ABRSM Grade 3 Performance Directions

What does adagietto mean?

• rather slow (but faster than adagio)

• broadening

• very slow (slower than adagio)

• sad, sorrowful

What does ad libitum, ad lib. mean?

• improvise completely

• at choice, meaning that a passage may be played freely

• held back

• pushed forward

What does agitato mean?

• rushed

• fast

• agitated

• urgent

What does alla breve mean?

• with a semibreve beat, implying a faster tempo than the note values might otherwise suggest

• with a breve beat, implying a faster tempo than the note values might otherwise suggest

• bravely

• with a minim beat, implying a faster tempo than the note values might otherwise suggest

What does amore mean?

• love (amoroso – loving)

• death (amoroso - deathly)

• friend (amoroso - friendly)

• more (amoroso - more than...)

What does anima mean?

• animal (con anima - with wildness, wildly)

• soul, spirit (con anima - with spirit/feeling)

• animated

• enemy

What does animato mean?

• wildly

• soul, spirit (eg. con animato)

• animated, lively (animando - becoming more lively)

• becoming more lively

What does ben mean?

• comfortable

• good

• strong

• well

What does brio mean?

• vigour (con brio - with vigour, lively)

• animated

• 'cheese', very obvious (con brio - with cheese)

• lively

What does comodo mean?

• slow (tempo comodo - at a slow tempo)

• convenient, comfortable (tempo comodo - at a comfortable speed)

• easy

• broadening, slowing (tempo comodo - tempo slows and notes broaden)