CHAPTER TWELVE

CATEGORIZATION OF SOME OF
MUSICAL TERMINOLOGIES, THEIR
MEANINGS AND SYMBOLISMS
 INTRODUCTION
This chapter will capture musical terminologies in sub-themes as used in music to represent and
describe certain signs and abbreviation in models of
(a) Dynamics (Volumes)
(b) Velocity and Acceleration (Speed/Tempo)
(c) Tension (Tightness and Stretches)
(d) Intensity (Pressure)
(e) Emotions and Expressions (Feelings)
(f) Articulations (Emphasy)
(g) Instructions (Command)
(h) And other combinations of volume and speed like forte con accelerando (intensity, velocity
and acceleration) respectively

Musical performances if executed satisfactorily will be quite affective, however, there are many
characteristics that necessitates such level of satisfaction. These are usually divergent
instructions given by composers to performers to make for good aesthetical performance
realizations of their works be it vocal or instrumental, but each of these facets have common
characteristic elements aside their particularities. Vocal performances have its specifics that
requires precision during stage performances/productions, these become the many and very
important instructions the performer needs in interpreting a piece of music. Such instructions are
generalized with the ambiguous nomenclature dynamics, but in reality, musical dynamics
concerns itself with (pressure/intensity) volume control alone as can be associated with the
calculation of Mega-hertz under acoustics in physics, leaving out other sub-themes like speed
(acceleration), mood, articulations, expressions, instructions, styles, techniques and genres
respectively including combinations of volume and speed like forte con accelerando(intensity,
velocity and acceleration). Unfortunately, there seems to be resemblances in some of them,
making their interpretations even much more ambiguous. This study seeks to investigate these
ambiguities that have become a problem making some of the instructions very reticent and others
quite divulged. The participant observation including literally, interview and experimentation
method will be used respectively.
WORDS THAT REFER TO DYNAMICS

The nomenclature dynamics in reality concerns itself with (pressure/intensity) volume control

alone as can be associated with the calculation of Mega-hertz under acoustics in physics. These

are words as follows

(a) DYNAMICS REFERING TO VOLUME

Pianissimo - pp or ppp - very soft

Piano - p - soft

Mezzo - piano -mp - moderately soft

Mezzo – forte - mf - moderately loud

Forte - f - loud

Fortissimo - ff - very loud

(b) DYNAMICS REFERING TO VARIATIONS IN VOLUME

Crescendo - cresc. - gradually louder

Decrescendo - decres. - gradually softer or

Diminuendo - dim. - gradually softer

Sforzando - sfz or sf - strongly accented

Forte piano - fp - loud, then immediately soft.

Rinforzando - - strengthening the tone, reinforced

(c) WORDS THAT REFER TO TEMPO (SPEED/TEMPO)

(i) SLOW TEMPOS

Grave - extremely slow and solemn

Adagio - very slow

Lento - slow

Largo - slow and broad

Larghetto - slower than largo

(ii) MEDIUM TEMPOS

Andante - rather slow, at a moderate or walking pace

Andantino - a little slower than andante

Moderato - moderate pace

Allegretto - fairly quick, slightly slower than allegro

(iii) FAST TEMPOS

Con moto - with movement or quickness

Allegro - lively, rather quick

Vivace - quick and lively

Vivo - animated, briskly, lively

Veloce - with velocity, swiftly

Rapido - rapid

Presto - very quick

Prestissimo - as quick as possible

(d) OTHERS

Tempo commodo - easily, without haste

Tempo ordinaro - at an ordinary speed

Tempo guisto - in exact time

A tempo - return to the first original pace after an increase in tempo

Con rigore - in strict time

I’istesso - at the same time

WORDS THAT REFER TO VARIATION IN TEMPO

Accelerando - gradually getting quicker

Menomosso - less movement, slower

Ritardando (rit) - gradually getting slower

Rallentando (rall) - gradually getting slower

Tempo rubato - robbed time

Doppiomovimento - double the preceding speed

Stringendo - pressing onwards, hurring

Ad libitum - at the performers creative liberty

A piacere - at the performers pleasure

Ritenuto (riten) - suddenly slower, held back

Slargando - broadening

Allabreve - make the half note as the unit, rather the quarter-note

Slentando - getting slower

Tempo primo - returning to the original time

A FEW WORDS THAT REFER TO EXPRESSIONS

Lacrimoso - perform the music by impersonating a sad mood

Penderdosi - concious and spontenous fading away the volume gradually.

