In this post, we’re going to cover all the grade 5 performance directions you need to know for the ABRSM grade 5 music theory exam. I’ve listed them all below.
The good news is, there aren’t that many that you have to learn…
The bad news is, they’re all in Italian… and German…
To download a free printout of all the musical terms you need to know, just click the button below.
The Italian Musical Terms You Need To Know
First, we’ll start with all the Italian terms for the grade 5 exam.
These are a mixture of tempo markings, dynamics, and other directions.
We’ve got a quiz after to see how well you’ve learned all the meanings and definitions.
But first, let’s have a look at them all.
| Grade 5 Italian Terms | Definition |
| attacca | go straight on to the next section of music |
| dolente | sad, mournful |
| dolore | grief |
| doppio | movimento twice as fast |
| estino | as soft as possible, lifeless |
| incalzando | getting quicker |
| lacrimoso | sad |
| loco | at the normal pitch (used to cancel an 8va direction) |
| lunga | long |
| lusingando | coaxing, in a sweet and persuasive style |
| misura | measure |
| ossia | or, alternatively |
| piacevole | pleasant |
| piangevole | plaintive, in the style of a lament |
| pochettino, poch. | rather little |
| rinforzando, rf, rfz | reinforcing |
| segue | go straight on |
| smorzando, smorz. | dying away in tone and speed |
| teneramente, tenerezza | tenderly, tenderness |
| tosto | swift, rapid |
| volante | flying, fast |
Grade 5 Theory Italian Terms Quiz
Time to test how well you know these words.
Try the quiz below before moving on to all the German words.
The German Terms You Need To Know
Guten tag!
Now we’re on to the German terms that you need to have learned for the ABRSM music theory exam.
Thankfully there aren’t too many words to learn.
Only 26. Shall we get started?
| Grade 5 German Terms | Definition |
| aber | but |
| ausdruck | expression |
| bewegt | with movement, agitated |
| breit | broad, expansive |
| ein | a, one |
| einfach | simple |
| etwas | somewhat, rather |
| fröhlich | cheerful, joyful |
| immer | always |
| langsam | slow |
| lebhaft | lively |
| mässig | at a moderate speed |
| mit | with |
| nicht | not |
| ohne | without |
| ruhig | peaceful |
| schnell | fast |
| sehr | very |
| süss | sweet |
| traurig | sad |
| und | and |
| voll | full |
| wenig | little |
| wieder | again |
| zart | tender, delicate |
| zu | to, too |
Grade 5 German Terms Quiz
Time to test yourself on the german terms.
Ready for the quiz?
Test your knowledge of the german terms for the grade 5 exam
At grade 5, you’ll also need to know all the Italian and French performance directions from grades 1, 2, 3, and 4.
To head over to see how well you know those terms you can click the links below:
