando – a sudden increase in loudness

Tempo Tempo refers to the speed of music Initial markings are in Italian and may be followed by a metronome marking, e.g. M.M. = 120 ( Maelzel Metronome), referring to beats per minute The metronome marking will also refer to which note is played at the listed speed, e.g. quarter note = 120

Italian Tempo Terms Fast tempo Prestissimo – very quick Presto – quick Vivace – fast and lively; vivacious Allegro – quick; lively; bright; merry Medium tempo Allegretto – moderately quick, but not as fast as allegro Andantino – a little quicker than andante Andante – moderately slow Moderato – restrained or moderate Slow tempo Adagio – at east, slow Adagio assai – very slow Largo – broad; very slow; dignified Larghetto – slower than largo Lento – slow Grave – slow and solemn

Other tempo terms Speeding up Accelerando – to increase the tempo gradually Stringendo – to press forward Slowing down Rallentando – to slow down gradually Ritardanto – to slow down gradually Ritenuto – to slow down suddenly Other tempo changes Rubato – to take out of the stated tempo

Articuations Articulations mark how to play a note or phrase music. It may involve the attack, release, or the entire envelope of created sound. fz – forzando – forced; played with a sudden accent sf or sfz – sforzato – played with sudden emphasis fzp – forzando piano – played with a sudden accent and immediately becoming piano

Style markings Style markings identify the mood or expression used to play a part or whole piece of music Amoroso – tender and affectionate Animato – animated, lively Calando – gradually softer and slower Cantabile – in a singing style Con anima – with life and animation Con brio – with vigor and spirit Con dolore – with sadness Con forza – with force Con fuoco – with fire, in a fiery manner Con moto – with motion Deciso – decisively Détaché – detached Dolce - sweetly

Style markings contd. Doloroso – sorrowfully Espressivo – expressively Furioso – furious Giocoso – humorous Grandioso – with grandeur Grazioso – gracefully Legato – smooth and connected Leggiero – lightly Maestoso – majestically Marcato – marked and stressed Marzial – in the style of a march Morendo – dying away Pesante – heavy Religioso – solemn, religious Semplice – simple Sostenuto – sustained Soto voce – in an undertone Staccato – short and detached Tranquillo - tranquil

Additional Playing Indications Arco – played with a bow Arpeggio – notes of a chord played in a sequence Caesura or cesura – complete break in sound/grand pause (railroad tracks) Con sordino /senza sordino – play with mute/play without mute D.C. al Coda – go back to the start and play until you reach To Coda – then jump to the coda D.S. al Coda – go back to the sign and play until you reach To Coda – then jump to the coda D.C. al Fine – go back to the start and play until you reach Fine D.S. al Segno – go back to the sign and play until you reach Fine Grace note – miniature note played quickly before another note Octave sign (8va or 8vb) – signal to play notes octave higher or lower Mordent – ornament indicating first 3 notes of a downward trill (G F G) Pedal line – Ped.______^ - guide pianist or vibraphonist to use sustain pedal Pizzicato – played by plucking Tremolo – rapid repetition of the same note (roll) Trill – ornament where two notes a second apart are alternated rapidly Turn – ornament where you play one above and below written note (D C B C)

Additional terms Alberti bass – accompaniment pattern using a three note chord broken typically as root-fifth-third-fifth Cadenza – solo section, typically out of time, to show off Opus – work number Tre corde – release left piano pedal Una corda – press left piano pedal Vibrato – fluctuation of pitch