| Italian |
German |
French |
["literal translation"] Most commonly used meaning(s) |
| a, al, all', allo, alla, ai, agli, alle |
zu, zum |
à, au |
to [the], in the manner of |
| alquanto |
ziemlich |
assez |
quite, rather, fairly |
| alta, alto |
alt |
alte |
high, higher |
| ancora |
wieder |
encore |
again, repeat |
| assai |
ganz |
extrèmement |
extremely |
| attacca |
ohne Pause |
enchaînez |
["attach"] proceed without stopping |
| bassa, basso |
baß |
basse |
low, lower |
| cadenza |
Kadenz |
cadence |
extended improvisatory section |
| capo |
Anfang |
debut |
beginning |
| coda |
Anhang, Koda |
coda |
section added to end |
| come |
wie |
comme |
as, as if, like |
| con, col, coll', collo, colla, coi, cogli, colle |
-voll, mit |
avec |
with [the] |
| da, dal, dall', dallo, dalla, dai, dagli, dalle |
von, vom |
de, du |
from [the], of [the] |
| divisi |
geteilt |
divisés |
divided |
| e, ed |
und |
et |
and |
| fine |
Schluß |
fin |
end |
| glissando |
gleitend |
glissant |
sliding from one pitch to another |
| il, l', lo, la, i, gli, le |
der, die, das |
le, la, les |
the |
| legato |
gebunden, geschleift |
lié |
["tied"] smoothly, slurred |
| l'istesso, lo stesso, la stessa |
derselbe, dieselbe, dasselbe |
le même, la même |
the same |
| ma |
aber |
mais |
but |
| martellato |
gehämmert |
martelé |
["hammered"] sharp, forceful, with quick releases |
| meno |
weniger |
moins |
less |
| mezzo |
halb |
demi-, mi- |
half |
| modo ordinario |
gewöhnlich |
mode ordinaire |
[return to] normal manner of execution |
| molto |
sehr |
très |
very |
| muta ... in ... |
... nach ... amstimmen |
changez ... en ... |
change ... to ... |
| non |
nicht |
non, pas |
not |
| o, od |
oder |
ou |
or |
| ossia |
sonst |
autrement |
["or rather"] alternate passage |
| ottava |
Oktave |
octave |
octave |
| più |
-er, mehr |
plus |
more |
| [un] poco |
[ein] wenig |
[un] peu |
[a] little |
| portato |
halb ablösend |
louré |
["carried"] semi-detached, between legato and staccato |
| primo, prima |
erst, zuerst |
premier, première |
first, at first |
| segno |
Zeichen |
signe |
sign |
| sempre |
immer |
toujours |
always, still |
| senza |
ohne |
sans |
without |
| simile |
ähnlich |
de même |
similarly |
| sordino |
Dämpfer |
sourdine |
mute |
| staccato |
abgestoßen |
détaché |
["separated"] detached [technically half the note value] |
| subito |
sofort, plötzlich |
subitement |
sudden[ly], immediate[ly] |
| su, sul, sull', sullo, sulla, sui, sugli, sulle |
an, am |
sur |
on [the], near [the], at [the] |
| tacet |
schweigt |
se tait |
["is silent"] does not play |
| tremolo |
zitternd |
trémolo |
rapid repetition of a note or alternation of notes |
| troppo |
zu |
trop |
too, too much |
| tutti |
alle |
tous |
all |
| un, un', uno, una |
ein, eine, eins |
un, une |
a, one |
| unisoni |
zusammen, einfach |
unis |
[in] unison |
| Italian |
German |
French |
["literal translation"] Most commonly used meaning(s) |
| lento |
langsam |
lent |
slowly |
| largo |
breit |
large |
broadly |
| larghetto |
mäßig langsam |
un peu lent |
somewhat faster than largo |
| adagio |
gemächlich |
à l'aise |
["at ease"] easily, unhurried |
| adagietto |
mäßig gemächlich |
un peu à l'aise |
somewhat faster than adagio |
| andante |
gehend, fließend |
allant |
["walking"] flowing |
| andantino |
etwas gehend, etwas fließend |
un peu allant |
somewhat close to andante (somewhat faster or slower) |
| moderato |
mäßig |
modéré |
moderately, neither slow nor fast |
| allegretto |
mäßig bewegt, mäßig lustig |
un peu animé |
somewhat slower than allegro |
| allegro |
bewegt, lustig |
animé |
lively |
| presto |
schnell |
vite |
fast |
| prestissimo |
ganz schnell |
très vite |
very fast |
| Italian |
German |
French |
["literal translation"] Most commonly used meaning(s) |
| affetuoso |
zart |
affectueusement |
with affection, tenderly |
| agitato |
aufgeregt |
agité |
excitedly, restlessly |
| a piacere |
nach Gefallen |
