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CM Examination - Certificate of Merit

Vocabulary List: For the CM String Fundamentals of Music Exam.

~ MTAC VOCABULARY ~
LEVEL 1  LEVEL 2  LEVEL 3  LEVEL 4  LEVEL 5  LEVEL 6  LEVEL 7  LEVEL 8  LEVEL 9  LEVEL 10

MTAC VOCABULARY - LEVEL 1

Know the definition as well as the term or sign.

 
ritardando    slowing gradually
a tempo    return to regular tempo
crescendo or cresc.  gradually louder and louder
decrescendo or dim   gradually softer and softer
legato   play smoothly
staccato   detached, separated, stopped bows stay on the string
dynamics   variations in the volume of sound
forte  f     loud
piano  p    soft

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MTAC VOCABULARY - LEVEL 2

Know the definition as well as the term or sign.  Know all of level 1 terms plus these:

 
accent    play with emphasis
fermata    hold linger, sustain, pause
pizzicato or pizz   plucked
arco   bowed, play with the bow
slur   connects 2 or more different notes in one bow
tie   connects 2 or more of the same notes in one bow
fortissimo  ff   very loud
mezzo forte  mf   medium loud
mezzo piano  mp   medium soft
pianissimo  pp   very fast tempo, vivacious and full of life

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MTAC VOCABULARY - LEVEL 3

Know the definition as well as the term or sign.  Know all of level 1 and 2 terms plus these:

 
accelerando or accel.    gradually getting faster
rallentando or rall.    becoming gradually slower
Da Capo al Fine (D.C. al Fine or D.C)   return to the beginning, play to the end "Fine"
Dal Segno al Fine (D.S al Fine or D.S.)   return to the Sign, play to the end "Fine"

dynamics:

forte-piano  fp   loud, than immediately soft
sforzanno  sfz   suddenly accented, forced

tempi:

Andante   moderately slow, at a walking tempo
Moderato   medium tempo
Allegro   fast, quick and lively tempo

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MTAC VOCABULARY - LEVEL 4

Know the definition as well as the term or sign.  Know all of level 1-3 terms plus these:

 
grazioso    gracefully
leggiero    light, graceful
piú  mosso    faster, more motion
meno mosso   slower, less motion
con sordino   with mute
senza sordino   without mute

Tempi

Adagio   slow tempo
Andante   moderately slow, at a walking tempo
Moderato   medium tempo
Allegro   fast, quick and lively tempo
Vivace   very fast tempo, vivacious and full of life
   

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MTAC VOCABULARY - LEVEL 5

Know the definition as well as the term or sign.  Know all of level 1-4 terms plus these:

 
cantabile   singing style
marcato   emphasized, stressed, marked
molto   very, much, extremely
poco a poco   little by little
sempre   always
sostenuto   sustained
spiccato   bow is bounced, clearly articulated
subito   suddenly
trill   two notes played alternately and rapidly in the same bow
   

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MTAC VOCABULARY - LEVEL 6

Know the definition as well as the term or sign.  Know all of level 1-5 terms plus these:

 
attacca   contnue without pause

bowing terns:

collé   press, then lift the bow
detaché   smooth bow strokes, one note per bow, down and up
louré   somewhat detached notes within a slur
portato   somewhat detached notes within a slur
enharmonics   notes that sound the same but are written differently
L'istesso tempo   same tempo as previously
maestoso   majestic
pesante   heavy
simile   in a like manner, the same way
vibrato   rocking motion of finger tip of left hand to very the pitch,
    adding expression to the music

tempi: (slowest to fastest)

Lento   very slow
Adagio   slow tempo
Andante   moderately slow, at a walking tempo
Moderato   medium tempo
Allegretto   not as fast as Allegro, with a certain lightness of style
Allegro   fast, quick and lively tempo
Vivace   very fast tempo, vivacious and full of life
Presto   extremely fast
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MTAC VOCABULARY - LEVEL 7

Know the definition as well as the term or sign.  Know all of level 1-6 terms plus these:

 

bowing terms:

martelé   sharp attack with clean stop, hammered (abrupt release)
    longer bows than staccato
sautillé   bouncing bow, rapid spiccato, very close to string
sul Ponticello   bow near the bridge producing a glassy tone
sul tasto (Italian)   flute-like effect achieved by bowing lightly over fingerboard
sur la touche (French)   flute-like effect achieved by bowing lightly over fingerboard
     
assai   very
calando   gradually diminishing (volume and tempo)
flagelotte   play a harmonic
morendo   dying away, gradually decreasing in loudness
rubato   flexible tempo
solo   one player to the part (in orchestra literature: soloist entry)
stringendo   accelerating the tempo, gradually get faster
tutti   all, everyone (in orchestra literature: complete section plays)
   

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MTAC VOCABULARY - LEVEL 8

Know the definition as well as the term or sign.  Know all of level 1-7 terms plus these:

     

bowing terms:

bariolage   quickly crossing three to four strings in one bow
col legno   use wood of the bow, strike the string
flautando   flute-like effect achieved by bowing lightly over fingerboard
au Talon   bow at frog
     
con fuoco   with fire, force
furioso   furious
perdendosi   dying away
segue   follow with pause
tranquillo   calm
     
tempi: (from slowest to fastest)
Largo   extremely slow
Lento   very slow
Adagio   slow tempo
Andante   moderately slow, at a walking tempo
Moderato   medium tempo
Allegretto   not as fast as Allegro, with a certain lightness of style
Allegro   [Italian cheerful] fast, quick and lively tempo
Vivace   very fast tempo, vivacious and full of life
Presto   extremely fast
   

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MTAC VOCABULARY - LEVEL 9
Know the definition as well as the term or sign.  Know all of level 1-8 terms plus these:
     
bowing terms:
détaché lancé   smooth détaché bowing, slight pause between each note
jeté   bow thrown at string, allowed to rebound, ricochét
sautillé arpeggio   bouncing bow, slurred with one note per string
sotto voce   in an undertone, subdued sound
     
agitato   excited
con brio   with vigor, energetic
semplice   simply
tacet   silent
tenuto   sustained, held, to hold
   

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MTAC VOCABULARY - LEVEL ADVANCED
Know the definition as well as the term or sign.  Know all of level 1-9 terms plus these:
     
affetuoso   tenderly, affectionately
continuo   bass part (played by harpsichord & cello, or organ)
giocoso   playful, humorous
glissando, portamento   sliding from pitch to pitch
ma non troppo   but not too much
ossia   or, alternate
ripieno   tutti minus the solo proup
scordatura   tune to indicated pitches, contrary to usual tuning
tempo guisto   in strict tempo (non-rubato)
   

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