This site uses cookies.
Some of these cookies are essential to the operation of the site,
while others help to improve your experience by providing insights into how the site is being used.
For more information, please see the ProZ.com privacy policy.
ALLREGRETTO: When you're 16 measures into the piece and realize you took too fast a tempo
ANGUS DEI: To play with a divinely beefy tone
A PATELLA: Accompanied by knee-slapping
APPOLOGGIATURA: A composition that you regret playing
APPROXIMATURA: A series of notes not intended by the composer, yet played with an "I meant to do that" attitude
APPROXIMENTO: A musical entrance that is somewhere in the vicinity of the correct pitch
CACOUGHANY: A composition incorporating many people with chest colds
CORAL SYMPHONY: A large, multi-movement work from Beethoven's Caribbean Period
DILL PICCOLINI: An exceedingly small wind instrument that plays only sour notes
FERMANTRA: A note held over and over and over and over and . . .
FERMOOTA: A note of dubious value held for indefinite length
FIDDLER CRABS: Grumpy string players
FLUTE FLIES: Those tiny mosquitoes that bother musicians on outdoor gigs
FRUGALHORN: A sensible and inexpensive brass instrument
GAUL BLATTER: A French horn player
GREGORIAN CHAMP: The title bestowed upon the monk who can hold a note the longest
GROUND HOG: Someone who takes control of the repeated bassline and won't let anyone else play it
PLACEBO DOMINGO: A faux tenor
SCHMALZANDO: A sudden burst of music from the Guy Lombardo band
THE RIGHT OF STRINGS: Manifesto of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Violists
SPRITZICATO: An indication to string instruments to produce a bright and bubbly sound
TEMPO TANTRUM: What an elementary school orchestra is having when it's not following the conductor (also common in municipal bands and community orchestras)
TROUBLE CLEF: Any clef one can't read: e.g., alto clef for pianists
VESUVIOSO: An indication to build up to a fiery conclusion
VIBRATTO: Child prodigy son of the concertmaster
AN-DANTE: A tempo that's infernally slow
ANTIPHONAL: Referring to the prohibition of cell phones in the concert hall
BAR LINE: What musicians form after the concert
BASSO CONTINUO: When musicians are still fishing long after the legal season has ended
BEN SOSTENUTO: First cousin of the second trombonist
CADENZA: Something that happens when you forget what the composer wrote
CANTABILE: To achieve a complaining sound, as if you have a sour stomach
COL LEGNO: An indication to cellists to hold on tight with their lower extremities
CON SORDINO: An indication to string players to bow in a slashing, rapier motion
ESPRESSIVO: Used to indicate permission to take a coffee break
L'ISTESSO TEMPO: An indication to play listlessly; e.g., as if you don't care
MAESTRO: A person who, standing in front of the orchestra and/or chorus, is able to follow them precisely
OPERA BUFFA: A musical stage production performed by nudists
PASTORALE: The beverage to drink in the country when listening to Beethoven with a member of the clergy
PESANTE: An effect distinctly non-upper-class
PISSICATO: Too much coffee -- time to take a break
RUBATO: A cross between a rhubarb and a tomato
STRINGENDO: An unpleasant effect produced by the violin section when it doesn't use vibrato
VIBRATO: A device to assist female performers who have trouble when the music is marked "con espressivo" ▲ Collapse
Subject:
Comment:
The contents of this post will automatically be included in the ticket generated. Please add any additional comments or explanation (optional)
Erik Freitag Germany Local time: 20:20 Member (2006) Dutch to German + ...
trouble clef
Jul 22, 2010
Nice! I especially like the "trouble clef".
Subject:
Comment:
The contents of this post will automatically be included in the ticket generated. Please add any additional comments or explanation (optional)
Jack Doughty United Kingdom Local time: 19:20 Russian to English + ...
In memoriam
another one
Jul 22, 2010
RALLENTANGO: an Argentinian dance which gets slower and slower.
Subject:
Comment:
The contents of this post will automatically be included in the ticket generated. Please add any additional comments or explanation (optional)
Exclusive discount for ProZ.com users!
Save over 13% when purchasing Wordfast Pro through ProZ.com. Wordfast is the world's #1 provider of platform-independent Translation Memory software. Consistently ranked the most user-friendly and highest value
Create customer quotes and invoices from within Trados Studio
Trados Business Manager Lite helps to simplify and speed up some of the daily tasks, such as invoicing and reporting, associated with running your freelance translation business.