| MUSICAL TERM | MEANING |
| adagio | Adagio ('at ease' in Italian) indicates the tempo or speed of a piece of music - in this case, in slow time or leisurely. |
| allegro | Allegro ('joyful' in Italian) indicates the tempo or speed of a piece of music - in this case, joyfully brisk, lively or moderately fast. |
| andante | Andante ('walking' in Italian) indicates the tempo or speed of a piece of music - in this case, at walking pace or moderately slow. |
| appassionato | Appassionato (from Italian) refers to (music) performed with passion. |
| atonal | Atonal refers to (music) not written or performed in any specific key. |
| baroque | Baroque refers to the ornate musical style of the period from about 1600 to 1750, characterized by grandeur, complicated elaboration and strict form. Classical refers to the simple musical style of the period from about 1750 to 1800, characterized by emotional restraint and objective composition. Romantic refers to the rich musical style of the early 19th century, characterized by emotionalism, subjective composition and longer imaginative forms. |
| crescendo | Crescendo ('growing' in Italian) indicates the volume dynamics of a piece of music - in this case, becoming louder or gradually growing in volume. |
| da capo | Da capo in sheet music refers to the instruction to repeat the beginning of a musical piece before ending on the final chord. |
| diminuendo | Diminuendo ('dwindling' in Italian) or Calando ('quietening' in Italian) indicate the volume dynamics of a piece of music - in this case, gradually becoming softer or diminishing in volume. |
| flat | Flat indicates that a particular note be diminished a semitone. |
| fortissimo | Fortissimo implies very loudly or very strongly. |
| legato | Legato and Cantabile imply flowing smoothly and connected evenly (as opposed to staccato). |
| mezzo forte | Mezzo means half or moderately. Forte means loudly or strongly. |
| molto | Molto or Molta means very or much. |
| pianissimo | Pianissimo means very softly. Piano (meaning softly and abbreviated by the letter 'p') is an instruction in sheet music to play softly. |
| pizzicato | Pizzicato refers to picking the strings of an instrument such as a violin instead of using a bow. |
| presto | Presto ('ready' in Italian) indicates the tempo or speed of a piece of music - in this case, very fast or very quickly. |
| sharp | Sharp indicates that a particular note be raised a semitone. |
| staccato | Staccato refers to each sound being short, detached and sharply distinct (as opposed to legato). |
| tutti | Tutti (or tutto or tutto) refers to all voices or instruments together. |
| vivace | Vivace indicates a spirited, bright and lively manner that equals or exceeds allegro. |
