Chorus Vocabulary

Piano ( p ): soft or softly

Forte ( f ): loud or loudly

Pianissimo ( pp ): very soft or softly.

Fortissimo ( ff ): very loud or loudly.

Mezzo piano ( mp ): moderately soft.

Mezzo forte ( mf ): moderately loud.

Sforzando ( sf ): Suddenly loud.

Dynamics: the varying levels of sound in a musical performance.

Crescendo: a gradual increase in volume.

Decrescendo / Diminuendo: a gradual decrease in volume.

Unison: when two or more people play or sing the same pitch.

Staccato: each sound or note sharply detached or separated from the others.

Legato: in a smooth, flowing manner, without breaks between notes.

Coda: the concluding passage of a piece of music.

Enunciation: to pronounce words or parts of words clearly.