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 changese.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