PronounceItRight.com
Classical music: learn to pronounce all the Italian terms
Published in: News 22/01/2023
Vibrato, vivace, pizzicato… The words of music are Italian. If you love music, you have to learn their meaning and how to pronounce them correctly. Click the blue words and listen to their correct pronunciation or read the written pronunciation (the stress is on the capital letters).
All the italian musical terms
| A cappella - sung without instrumental accompaniment. Pronunciation: ah cah-PEHL-lah (try to pronounce the double l) |
| Adagio - slowly. Pronunciation: ah-DAH-joh (the j has the sound of the g in gentleman) |
| Agitato - agitated, restless. Pronunciation: ah-jee-TAH-toh (the j has the sound of the g in gentleman) |
| Allegro - fast, at a brisk speed. Pronunciation: ahl-LEH-groh (try to pronounce the double l) |
| Amabile - amiable, pleasant. Pronunciation: ah-mah-BEE-leh |
| Andante - moderately slow. Pronunciation: ahn-DAHN-teh |
| Andantino - lighter than Andante, and usually quicker. Pronunciation: ahn-dahn-TEE-noh |
| Arco - played on a stringed instrument. Pronunciation: AHR-koh |
| Arioso - like an aria but less formal. Pronunciation: ah-ree-OH-zoh (z as in zebra) |
| Bis - twice. Pronunciation: BEES (s as in sun) |
| Brio - vigour, vivaciousness (eg: con brio = with vigour). Pronunciation: BREE-oh |
| Calando - gradually decreasing in speed and volume. Pronunciation: cah-LAHN-doh |
| Cantabile - in a smooth singing style. Pronunciation: cahn-TAH-bee-leh |
| Capriccioso - in a free and impulsive style. Pronunciation: cah-pree-CHOH-so (s as in poison) |
| Crescendo - gradually increasing in loudness. Pronunciation: creh-SHEHN-doh |
| Decrescendo - gradually decreasing in loudness. Pronunciation: deh-creh-SHEHN-doh |
| Diminuendo - same meaning of Decrescendo. Pronunciation: dee-mee-noo-EHN-doh |
| Dolce - sweetly and softly. Pronunciation: DOHL-cheh |
| Energico - played with energy. Pronunciation: eh-nehr-JEE-coh (the j has the sound of the g in gentleman) |
| Forte - loud, strong. Pronunciation: FOHR-teh |
| Fortissimo - very loud. Pronunciation: fohr-tee-SEE-moh |
| Giocoso - playful, humerous. Pronunciation: joh-COH-so (s as in poison) |
| Gioioso - joyful, merry. Pronunciation: joh-EEOH-soh (s as in poison) |
| Grave - very slow, solemn. Pronunciation: GRAH-veh |
| Impetuoso - impetuous, forcefully. Pronunciation: eem-peh-TWO-so (s as in poison) |
| Incalzando - getting quicker. Pronunciation: een-cahl-ZAHN-doh (z as in pizza) |
| Inquieto - restless. Pronunciation: een-kwee-EH-toh |
| Legato - without breaks between notes. Pronunciation: leh-GAH-toh |
| Leggero - lightly, delicately, gently. Pronunciation: leh-JEH-roh (the j has the sound of the g in gentleman) |
| Lento - slow. Pronunciation: LEHN-toh |
| Maestoso - to be performed in a majestic manner. Pronunciation: mah-eh-STO-soh (the first s as in sun, the second s as in poison) |
| Marcato - played with emphasis. Pronunciation: mahr-CAH-toh |
| Mezzoforte - moderately loud. Pronunciation: meh-zoh-FOHR-teh (z as in pizza) |
| Mezzopiano - moderately soft. Pronunciation: meh-zoh-PEEAH-noh |
| Moderato - played at a moderate pace. Pronunciation: moh-deh-RAH-toh |
| Mosso - fast and with animation. Pronunciation: MOS-soh (both s as in sun) |
| Pausa - pause. Pronunciation: pah-OO-sah |
| Pianissimo - very soft. Pronunciation: pee-ah-NEE-see-moh |
| Piano - soft. Pronunciation: pee-AH-noh |
| Pizzicato - plucking the strings of a stringed instrument. Pronunciation: pee-zee-CAH-toh (z as in pizza) |
| Placido - calm, peaceful. Pronunciation: plah-CHEE-doh |
| Soave - gentle, smooth. Pronunciation: soh-AH-veh (s as in sun) |
| Sonoro, resonant, loud. Pronunciation: soh-NOH-roh (s as in sun) |
| Sostenuto - played in a sustained or prolonged manner. Pronunciation: soh-steh-NOO-toh (both s as in sun) |
| Staccato - each note sharply detached from the others. Pronunciation: stah-KAH-toh (s as in sun) |
| Stretto - performed in quicker time. Pronunciation: STREH-toh (s as in sun) |
| Tempo - speed, pace. Pronunciation: TEHM-poh |
| Tenuto - a note held for its full time value. Pronunciation: teh-NOO-toh |
| Tranquillo - calm, quiet manner. Pronunciation: trahn-KWEE-lloh (try to pronounce the double l) |
| Trionfale - triumphant. Pronunciation: tree-ohn-FAH-leh |
| Veloce - played at a fast tempo. Pronunciation: veh-LOH-cheh |
| Vibrato - rapid, slight variation in pitch in playing. Pronunciation: vee-BRAH-toh |
| Vigoroso - vigorous, strong. Pronunciation: vee-goh-ROH-soh |
| Vivace - lively. Pronunciation: vee-VAH-cheh |