Foreign Words used for Performance Directions

(Abbreviations: I = Italian, L = Latin, F = French, G = German, lit. = literally)

a (I), (F)

at, to, by, for, in, in the style of

aber (G)

but

a cappella (I)
in church style

unaccompanied (referring to choral music lit.

accelerando, accel. (I)

gradually getting faster

adagietto (I)

rather slow, but faster than

adagio (I)

slow (lit. at ease), generally held to indicate a tempo

between andante and largo

deux, 2 (F) a due, a 2 (I) for two performers or instruments (in orchestral
or band music) it means that a part is to be played in
unison by two instruments
ad libitum, ad lib. (L)

at choice, meaning either that a passage may be

performed freely or that an instrument in a score may
be omitted

affettuoso (I)

tenderly

affrettando, affret. (I)

hurrying

agitato (I)

agitated

al, alla (I)

to the, in the manner of

la pointe (F) an der Spitze (G)

use the bow (of a string instrument) at the
point, i.e the end opposite to that held by the player
alla breve (I)

with a minim beat, equivalent to

2
2

(C); implying a

faster tempo than the notes otherwise suggest

alla marcia (I)

in the style of a march

allargando (I)

broadening, i.e getting a little slower and probably also

a little louder

allegretto (I)

fairly quick, but not quite as quick as allegro

allegro (I)

quick (lit. cheerful)

als (G)

than

alt (I)

high (in alt is used in vocal music to refer to notes in

the octave above the treble stave)

al tallone (I) au talon (F)

use the bow (of a string instrument) at the heel,
the end held be the player
amabile (I)

amiable, pleasant

am Frosch (G)

see al tallone

amore (I), amour (F)

love

amoroso (I)

loving

andante (I)

at a walking pace (lit. going) indicating a medium

speed (pi andante and molto andante are somewhat
slower)

andantino (I)

slightly faster than andante (but it can also mean

slightly slower: the term is ambiguous)

anima (I)

soul, spirit (con anima is ambiguous, meaning either

with feeling or spirited)

animando (I)

becoming more lively

animato (I), anim (F)

animated, lively

apais (F)

calmed

a piacere (I)

at pleasure, meaning that the performer is not bound

to follow the given rhythm exactly

appassionato (I)

with passion

a punto darco (I)

see la pointe

arco (I)

bow of a string instrument, a direction after pizzicato

assai (I)

very, extremely (but sometimes used in the same

sense as assez)

assez (F)

enough, sufficiently (but sometimes used in the same

sense as assai)

a tempo (I)

in time, indicating a return to the original speed after

e.g. rit., rall.

attaca (I)

go straight on, indicating an immediate move to the

next section of music

ausdruck (G)

expression (ausdrucksvoll: expressively)

avec (F)

with

ben, bene (I)

well, very

bestimmt (G)

with decision, definite

bewegt (G)

with movement, agitated

bis (I)

twice, indicating the repetition of a short passage

bravura (I)

skill, brilliance (con bravura: in a brilliant style)

breit (G)

broad, expansive

brillante (I) , brilliant (F)

brilliant

brio (I)

vigour, animation (brioso, con brio: with vigour)

calando (I)

gettimg softer, dying away (and usually slowing down)

calmato (I), calme (F)

calm, tranquil

cantabile (I)

in a singing style

cantando (I)

singing

capriccioso (I), capricieux (F) in a whimsical, fanciful style

cdez (F)

yield, relax the speed

col, coll, colla, colle (I) with, with the

colla parte (I)

keep with the soloist, a direction to an accompanist

colla voce (I)

keep with the singer, a direction to an accompanist

col legno (I)

with the wood, a direction to a string player to play

with the wood of the bow rather than with the hair

coll ottava (I)

with the octave, a direction to a keyboard player to

double notes an octave higher, or lower is bassa is
added

come (I), comme (F)

as, similar to

come prima (I)

as before (not necessarily as at the beginning)

comme sopra (I)

as above

comodo (I)

convenient (tempo comodo: at a comfortable speed)

con (I)

with

corda, corde (I)

string, strings

crescendo, cres., cres (I)

gradually getting louder

da (I)

from

da capo, D.C. (I)

from the beginning

dal segno, D.S. (I)

from the sign

Dmpfer (G)

mute

deciso (I)

with determination

decrescendo, decresc., (I)

gradually getting softer

delicato (I)

delicate

dtach (F)

detached, usually applying to bowing on string

instruments

diminuendo, dimin., dim. (I) gradually getting softer

divisi, div. (I)

divided, a direction to orchestral players (usually

strings) into two or more groups

doch (G)

however, yet

dolce (I)

sweet, soft (dolcissimo, dolciss.: as sweetly as

possible)

dolente (I)

sad, mournful

dolore, duolo (I)

grief (doloroso: sorrowful)

doppio movimento (I)

twice as fast

douce, doux (F)

soft, sweet (doucement: softly, sweetly)

e, ed (I)

and

gal (F) eguale (I)

equal

ein (G)

einfach (G)

simple

Empfindung (G)

emotion, feeling (empfindungsvoll: with feeling)

emport (F)

fiery, impetuous

en animant (F)

becoming more lively

en cdant (F)

yielding

en dohrs (F)

prominent (literally outside) a direction to make a

melody stand out

energico (I)

energetic

enlevez (F)

take up, take off, a direction for a pedal or a mute

en mesure (F)

in time

en pressant (F)

hurrying

en retenant (F)

holding back (slowing a little)

en serrant (F)

becoming quicker

espressione (I)

expression (espressivo, espress., espr. expressive)

expressif (F)

expressive

estino (I)

as soft as possible, lifeless

et (F)

and

etwas (G)

somewhat, rather