à volonté |
["at pleasure"] at performer's discretion |
| arioso |
gesangvoll |
en style d'un air |
in the manner of a [vocal] aria |
| brio |
Schwung |
verve |
spirit |
| calmato |
ruhig |
calme |
calm, quieted |
| cantabile |
singbar, singend |
chantant |
["singable"] song-like |
| comodo |
bequem |
commode |
["convenient"] comfortably, without strain |
| con calore |
heiß |
chaleureusement |
["with heat"] warmly, passionately |
| dolce |
süß |
douce[ment] |
sweet[ly] |
| espressivo |
ausdrucksvoll |
expressif |
expressively |
| fuoco |
Feuer |
feu |
["fire"] intensity, ardor |
| giocoso |
spielend |
jouant |
playfully |
| giusto |
genau |
juste |
["exactly"] strict[ly], precise[ly], appropriate[ly] |
| grazioso |
anmutig |
gracieux |
gracefully |
| gusto |
Geschmack |
goût |
taste |
| leggero, leggiero |
leicht |
légèrement |
lightly |
| maestoso |
majestätisch |
majestueux |
majestically |
| marcato |
markiert |
marqué |
["marked"] stressed |
| mesto |
traurig |
triste |
sadly |
| pesante |
gewichtig |
lourde[ment] |
heavily |
| risoluto |
entschlossen, resolut |
décidé, résolument |
resolutely, decisively |
| scherzando |
scherzend |
badinant |
jokingly |
| semplice |
einfach |
simplement |
simply |
| strepitoso |
ausgelassen |
bruyant |
boisterously |
| tenuto |
aushaltend |
tenu |
held [possibly beyond its normal value] |
| English |
Italian |
German |
French |
Most commonly used meaning(s) |
| anthem |
antifona, inno |
Hymne, Choral |
antienne, hymne |
hymn of praise or loyalty, often sacred, originally antiphonal [compare chorale] |
| aubade |
mattinata |
Morgenlied |
aubade |
informal composition for dawn or morning music [compare serenade] |
| canon |
canone |
Kanon |
canon |
composition or passage in which one voice precisely follows another [compare fugue] |
| chorale |
corale |
Choral |
choral |
harmonized hymn tune [compare anthem] |
| concerto |
concerto |
Konzert |
concerto |
composition for soloist(s) and orchestra |
| concerto grosso |
concerto grosso |
Concerto grosso |
grand concerto |
baroque composition for solo group [concertino] and orchestra [ripieno] |
| divertimento |
divertimento |
Divertimento |
divertissement |
set of light, informal movements for small group, one player per part |
| etude, study |
studio |
übung |
étude |
composition intended for practice of a particular point of technique |
| fugue |
fuga |
Fuge |
fugue |
composition or passage in which a theme is imitated among the voices [compare canon] |
| interlude |
interludio, intermezzo |
Zwischenspiel |
entracte, interlude |
music to be played between movements or acts |
| mass |
messa |
Messe |
messe |
choral setting of the Roman Catholic consecration of the elements |
| opera |
opera |
Oper |
opéra |
staged dramatic vocal work of one or more acts, with orchestra [compare oratorio] |
| oratorio |
oratorio |
Oratorium |
oratorio |
nonstaged, usually sacred, choral and instrumental work [compare opera] |
| overture |
preludio |
Ouvertüre |
ouverture |
orchestral introduction to a larger work [compare prelude] |
| prelude |
preludio |
Vorspiel |
prélude |
short composition to be played before another composition [compare overture] |
| rhapsody |
rapsodia |
Rhapsodie |
rapsodie |
very free-form composition, suggestive of improvisation |
| rondo |
rondo |
Rondo |
rondeau |
composition in which the main theme returns after each of several other themes |
| serenade |
serenata |
Ständchen, Nachtmusik |
sérénade |
informal composition for evening music [compare aubade] |
| sonata |
sonata |
Sonate |
sonate |
large-scale multi-movement composition for one or more instruments [compare symphony] |
| suite |
partita |
Suite |
suite |
set of programmatic (e.g. for the stage) movements |
| symphony |
sinfonia |
Sinfonie |
symphonie |
large-scale multi-movement composition for orchestra [compare sonata] |
| tone poem |
poema sinfonico |
Tondichtung |
poème symphonique |
free-form programmatic composition for orchestra |
