This is a list of musical terms that are likely to be encountered in printed scores, music reviews, and program notes. Most of the terms are Italian (see also Italian musical terms used in English), in accordance with the Italian origins of many European musical conventions. Sometimes, the special musical meanings of these phrases differ from the original or current Italian meanings. Most of the other terms are taken from French and German, indicated by "Fr." and "Ger.", respectively.
Unless specified, the terms are Italian or English. The list can never be complete: some terms are common, and others are used only occasionally, and new ones are coined from time to time. Some composers prefer terms from their own language rather than the standard terms listed here.
0–9
I
in violin family instrument music, used to indicate that the player should play the passage on the highest-pitched, thinnest string
1′
"Sifflet" or one foot organ stop
1 3⁄5′
Tierce organ stop
2′
Two feet – pipe organ indication; see Organ stop § Pitch and length
II
in violin family instrument music, used to indicate that the player should play the passage on the string adjacent to the highest-pitched, thinnest string
2 2⁄3′
Pipe organ stop for the twelfth interval
IV–VI
Mixture stop on pipe organ
II
Cymbal stop on pipe organ
III
in violin family instrument music, used to indicate that the player should play the passage on string adjacent to (but higher in pitch) than the lowest-pitched, thickest string
IV
in violin family instrument music, used to indicate that the player should play the passage on the lowest-pitched, thickest string
4′
Four feet – pipe organ rank that speaks one octave higher than 8′
8′
Eight foot pipe – pipe organ indication
16′
Sixteen foot pipe – pipe organ indication calling for one octave below 8′
32′
Thirty-two foot pipe – pipe organ indication calling for two octaves below 8′, also called sub-bass (on most organs this is the lowest, deepest pitch)
64′
Sixty- four foot pipe – pipe organ indication (only a few organs have this deep a pitch)
A
a or à (Fr.)
at, to, by, for, in, in the style of...
a battuta
Return to normal tempo after a deviation. Not recommended in string parts, due to possible confusion with battuto (qv.); use a tempo, which means the same thing.
