Choral Conducting Terms

English Indonesia German Abbreviation

fastest, as fast as prestissimo

moglich
possible
iiusserst
very fast
schnell
schnel
fast, quickly allegro
behende
"little allegro" allegretto

moderate gemiissi moderato

miissig g*
"little andante" andantino
moving, going gehend andante
"little adagio" adagietto
slow, with ease adagio

langsam
"little largo" larghetto
broad, large
grave, solemn
(character term, often
used as tempo)
Other Tempo Related Terms
English Indonesia German Abbreviation
Zeitmass
"just" (proper) tempo tempo giusto
the same tempo
(beat remains the same dasselbe l’istesso
even though the meter Zeitmass
changes)
breiter
suddenly slower ritenuto
at the breve, therefore, beat
is the breve (cut time)
Terms for Changing Tempo
English Indonesia German Abbreviation
gradually slower zuriickhalten ritardando
suddenly slower ritenuto
slow down zuriickhalten rallentando
slowing down zuriickhaltentend stendendo
enlarging allargando
"sustaining” more than
the value, therefore, getragen sostenuto
slowing
driingen
pressing on pressando
dringend
accelerando,
become faster beschleunigt
stringendo
hurrying incalzando
without measure,
therefore, freely
with measure, therefore,
misura

iacere
stolen time, therefore,
flexible
at pleasure of performer ad libitum
Modifying Words
English Indonesia German Abbreviation

very, enough, rather

but not too much ma non

fiOI'l
not too

suddenly pliitzlich
little by little allmiihlich
similarly (continue in the
same manner)
with movement Bewegung con moto
comfortable, easy,
gemdchlich comodo
convenient

with, with the

Character Terms

English Indonesia German Abbreviation

lieblich
sweetest dolcissimo
con brio,
with vigor kraftic
brioso
beleben
animated beleb animato
bewegt
expressively ausdrucksvoll espressivo
beruhig
calm, quieting beruhigen calmado

soft, gentle tranquillo

singing gesangvoll cantabile
sad, mournful traurig dolente
solemn feierlich grave
flowing fliessend scioltamente
with fire Feuer
lebendi
lively lebha vivace
schnell
heavy schwer pesante
held, sustained gehalten tenuto
majestic maestoso
dying away erloschend morendo
playful scherzhaft scherzando
simple,
einfach semplice
unaffected
sighing, plaintive seufzen sospirando
agitated stiirmisch agitato
broadly largamente
Dynamic Marks

English Indonesia German Abbreviation

pianissimo
piano;
mezzo-;
half-soft mezzo piano

mezzo-;
mezzo forte

loudest fortissimo p
Terms for Changing Dynamics
English German Abbreviation
increasing anwachsend crescendo
decreasing vermindern decrescendo decresl
diminishing abnehmend diminuendo
barely audible estinto
Accent Terms
English German Italian Abbreviation
forzando
forcing
sforzando
forzato
forced
sforzato
strengthening rinforzando
loud, then fortepiano
immediately
Connecting Terms

English German Abbreviation

attacca ttacc
attatched anheftend

immediately

Division and Octave Terms

English German Abbreviation
divided
in unison zusammen
by two a 2 (a due)
ottava, 8va

play one octave

higher than 1
written

8va
with the octave 'ottava
Terms Indicating a Return to Normal
English German Abbreviation
return to a former a tempo
tempo
as written, "in place”
as usual
as at first come prima
as above come supra
exactly as written
Repeats and Coda Procedures
English German Abbreviation
As far as the sign (from
the beginning)
 Zeichen
to the end (after repeating
from the beginning)
(repeat) from the anfan
a capo
beginning
(repeat) from the sign Wiederholungzeichen dal segno
pOi la
then the coda

Wiederholung
end, finish
next section follows
immediately

Odds ’n Ends

English German Abbreviation

Terzett terzetto
quartet Quartett quartetto
quintet Quintett quintetto
Sextett sestetto

Vocal Terms

English German Abbreviation

Stimme
chest voice voce di
heat voice voce di
two voices
three voices,

voce
equal voices

with the voice

half voice mezza voce
under, sotto voce
subdued
chorus
soprano Sopran soprano

Tenore

closed mouth Brummstimme chiusa