1. Introduction to Music Theory
August 16, 2005

2. Musical Terms
Tempos
Adagio – A slow tempo marking between Largo and Andante.
Allegretto – A rather fast tempo marking between Allegro and Moderato.
Allegro – A fast tempo marking between Allegretto and Vivace.
Andante – A moderate tempo marking between Largo and Moderato

3. Musical Terms Tempos (contd.)
Andantino – A moderate tempo marking slightly faster than Andante and slower than Moderato.
Larghetto – A tempo not quite as slow as Largo. Often between beats per minute.
Largo – A slow tempo marking, having between 40 and 60 beats per minute.
Lento – Slow.
Moderato – A directive to perform a certain passage of a composition in a moderate tempo; moderately restrained.

4. Musical Terms Tempos (contd.)
Prestissimo – A directive to perform a certain passage of a composition very, very fast, as fast as possible; faster than presto.
Presto – A directive to perform a certain passage of a composition very quickly.
Vivace – A directive to perform a certain passage of a composition in a lively or brisk manner.
Vivo – A directive to perform a certain passage of a composition in a lively, animated or brisk manner. Slightly more animated or brisk than Vivace.

5. Musical Terms Activity
Arrange the tempo notecards from slowest to fastest

6. Musical Terms Basic Dynamic Markings Fortissimo Forte Mezzo-Forte
Mezzo-Piano
Piano
Pianissimo

7. Musical Terms Other Musical Terms
Accelerando – Gradually accelerating or getting faster.
Crescendo – A musical directive to the performer to smoothly increase the volume of a particular phrase or passage
Decrescendo – A musical directive to the performer to smoothly decrease the volume of a particular phrase or passage.
Dolce – A directive to a performer to play a certain passage sweetly, softly, with tender emotion.
Legato – A directive to perform a certain passage of a composition in a smooth, graceful, connected style.
Marcato – Marked, accented, emphatic, stressed.

8. Musical Terms Musical Terms Meno – Less
Mosso – Movement, motion; moved; agitated.
Piu - More
Rallentando – A directive to perform a certain passage of a composition with a gradual slowing of the tempo.
Ritardando – A directive to perform a certain passage of a composition with a ritard the tempo, to gradually delay the tempo.
Rubato – It involves the performer tastefully stretching, slowing, or hurrying the tempo as she/he sees fit, thus imparting flexibility and emotion to the performance.

9. Musical Terms Musical Terms Schnell – Fast, quickly, rapidly.
Sempre – Always.
Sforzando – A directive to perform a specific note or chord of a composition with particular emphasis.
Sostenuto – Sustained.
Staccato – A style of playing notes in a detached, separated, distinct manner, as opposed to legato.
Tenuto – A directive to perform a certain note or chord of a composition in a sustained manner for longer than its full duration.

10. Works Cited
Definitions are from the Virginia Tech Multimedia Music available online at