a tempo

return to the original tempo

accent

a stressed note

accelerando

accelerate; gradually faster

adagio

slowly

allegro

fast or quick, cheerfully, merrily

allegretto

slightly slower than allegro; faster than andante

andante

a moderate walking tempo

andantino

slightly faster than andante, some composers use it to mean slower than andante

animato

animated; with spirit

appoggiatura

used mainly in music of the Classical Period

arpeggio

a broken chord

articulation

the various ways notes are executed (e.g. staccato, legato)

cantabile

in a singing style

con

with

con brio

with vigor, spirit, or brilliance

con moto

with motion

crescendo

gradually louder

D.C. al fine

go back to the beginning of the piece, and play until the word fine

damper pedal

press the pedal on the right

dolce

sweetly

enharmonic

two different names for the same pitch, such as E flat and D sharp

forte

loud

fortissimo

very loud

fortississimo

very, very loud

fermata

hold the note for more than its value

largo

very slowly

legato

smoothly

leggiero

lightly, delicately

lento

slowly

mezzo forte

medium loud

mezzo piano

medium soft

moderato

a moderate or medium tempo

molto

much

mordent

octave sign (8va)

play the note an octave higher

ostinato

a repeated note or figure

parallel Major and minor

Major and minor keys with the same letter names (e.g. A Major and a minor)

piano

soft

pianissimo

very soft

pianississimo

very, very soft

phrase

a musical sentence often lasting around four measures

poco

little

presto

very fast

rallentando (rall.)

gradually slower

ritardando (ritard., rit.)

slow down gradually

sforzando (sF, SFz, Fz)

a sudden, sharp accent

slur

curved line indicating to play legato

spiritoso

spirited; with spirit

staccato

crisp or detached

subito

suddenly

tempo

the speed at which to play music

tenuto

hold the note for its full value, can also mean to stress it

tranquillo

tranquilly, peacefully

tre corde (t.c.)

release the una corda pedal (left pedal)

trill

Baroque / Classical period: performed beginning on the note above the written note

Romantic period: performed beginning on the written note

turn

una corda (u.c.)

press the left (soft) pedal

vivace

quick, lively

vivo

brisk, lively

- etto / - ino

suffixes meaning little