Итальянские музыкальные термины и их значения

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a general, non specific list of terms

Many musical terms are in Italian because, in Europe, the vast majority of the most important early composers from the Renaissance to the Baroque period were Italian. That period is when numerous musical indications were used extensively for the first time.

Italian term Literal translation Definition A cappella in chapel style Sung with no (instrumental) accompaniment, has much harmonizing Ariaair Piece of music, usually for a singer Aria di sorbetto sorbet air A short solo performed by a secondary character in the opera Arietta little air A short or light aria Arioso airy A type of solo opera or operetta Ballabile danceable (song) to be danced to Battaglia battle An instrumental or vocal piece suggesting a battle Bergamasca from Bergamo A peasant dance from Bergamo Burletta a little joke A light comic or farcical opera Cabaletta from copola (couplet) A two part musical form Cadenza falling A florid solo at the end of a performance Cantata sung A piece for orchestra and singers Capriccio caprice A lively piece, free in form, often used to show musical skill Cavatina small instrumental tone A simple melody or song Coda tail The end of a piece Concerto concert A work for one or more solo instruments accompanied by an orchestra Concertino little concert A short concerto; the solo instrument in a concerto Concerto grosso big concert A Baroque form of concerto, with a group of solo instruments Da capo aria from the head aria A three section musical form Dramma giocoso jocular drama A form of opera Dramma per musica drama for music Libretto Fantasia fantasy A musical composition or “idea” typified by improvisation Farsa farce A one act comical opera Festa teatrale theatrical party A genre of opera Fioritura flowery A highly embellished vocal line Intermedio intermediate A short connecting instrumental movement – an intermezzo Intermezzo interval A short connecting instrumental movement Libretto little book A work containing the words to an opera, musical, or ballet Melodramma melodrama A style of opera Opera work A drama set to music for singers and instrumentalists Opera buffa humorous opera A comic opera Opera semiseria semi serious opera A variety of opera Opera seria serious opera An opera with a serious, esp. classical theme Operetta little opera A variety of light opera Oratorio oratory Large musical composition for orchestra, choir, and soloists Pasticcio pastiche A musical piece containing works by different composers Ripieno concerto padding concert A form of Baroque concerto with no solo parts Serenata Serenade A song or composition in someone's honour. Originally, a musical greeting performed for a lover Soggetto cavato carved subject A musical cryptogram, using coded syllables as a basis for the composition Sonata sounded A composition for one or two instruments in sonata form Verismo realism A genre of operas with scenarios based on contemporary everyday life

Italian term Literal translation Definition Campana bell A bell used in an orchestra; also campane "bells" Cornetto little horn An old woodwind instrument Fagotto bundle A bassoon, a woodwind instrument played with a double reed Orchestra orchestra, orig. Greek orkesthai "dance" An ensemble of instruments Piano(forte) soft loud A keyboard instrument Piccolo little A tiny woodwind instrument Sordun deaf, dull in sound An archaic double reed wind instrument Timpani drums Large drums Tuba tube A large brass instrument Viola viola, orig. Latin vitulari "be joyful" A medium sized stringed instrument Viola d'amore love viola A tenor viol with no frets Viola da braccio arm viola A stringed instrument held in the arm, such as a violin or viola Viola da gamba leg viola A stringed instrument held between the legs Violoncello Violoncello was the original name for a cello. A large stringed instrument

Italian term Literal translation Definition Alto high Second highest vocal line Basso low Or "bass;" the lowest vocal line Basso profondo deep low A very deep bass voice Castrato castrated A male singer, castrated before puberty so as to be able to sing soprano (now sung by women, conventional countertenors, or sopranisti) Coloratura soprano colouring soprano A soprano specialised in complex, ornamented melody Contralto against high Alto, esp. a female alto Falsetto little false A vocal register immediately above the modal voice range Falsettone Falsetto, sung using the usual techniques of modal voice register Leggiero tenor See tenore di grazia Musico musician Originally, a trained musician; later, a castrato or female singer Mezzo soprano middle upper Between soprano and alto Passaggio crossing A vocal range Soprano upper The highest vocal line Soprano sfogato unlimited soprano A soprano who has extended her upper range beyond the usual range of a soprano Spinto pushed A forceful voice, between the lyric and dramatic in weight Spinto soprano pushed soprano A soprano whose voice, while normally of lyric weight and fluidity, can be pushed to a more forceful weight Squillo ringing The resonant clarity of an operatic singer's voice Tenore contraltino A tenor voice capable of a slightly higher range of sustainable notes than usual Tenore di grazia or Leggiero tenor tenor of grace or lightweight tenor A lightweight, flexible tenor voice Tessitura texture A singer's comfortable range

Italian term Literal translation Definition Accelerando accelerating Accelerating Accompagnato accompanied The accompaniment must follow the singer who can speed up or slow down at will. Adagio ad agio, at ease Slow and easy (but not as slow as largo) Adagietto a bit at ease 1. Slightly less easy than adagio (so slightly faster); 2. a short adagio composition Affrettando becoming hurried Accelerating Alla marcia as a march In strict tempo at a marching pace (e. g. 120BPM) Allargando broadening Slowing down and broadening; becoming more stately and majestic, possibly louder Allegro joyful; lively and fast Joyful; moderately fast tempo Allegretto a little bit joyful Slightly less joyful than allegro (so slightly slower tempo) Andante walking At a walking pace; flowing; moderately slow tempo Andantino a little bit walking Less of a walking pace than andante (so slightly quicker) A tempo to time Return to previous tempo Fermata held, stopped, orig. Latin firmo "make firm, fortify" Holding or sustaining a note Grave grave, solemn Slow and solemn tempo (slower than largo) Largo broad Slow and dignified tempo Largamente broadly Slow and dignified tempo Larghetto broad ish Slightly less dignified than largo (so slightly faster tempo) Lento slow Slow tempo Lentando slowing Decelerating, slowing down L'istesso tempo the same time At the same tempo Moderato moderate Moderate tempo Mosso moved, agitated Agitated Presto prompt, quick; ready for action Very fast Prestissimo very prompt, very quick Very very fast (above 200BPM) Rallentando slowing down Decelerating Ritardando retarding Decelerating Tardo slow, tardy Slow tempo Tempo time The speed of music; e. g. 120BPM (beats per minute) (Tempo) rubato robbed Free flowing and exempt from steady rhythm Tenuto sustained Holding or sustaining a single note Vivace vivacious Fast and lively tempo (quicker than allegro)

