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Dynamics and Articulation: The 39 Most Important Terms in Music

In music, there are many ways to indicate dynamics and articulation. Over time, however, some terms have become established and are used over and over again. Discover here 39 different dynamic and articulation terms in the four musical languages: Italian, English, German and French.

ItalianoEnglishDeutschFrançais
accentuatoaccentuatedbetontaccentué/ponctué
appoggiandoleaningstützend/betonenden appuyant
appoggiato/poggiatoleanedgestütztappuyé
articolandoarticulatingartikulierenden articulant
articolatoarticulatedartikuliertarticulé
ben ritmatowell rhythmedsehr rhythmischbien rythmé
con tutta la forzawith full forcemit voller Kraft/mit größter Kraftde toutes ses forces
estinto/spentoextinguishederlöscht/ausgelöschtéteint
fortestrong/loudkräftig/stark/lautfort
fortissimovery loudsehr lauttrès fort
forzandoforcingforcierend/stark betonenden contraignant
forzatoforcedforciert/stark betontcontraint
glissandoslidinggleitenden glissant/glisser
legato/ligadobound/tiedgebundenlié
lontanofar awayfern/weit/entferntlointain
marcandomarkingmarkierenden marquant
marcatomarkedmarkiertmarqué
martellandohammeringhämmernden martelant
mezzofortehalf loudhalblaut/mittelstarkmi-fort
mezzopianohalf softhalbleise/mittelleisemi-doux
molto accentuatovery accentuatedsehr betonttrès accentué
percossostruckgeschlagenpercuté
pianissimoextremely softsehr leisetrès doucement
pianosoft/lowleisedoucement
più forte possibileas loud as possibleso laut wie möglichle plus fort possible
più piano possibileas soft as possibleso leise wie möglichle plus doucement possible
portandocarrying overtragenden portant
portatocarried overgetragenporté
quasi nientealmost nothingfast nichts presque rien
risaltatoemphasizedhervorgehobenmis en relief
ritmico/ritmatorhythmical/rhythmicrhythmischrythmique/rythmé
sferzandowhippingpeitschenden cinglant
sforzato/sforzandoforced/forcingstark hervorgehobenforcé/en forçant
slegato/non legatonot slurredungebundennon lié
smorzatosubduedgedämpftamorti
sottovoce"under the voice"/in an undertone"unter der Stimme"/mit leiser Stimmeà voix basse
staccatodetachedabgestoßendétaché/piqué
tremolandotrembling/tremolotremolierend/bebendtrembloté/trémolo
vibratovibrato/"vibrated"vibriert/Bebungvibré
Jonathan Stark – Conductor
Jonathan Stark – Conductor

Hello! I'm Jonathan Stark. As a conductor, it is important to me that visits to concerts and operas leave a lasting impression on the audience. Background knowledge helps to achieve this. That's why I blog here about key works of classical music, about composers, about opera and much more that happens in the exciting world of music.

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