Tranquility - quietly or serenely.

PERFORMACE EXECUTION/APPLICATION TECHNIQUES

(i) DYNANICS
Dynamics, crescendo and decrescendo are better weapons of good singer which will be lovable

to reproduce. An exciting and versatile singer uses volume variation for emotional expression. A

voice performer need to be able to sing full, rich tones, soft, intimate tones and all the possible

variations in between. Balance is the key to vocal control. To sing greater volume (forte, f) you

need to

• Increase air pressure

• Increase focusing strength to balance against the increased air pressure and

• Increase resonating space, a yawn-like sensation will help

When the air pressure is too powerful, you loose the fine balance necessary for good tone

production. Be careful not to push too hard when the air pressure is perfectly balanced against

the focusing vocal cords in open resonators, you experience a buzzing sound or ring your voice.

For singing softer (piano, p) and more intimate tones,

• Use less air pressure, but “don’t relax support”

• Use less focusing strength, but don’t let the tone get breathy, and

• Keep the throat, mouth and nasal passages open.

For the softest tones, only the delicate fingers of the vocal cords should vibrate, a yawn-like

sensation will help you relax the focusing strength. Be careful to maintain firm, steady, out and

down support.

(ii) CRESCENDO AND DECRESCENDO

To observe crescendo, which is beginning soft and gradually becoming softer, you begin with a

soft tone pressure and gradually increase the focusing strength and air pressure. At the same

time, keep the resonating space open and maintain firm support.
To observe decrescendo, which is beginning loud and gradually becoming softer, you begin with

a loud tone and gradually decrease focusing strength and air pressure. At the same time, keep the

resonating space open and maintain firm support. Avoid the tendency to relax support during

decrescendo. Although the cords relax to balance the decreased air pressure for softer volume,

they must produce a clear tone throughout and the vowel must be kept pure and open. Note that

the buzz is not as noticeable when singing softer. When using the yawn to help relax the focusing

strength, you may feel as though you are opening the cords even though they are still focusing.

