These are wonderful…
ALLREGRETTO
When you’re 16 measures into the piece and realize
you took too fast a tempoANGUS DEI
To play with a divinely beefy toneA PATELLA
Accompanied by knee-slappingAPPOLOGGIATURA
A composition that you regret playingAPPROXIMATURA
A series of notes not intended by the composer, yet
played with an “I meant to do that” attitudeAPPROXIMENTO
A musical entrance that is somewhere in the vicinity
of the correct pitchCACOPHANY [aka CACOUGHONY -psl]
A composition incorporating many people with
chest coldsCORAL SYMPHONY
A large, multi-movement work from Beethoven’s
Caribbean PeriodDILL PICCOLINI
An exceedingly small wind instrument that plays
only sour notesFERMANTRA
A note held over and over and over and over and . .
.FERMOOTA
A note of dubious value held for indefinite lengthFIDDLER CRABS
Grumpy string playersFLUTE FLIES
Those tiny mosquitos that bother musicians on
outdoor gigsFRUGALHORN
A sensible and inexpensive brass instrumentGAUL BLATTER
A French horn playerGREGORIAN CHAMP
The title bestowed upon the monk who can hold
a note the longestGROUND HOG
Someone who takes control of the repeated bass line
and won’t let anyone else play itPLACEBO DOMINGO
A faux tenorSCHMALZANDO
A sudden burst of music from the Guy Lombardo bandTHE RIGHT OF STRINGS
Manifesto of the Society for the Prevention of
Cruelty
to ViolistsSPRITZICATO
An indication to string instruments to produce a
bright
and bubbly soundTEMPO TANTRUM
What an elementary school orchestra is having when
it’s
not following the conductorTROUBLE CLEF
Any clef one can’t read: e.g., alto clef for
pianistsVESUVIOSO
An indication to build up to a fiery conclusionVIBRATTO
Child prodigy son of the concertmaster
ROFL!