#score notation

• Addolcendo — A musical execution term of Italian origin, literally meaning 'sweetening' or 'softening'. It instructs the performer to transition smoothly toward a warmer, more melodious, soft, and velvety sound emission, gradually reducing any harshness or intensity to enhance the lyrical expressiveness of the passage.
• Agitato — A musical term of Italian origin used as an execution directive, requiring the respective fragment or piece to be performed in an agitated, restless, tense, and dramatically passionate manner. In a structural compositional sense, it guides the tempo and dynamics of performance to convey a state of powerful emotional unrest.
• To the sign — A musical expression and direction originating from Italian (al segno), literally translated as 'to the sign'. It is used in musical scores to instruct performers or the conductor to repeat a previous section starting precisely from the spot marked with a specific graphic symbol (called a 'segno' or 'sign'), serving to optimize the score's graphic space and avoid rewriting the same measures.
• Broadening — A dynamic and tempo instruction originating from Italian, literally translated as 'widening' or 'broadening'. It is used in musical scores to instruct performers or the conductor to gradually slow down the performance tempo while simultaneously increasing the sound intensity (volume), thereby providing a broader, more majestic, and solemn sonority, typically toward the climax of a dramatic musical section.
• Moderately fast — A tempo and dynamic instruction originating from Italian, used in musical scores to dictate a fairly quick, lively, and light movement, but less rapid than that indicated by 'allegro'. As a noun, the term designates a musical piece or a movement of a larger composition (such as a symphony or a sonata) written in this graceful and animated pace.
• Fast — A tempo and dynamic instruction originating from Italian, used in musical scores to dictate a fast, cheerful, quick, and lively movement. As a noun, the term designates an independent musical piece or the first movement of a larger classical composition, such as a symphony, a concerto, or a sonata, performed at this brisk pace.
• Very fast — A composite tempo and dynamic instruction originating from Italian, used in musical scores to request a very fast and quick movement. The term combines the brisk 'allegro' base with the intensive modifier 'assai' (very / significantly), placing the execution pace just below 'presto' and giving the piece an impetuous, highly energetic character.
• Fast, but not too much — A composite tempo and dynamic instruction originating from Italian, used in musical scores to request a fast and lively movement but tempered, literally translated as 'fast, but not too much'. This compositional caveat instructs performers to maintain the bright, alert character of the 'allegro' pace while avoiding excessive speed that could jeopardize the clarity of melodic details, expressiveness, or technical precision of the passages.
• In the Hungarian style — A term of Italian origin (all'ungherese) used in musical scores to instruct performers to execute a passage in the Hungarian style, characterized by jerky rhythms, sudden accents, syncopations, and a passionate dynamic typical of traditional folk music or czardas dances. In international culinary arts, the phrase describes a way of preparing meat or sauces using a generous amount of paprika and sour cream.
• Andante — A musical tempo indication requiring a composition to be executed at a moderate, slow, calm, and steady pace, corresponding to the natural rhythm of walking; a musical fragment composed or performed in this tempo. It is structurally situated in speed between adagio (slow) and moderato (moderate).
• Andantino — A musical tempo indication requiring a composition to be executed at a moderate pace, structurally situated very close to the andante tempo. Its historical meaning presents a slight ambiguity, but in modern practice it indicates a movement slightly faster and more lively than andante; a musical fragment composed or performed at this pace.
• Animando — A musical execution directive requiring the performer to gradually increase the animation, vivacity, and dynamism of the piece, often through a slight acceleration of the tempo and an increase in sound intensity. This term guides the emotional transition of a composition toward a more passionate, lively, or agitated state, adding expressiveness to the musical discourse.
• Animato — A musical performance directive requiring the player to perform in an enlivened, lively, moved manner full of dynamic expressiveness. Unlike 'animando', which implies a gradual process of acceleration or intensification, this term establishes a stable mood and tempo characterized by vibrant energy right from the beginning of the respective passage.
• Assai — A musical term of Italian origin used as a tempo or dynamic modifier, meaning 'very', 'quite', or 'considerably'; it is always placed alongside another movement term (for instance, 'allegro assai' - very fast, 'adagio assai' - very slow) to intensify or nuance the execution speed of a score.