ABRSM Grades 1-5 Theory Terms & definitions(verified for accuracy)

1. adagietto rather slow (but faster than adagio) 2. ad libitum at choice, meaning that a passage may be played freely 3. agitato agitated 4. alla breve with a minim beat, equivalent to 2/2, implying a faster tempo than the note values might otherwise suggest 5. amore love 6. amoroso loving 7. anima soul, spirit 8. con anima with feeling, spirited 9. animato animated, lively 10. animando becoming more lively 11. ben well 12. brio vigour 13. con brio with vigour, lively 14. comodo convenient 15. tempo comodo at a comfortable speed 16. deciso with determination 17. delicato delicate 18. energico energetic 19. forza force 20. largamente broadly 21. leggiero light, nimble 22. marcato emphatic, accented 23. marziale in a military style 24. mesto sad 25. pesante heavy 26. prima first 27. risoluto bold, strong 28. ritmico rhythmically 29. rubato with some freedom of time 30. scherzando playful, joking 31. seconda second 32. semplice simple, plain 33. stringendo gradually getting faster 34. subito suddenly 35. tanto so much 36. tranquillo calm 37. triste sad, sorrowful 38. volta time 39. prima volta first time 40. seconda volta second time 41. a at, to, by, for, in, in the style of 42. al to the, in the manner of 43. alla marcia in the style of a march 44. allargando broadening (getting a little slower and proba- bly a little louder) 45. andantino slightly faster than Andante (but may also mean slightly slower) 46. assai very 47. allegro assai very quick 48. con with 49. dolce sweet, soft 50. e andearned 51. espressivo expressive 52. forte piano loud, then immediately soft 53. giocoso playful, merry 54. grave very slow, solemn 55. grazioso graceful 56. larghetto rather slow (but not as slow as largo) 57. ma but 58. maestoso majestic 59. meno less 60. molto very, much 61. mosso movement 62. meno mosso slower 63. con moto with movement 64. non not 65. piu more 66. presto fast (faster than Allegro) 67. senza without 68. sforzando forced, accented 69. simile in the same way 70. sostenuto sustained 71. tenuto held 72. troppo too much 73. non troppo not too much 74. vivace lively, quick 75. accelerando gradually getting quicker 76. adagio slow 77. allegretto fairly quick (but not as quick as Allegro) 78. allegro quick (literally 'cheerful') 79. andante at a medium ('walking') speed 80. cantabile in a singing style