Italian Terms and Definitions

Speeds or Tempi (How fast the music is played)


Grave - Very Slow
Largo, Lento - Slow
Larghetto - A little faster than Largo
Adagio - Moderately Slow
Andante - "Walking" Tempo
Andantino - A little faster than Andante
Allegretto - A little slower than Allegro
Allegro - Fast
Vivace - Lively
Presto - Very Fast
Prestissimo - Very Very Fast
Moderato - Moderate(ly)
Molto - Very
Accel., Accelerando - Gradually becoming faster
Rit., Ritardando - Gradually becoming slower

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Signs for staccato, staccatissimo and accent (or marcato)

Articulation (How the music is played)


Staccato- short and detached
Staccatissimo - very short and detached
Marcato - emphasised
Legato - smoothly connected
Pesante - heavily
Leggiero - lightly

Dynamics (How loud or soft the music should be played)

Pianissimo - very soft.
Piano - soft.
Mezzo piano - moderately soft
Mezzo forte - moderately loud. If no dynamic appears, mezzo-forte is assumed to be the dynamic level.
Forte - loud.
Fortissimo - very loud.
Sforzando - literally "forced", denotes an abrupt accent on a single sound or chord.
Crescendo - a gradual increase in volume.
Diminuendo (Also decrescendo) - a gradual decrease in volume.


There are many more terms describing how the music should be played emotionally.