• Accelerando – Gradually getting faster
  • Accidental – A symbol that impacts a note to modify the resulting pitch
  • Adagio – Slow tempo
  • Allargando – Gradually getting slower and more stately
  • Allegretto – Moderately quick tempo, slightly slower than Allegro
  • Allegro – Quick tempo
  • Andante – Walking tempo
  • Andantino – Moderate tempo, slightly faster than Andante
  • Beat – A steady pulse in time that is used to give length to a specific rhythmic note, know as the beat note. For example, in 4 / 4 time, the quarter note is the beat note.
  • Crescendo – Gradually getting louder
  • Compound Meter – Time signature, or meter, in which the beat is divisible by 3 (e.g., 6/8 time felt in 2).
  • Decrescendo – Gradually becoming more quiet
  • Doppio Piu Mosso – Suddenly twice the tempo
  • Doppio Piu Lento – Suddenly half the tempo
  • Double Flat – An accidental that lowers the pitch by a whole step (major second)
  • Double Sharp – An accidental that raises the pitch by a whole second (major second)
  • Fantasia – Musical form with no constructs that allows the imagination and creativity of the composer to flourish. In Baroque music, the fantasia was often an introduction to a fugue. In the Romantic period, the fantasia was used for complete works.
  • Flat – An accidental that lowers the pitch by a half step (minor second)
  • Forte – Loud
  • Fortissimo – Very loud
  • Grave – Extremely slow and solemn
  • Homophonic – A method of composition where all parts share similar, if not the same, rhythm. Parts move together rather than independently.
  • Key – A system of tonality where chords perform functionally with regards to the tonal center
  • Largo – Very slow and dignified
  • Lento – Slow tempo
  • Meno Mosso – Less motion (slightly slower)
  • Mezzo Forte – Medium loud
  • Mezzo Piano – Medium quiet
  • Moderato – Moderate tempo
  • Mosso – Animated, motion
  • Nocturne – A musical form without constructs that is inspired by night time.
  • Partita – A Suite composed for a single instrument.
  • Pianissimo – Very quiet
  • Piano – Quiet
  • Piu Mosso – With motion
  • Polyphonic – A method of composition where parts move independently. The fugue is a polyphonic form.
  • Prestissimo – Slightly faster than presto
  • Presto – Very fast tempo
  • Rallentando – Gradually getting slower – less extreme than ritardando.
  • Rhapsody – A musical form with no formal constructs in which the composer employs many contrasts to tell a story or paint a musical picture.
  • Ritardando – Gradually getting slower – more extreme than rallentando.
  • Rubato – Tempo is flexible (opposite of Tempo Giusto).
  • Scale – A sequence of tones within an octave that that are used to create a piece of music.
  • Sharp – An accidental that raises the pitch by a half step (minor second).
  • Simple Meter – Time signature, or meter, in which the beat is divisible by 2 (e.g., 4/4 time).
  • Stringendo – Gradually getting faster.
  • Suite – A multi-movement musical work where each movement is a dance.
  • Tempo – The speed (fast or slow) of the beat for a piece of music.
  • Tonal Center – See Tonic Note
  • Tonality – The organization of notes and chords around a central, most important note.
  • Tonic Note – The central, most important note in a given tonality
  • Tempo Giusto – In strict tempo (opposite of rubato).
  • Vivace – Lively, vivacious tempo.
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