Italian term Literal translation Usage Molto very; much Comes before other terms; e. g. molto allegro ("very cheerful") Assai very; aplenty Comes after other terms; e. g. allegro assai ("very cheerful") Più more Comes before other terms; e. g. più mosso ("more moved/agitated") Poco little Comes before other terms; e. g. poco diminuendo ("a little diminishing") poco a poco little by little "Slowly but steadily." Comes before other terms; e. g. poco a poco crescendo ("increasing little by little") ma non tanto but not so much Comes after other terms; e. g. adagio ma non tanto ("not quite at ease") ma non troppo but not too much Comes after other terms; e. g. allegro ma non troppo ("not too joyful") Meno less Comes before other terms, such as meno mosso ("less moved/agitated") Subito suddenly, quickly Comes before or after other terms; e. g. subito fortissimo ("suddenly very loud")

Italian term Literal translation Definition Attacca attach, begin Proceed to the next section without pause Cambiare change Any change, such as to a new instrument Da Capo (al fine) from the beginning (to the "fine") Abbreviated as D. C., informs the performer to go back to the beginning (capo) (finishing where the part is marked fine). Dal Segno from the sign Abbreviated as D. S., informs the performer to repeat a specific section marked by a sign (segno). Divisi divided Instructs one section to divide into two or more separate sections, each playing a separate part. Often these separate parts are written on the same staff. Oppure from o ("or") + pure ("also") Informs the player of alternative ways to play a passage. See Ossia. Solo alone A piece or performance to be played by a single musician Sole Group solo A piece or performance to be played by a designated group

Italian term Literal translation Definition Acciaccatura crunching An extra, very fast grace note Altissimo very high Very high Appoggiatura leaning, supporting A type of ornament that creates a "yearning" effect Arco bow Cancels col legno and pizzicato. (In any string passage, arco is usually expected, as it is the "default" approach; it is only ever written at the end of col legno or pizzicato passages.) Arpeggio harp like A chord with the notes spread out in time (rather than sounded simultaneously) Basso continuo continuous bass Continuous bass accompaniment by chordal instrument(s) and bass instrument(s) (see figured bass.) A bocca chiusa in closed mouth Wordless humming in a choral piece Chiuso closed Calls for a horn to be muted by hand. Coloratura colouration Elaborate ornamentation of a vocal line Coperti covered Of a drum, muted with a cloth Una corda one string, cord On a piano, played with the soft pedal depressed Due corde two strings On a piano, played with the soft pedal depressed (For why both terms exist, see Piano#Pedals.) Tre corde or tutte le corde three strings or all the strings Cancels una corda Glissando gliding, glossing A sweeping glide from one pitch to another used for dramatic effect Legato tied A series of notes played with a smooth connection between them Col legno with the wood Calls for a bowed instrument's strings to be struck with the wood of the bow (rather than drawn across with the hair of the bow). Martellato hammered Of notes, strongly accented and detached Pizzicato pinched, plucked Calls for a bowed instrument's strings to be plucked with the fingers. Portamento carrying Playing with a sliding of pitch between two notes Portato carried Played in a style between staccato and legato Sforzando forcing Playing with strong, marked emphasis Scordatura discord Alternate tuning (of strings) Con sordino with sourdine (mute) With mute applied, esp. to string instruments Senza sordino without sourdine (mute) With mute removed Spiccato separated, distinct; standing out With a stringed instrument, played by bouncing the bow lightly on the strings Staccato detached A form of musical articulation in which notes are distinct and separated from each other by short gaps Staccatissimo very detached Forcefully exaggerated staccato Tutti all Played or sung by the entire ensemble, rather than by just a soloist or principal player Vibrato vibrating Played with rapid repetitive variation or undulation in pitch Colla voce with the voice (For accompanists) In time with the singer's text, especially when slowing for textual effect

Italian term Literal translation Definition Banda band Small music ensemble used as a supplement to the orchestra in an opera Comprimario with the first Supporting role Concertino little concert Smaller, more virtuosic group of musicians in a concerto grosso Convenienze conveniences Rules relating to the ranking of singers in opera (primo, secondo, comprimario) in 19th century Italian opera, and the number of scenes, arias, etc. that they were entitled to expect. The convenienze are referred to in the Donizetti opera Le convenienze ed inconvenienze teatrali. Coro choir Ensemble of singers Diva divine one (fem.) Leading female singer Prima donna first lady Leading female role Primo uomo first man Leading male role Ripieno refilling or stuffing The larger group of musicians in a concerto grosso

Italian term Literal translation Definition Bel canto beautiful singing Any fine singing, esp. that popular in 18th and 19th century Italian opera Bravura skill A performance of extraordinary virtuosity Bravo skillful A cry of congratulation to a male singer or performer. (Masc. pl. bravi; fem. sing. brava; fem. pl. brave.) The use of ! after a written expression of "bravo/a/i/e(!)" strongly emphasizes it.