Glossary of Common Terms Found in String Music
A Tempo: Return to the original tempo or previous tempo
Accelerando: Gradually get faster
Adagietto: A little faster than adagio
Adagio: Slow
Agitato: Agitated
Allegro: Lively; quick
Allegretto: A little slower than Allegro
Allegro ma non troppo: Allegro, but not too much
Andante: Walking tempo
Andantino: A little faster than Andante
Animato: Animated
Arco: Play with the bow
Assai: Very
Attaca: To the next section without interruption
Cadenza: Solo section (passage)
Cantabile: In a singing Style
Col legno: Play with the stick of the bow
Con arco: With the bow
Con moto: With motion
Con sordino: With the mute
Detach: Legato bow changes and notes not separated
Dolce: Sweetly
Largetto: A little faster than Largo
Largo: Very slowly
Leggiero: Lightly
LÕistesso tempo: Continue with the same tempo or beat
Louree: Slurred notes with space between them to be played in a legato manner
Ma non troppo: Not too much
Marcato: Accented, heavy notes
Martelee: Accented, heavy notes
Meno mosso: Less motion
Morendo: Dying away
Non divisi: Play all the notes
Obbligato: A second part or accompaniment to solo parts
Ossia: An alternative way to play a section
Pesante: Heavily
Piu: More
P.n mosso: More motion
Pizzicato: Strings to be plucked
Poco A Poco: Little by little
Portato: Slurred notes with space between them played in a legato manner
Presto: Very fast
Prestissimo: As fast as possible
Ritenuto: Slower than the previous section
Rubato: Taking a little more time on some notes for musical expression
Saltato, saltando: Off the string at the tip of the bow in a ricochet, thrown manner
Sautille: Fast, short notes to be played off the string, but close to the string
Scherzo: In a playful style
Segue: Continue without interruption
Sempre: Always
Senza sordino: Without the mute
Sostenuto: Sustained
Spiccato: To be played off the string
Staccato: Very strong, short notes on the string
Stringendo: Increasing the tempo suddenly and continually
Sul ponticello: To be played near the bridge
Sul tasto: To be played on the fingerboard
Tacet: Do not play