Plain Music Theory

Music terms quiz

Twenty Italian score words. Read the meaning and pick the term. Pick an answer to see if you are right and why.

1. Which term means: Slow down at once, rather than little by little. It is often a short, sudden change of tempo?

2. Which term means: A word that means to leave something out, as in senza sordino (without the mute) or senza pedale (without pedal)?

3. Which term means: Play lightly and delicately, with a quick, gentle touch?

4. Which term means: Play faster than before. Mosso means "moved," so piu mosso is "more movement." It is written più mosso in scores?

5. Which term means: Gradually slow down. It means almost the same as ritardando, though some musicians feel rallentando is more gradual?

6. Which term means: Keep playing in the same way as before. It saves writing the same marking again?

7. Which term means: Hold the notes for their full length, in a sustained way. On a piano, it is also the name of the middle pedal?

8. Which term means: Fast and bright. Usually about 120 to 156 beats per minute?

9. Which term means: Play with freedom. The performer may change the tempo, leave out a part or improvise, as the music allows?

10. Which term means: Extremely fast, faster than presto. Usually about 200 beats per minute or more?

11. Which term means: At an easy walking pace. Usually about 76 to 108 beats per minute?

12. Which term means: Fade away, getting slower and softer until the sound dies out?

13. Which term means: Play in a light, playful and joking manner?

14. Which term means: At a moderate speed. Usually about 108 to 120 beats per minute?

15. Which term means: A word added to other markings to strengthen them, such as molto allegro (very fast) or molto crescendo (a big increase in volume)?

16. Which term means: Do it right away, with no gradual change. Subito piano means to suddenly drop to soft?

17. Which term means: Slow and calm, a little faster than largo. Usually about 66 to 76 beats per minute?

18. Which term means: Gradually get faster. The speed keeps rising until the music says to stop, often with a new tempo marking or a return to a tempo?

19. Which term means: How a note is started, shaped and ended, such as short, smooth, accented or held. Staccato, legato, tenuto and accent marks are articulation?

20. Which term means: Play with a flowing movement, a little more forward than the basic tempo?

Pick an answer to start.