| variations |
variazioni |
Variationen, Veränderungen |
variations |
successive alterations of a melody and its accompaniment |
| Abbreviation |
English |
Italian |
German |
French |
| |
instrument |
strumento |
Instrument |
instrument |
| |
winds |
strumenti a fiato |
Blasinstrumente |
instruments à vent |
| WW |
woodwinds |
legni |
Holzbläser, Holzblasinstrumente |
bois |
| Pic |
piccolo |
ottavino, flauto piccolo |
kleine Flöte |
petite flûte |
| Fl |
flute |
flauto |
Flöte |
[grande] flûte |
| AFl |
alto flute, bass flute [incorrect] |
flauto contralto |
Altflöte |
flûte [alto] en sol |
| Ob |
oboe |
oboe |
Oboe |
hautbois |
| ObA |
oboe d'amore |
oboe d'amore |
Liebesoboe |
hautbois d'amour |
| EH |
English horn |
corno inglese |
englisch[es] Horn |
cor anglais |
| PCl |
[sopranino] piccolo clarinet |
clarinetto piccolo |
Klarinette in Es [D] |
petite clarinette |
| Cl |
clarinet |
clarinetto |
Klarinette |
clarinette |
| BH |
basset horn |
corno di bassetto |
Bassethorn |
cor de basset |
| BCl |
bass clarinet |
clarinetto basso |
Baßklarinette |
clarinette basse |
| Sx [AS, TS, BS] |
saxophone |
sassofono |
Saxofon |
saxophone |
| Bn, Fg |
bassoon |
fagotto |
Fagott |
basson |
| CBn, CFg |
contrabassoon |
contrafagotto |
Kontrafagott |
contrebasson |
| Br |
brass |
ottoni |
Blechbläser, Blechinstrumente |
cuivres |
| Hn |
horn, "French horn" [incorrect] |
corno |
Horn |
cor |
| Tp |
trumpet |
tromba |
Trompete |
trompette |
| Cn |
cornet |
cornetta |
Kornett |
cornet à pistons |
| BTp |
bass trumpet |
tromba bassa |
Baßtrompete |
trompette basse |
| Tb |
trombone |
trombone |
Posaune |
trombone |
| Eu, TTu |
euphonium, tenor tuba |
eufonio |
Euphonium, Tenortuba |
tuba ordinaire |
| BTb |
bass trombone |
trombone basso |
Baßposaune |
trombone basse |
| Tu |
tuba, bass tuba |
tuba, tuba bassa |
Baßtuba |
tuba, tuba basse |
| Pc |
percussion |
percussione |
Schlagzeug, Schlaginstrumente |
batterie |
| Tm |
kettledrum |
timpano |
Pauke |
timbale |
| Batt |
battery |
batteria |
Schlagzeug-Garnitur |
batterie |
| SD |
snare drum |
tamburo [militare], tamburo piccolo |
kleine Trommel |
caisse claire, tambour militaire |
| TD |
tenor drum |
cassa rullante, tamburo rullante |
Rührtrommel |
caisse roulante |
| BD |
bass drum |
[gran] cassa |
große Trommel |
grosse caisse |
| Tmb |
tambourine |
tamburino, tamburo basco |
Schellentrommel, Tambourin |
tambour de basque |
| Cas |
castanet |
castagnetta |
Kastagnette |
castagnette |
| Cy |
cymbal |
piatto |
Becken, Teller |
cymbale |
| TT |
tam-tam |
tam-tam |
Tam-tam |
tam-tam |
| Tg |
triangle |
triangolo |
Triangel |
triangle |
| Ch |
chime |
campana |
Glocke |
cloche |
| Gl |
glockenspiel, orchestral bells |
campanelli |
Glockenspiel |
jeu de timbres, carillon |
| Xy |
xylophone |
silofono |
Xylophon, Strohfiedel |
xylophone |
| Mb |
marimba |
marimba |
Marimba |
marimba |
| Aux |
auxiliary instruments |
strumenti ausiliari |
Hilfsinstrumente, sonstige Instrumente |
instruments auxiliaires |
| Md |
mandolin |
mandolino |
Mandoline |
mandoline |
| Gt |
guitar |
chitarra |
Gitarre |
guitare |
| Hp |
harp |
arpa |
Harfe |
harpe |
| Cm |
cimbalom |
cimbalo ongarese |
Cimbalom |
cymbalum |
| Kb |
keyboard instruments |
strumenti di tasto |
Tasteninstrumente |
instruments à clavier |
| Pn, Pno, Pfte |
pianoforte, piano |
pianoforte |
Klavier |
piano |
| Hc, Hpc |
harpsichord |
clavicembalo |
Cembalo |
clavecin |
| Or, Org |
organ |
organo |
Orgel |
orgue |
| Hm |
harmonium, reed organ |
armonium |
Harmonium |
harmonium |
| Cel |
celesta |
celesta |
Celesta |
celesta |
| St, Str |
strings |
corde, archi |
Streicher, Saiteninstrumente |
cordes |
| Vn [V1, V2] |
violin |
violino |
Violine, Geige |
violon |
| Va |
viola |
viola |
Bratsche, Viola, Alt |
alto |
| Vc |
violoncello, 'cello |
violoncello |
Violoncell |
violoncelle |
| Cb |
contrabass, double bass, string bass, 'bass |
contrabasso |
Kontrabaß |
contrebasse |