Dynamics
The different levels of loudness or
softness in a piece of music
Indicated by letters, signs,
abbreviations or symbols in the music
p – ‘soft’
Italian = piano
f – ‘loud’/ ‘strong’
Italian = forte
ff – very loud (fortissimo)
fff – extremely loud (fortississimo)
pp – very soft (pianissimo)
ppp – extremely soft (pianississimo)
More subtle shades of dynamics:
mp – moderately soft(mezzo piano)
mf – moderately loud(mezzo forte)
Remember:
Levels are relative to each
other – left to performer to
consider factors e.g. size of room
fp – loud, then suddenly soft(forte- piano)
fz, sf or sfz – suddenly forcing or accenting
a note (forzato)
sfp– suddenly forcing or accenting a note
followed by piano
Haydn’s Symphony No.94 in G, nicknamed
the ‘Surprise’ Symphony
Watch out for the sudden loud, fortissimo
chord which was one of Haydn’s famous
jokes to ‘make all the ladies jump’!
Starts: p, then pp
crescendo (cresc.) – getting louder
decrescendo (decresc.) or diminuendo (dim.)
– getting softer
molto (‘more’)– for quicker changes
e.g. molto cresc.
poco a poco (‘little by little’) – for slower
changes
e.g. poco a poco cresc.
hairpins – symbols for quicker changes
(over a bar or two)
* look like old fashioned hairpins! *
getting softer
getting louder