MORE COMMON MUSICAL TERMINOLOGIES, THEIR MEANINGS AND

SYMBOLISMS

A tempo Resume the first/normal tempo after the digression

Accelerando (accel.) Getting faster
Accent Emphasis on the note
Adagio Slowly
Adlibltum (adlib) At pleasure
Affre hando Getting hurrying, pressing onward
Agitato Agitated
Alla Marcia In the style of a march
Allegro Quickly, Fast (literally, 'cheerful')
Allegretto Slightly slower than allegro (literally, 'little allegro')
Anacrusis A musical phrase or hymn that does not start on the first beat of the
bar
Andante A moderate tempo (literally, 'walking pace')
Andantino Slightly faster than andante
Animato Animated, lively
Anthem A Choral composition usually of a sacred nature
Appassionato Passionate
Arco Bowed (instruction to stringed instrument players to return to playing
with the bow, after plucking the strings)
Aria Literally mean a song or a solo vocal in an opera, oratorio or cantata
form of music
Arpeggio Notes in a chord played in rapid succession, rather than
 simultaneously
Assai Very much (e.g. allegro assai, 'very fast')
Attacca Indicates at the end of a movement that the next one should follow
without a pause
Bravura With boldness and spirit
Brillante Brilliant
Brio Spirit, fire, vigour
Calando Gradually diminishing
Cantabile Expressive, songful, in a single style
Cantata Usually a social work meant for choir
Capo The beginning
Chant A choral sentences usually of three or four bar phrases in which
canticles and psalms are sung in recitation and a tempo styles
Chorale prelude A piece of music for the organ or voice based on hymn settings.
Chorale A German hymn setting
Chorus Music sung by full choir, it also means the refrain song after a verse
of song
Coda The concluding section of a piece (literally, 'tail')
Col legno With the wood of the bow (direction to stringed instrument players)
Concerto gross A piece of work usually in three movement for one or more solo
instrument together with an orchestra
Contrapuntal Pertaining to counter point i.e. act of combining one or two melodic
lines together for harmony, but they go independently
Con sordino With mute
Con/col With (e.g. con moto, 'with motion')
Crescendo Getting louder
Da capo (d.c.) From the beginning
Dal segno (d.s.) From the sign
Decrescendo (decresc.) Getting softer, diminishing
Diminuendo (dim.) Getting quieter
Dolce Sweet
Duet A piece of music for two performers (like singers or players)
Espressivo Expressive, with feeling
Fine End
Forte (f.) Loud (literally, 'strong')
Fortissimo (ff.) Loudest
Fuoco Fire (e.g. con fuoco, 'fiery')
Furioso Furiously, with fury
Giocoso Playful, merry
Glissando (gliss.) Create the effect of a seamless slide from one pitch to another
(literally, 'to glide, slide')
Grave Very slow and solemn
Grazioso Graceful
Guisto Strict
Harmony Choral music for two or more parts that produce a succession of
sounds or chords when combined
Improvise To make up music as you go alone
Lacrimoso Sadly
Larghetto Slightly faster than largo
Largo/largando/largamente Slow, broad, slower than adagio
Legato Smooth (literally, 'linked'-i.e. one note is 'linked' to the next)
Leggiero Light
Lento Slow
L'istesso tempo The same speed (as before)
Lo stesso tempo
Tempo primo
Maestoso Majestic
Ma non troppo But not too much
Marcato A certain section or part is accented or emphasized (literally,
'marked')
Meno Less (e.g. meno mosso, 'less motion')
Mesto Sad, mournful
Mezzoforte (mf.) Moderately loud
Mezzopiano (mp.) Moderately quiet
Misterios Mysteriously
Moderato Moderate tempo (literally, 'moderate')
Molto Very (e.g. molto largamente, 'very broadly')
Morendo Dying away
Mosso/moto Motion
Obbligato Important solo instrumental part, or alternatively, an optional part
Opera A piece of music with little drama in demonstration of the song
Oratorio An itemized combination of music pieces containing the story of an
 event
Ped Depress the sustaining pedal in the pianoforte
Perdendosi Fading away the sound
Pesante Heavy
Pianissimo (pp.) Quietest
Piano (p.) Quiet
Più More (e.g. più vivace, 'more lively')
Pizzicato Plucked (instruction to stringed instrument players)
Poco Slightly (e.g. poco largando, 'broadening slightly')
Poco a poco Little by little (e.g. poco a poco accel., 'gradually getting faster')
Portamento Moving from one note to another with element of sliding, especially
on voice or stringed instruments
Prelude An introduction to a piece of music before starting the main body
Prestissimo Fastest
Presto Very fast
Quartet Four movement of instrument or singers
Rallentando Getting slower
Ritardando (rit.) Getting slower (used interchangably with rallentando)
Rubato Expressive use of tempo, i.e. not strictly in time (literally, 'robbed or
stolen')
Scherzando Playfully
Scherzo Fast movement, originally in triple time (literally, 'joke')
Semplice Simply
Sempre Always
Senza Without (e.g. senza ritardando, 'without slowing down')
Sforzando (sfz.) Strongly and suddenly accented (literally, 'forced, reinforced')
Slancio Impetus, dash
Smorzando Dying away (literally, 'deadening, toning down')
Sordino Mute (e.g. con sordino, 'with mute,' senza sordino, 'without mute')
Sotto voce Very quiet (literally, 'under the voice')
Sostenuto Sustained
Staccato Detached, separated (i.e. each note is sounded separately rather than
slurred together with the following one)
Stretto Overlapping passages in a fugue, or acceleration of a passage
(literally 'tight, drawn together')
Stringendo (string.) Hurrying, faster (literally, 'drawing tight, squeezing')
Subito (sub.) Suddenly (literally, 'immediately')
Sustenuso Sustained
Symphony A piece of music written for orchestra alone
Tacet Do not play (literally, 'is silent')
Tenuto Held (e.g. a note held for its full value or slightly longer)
Tranquillo Tranquil (quiet or calm)
Tremolo Rapid repetition of single note (literally, 'quivering')
Trill Rapidly alternating between two notes
Trio Three movement of instrument or singers with a piece of music in
three part
Troppo Too much (e.g. adagio ma non troppo, 'slow but not too slow')
Tutta forza As loud as possible
Tutti All together (literally, 'all')
Vibrato Slightly fluctuate the pitch of individual notes (literally, 'vibrating,
oscillating')
Vivace Quickly, Lively