Terms such as “Sonata,” “Concerto” and “Opus” describe different kinds of musical works. A sonata is written for no more than three instruments. It's typically broken down in three separate movements. A concerto is written for a solo instrument with orchestral accompaniment. The structure of a sonata is typically broken into a fast beginning, slow middle and faster ending. “Opus” is the Latin word for a “composition.” It is the classical equivalent of “song.” The plural of “Opus” is “Opera.”
Multiple classical music terms tell the musician what dynamic devices to employ in a given passage. “Crescendo,” a word that has evolved to take on a other meanings, instructs all players to build to a dramatic end by increasing volume. “Diminuendo” is the opposite of “Crescendo,” where the music gradually diminishes in volume.
The tempo of a classical work changes as it progresses. Classical music terms pertaining to the tempo include “Largo,” which means “very slow,” “Adagio,” which means “slowly,” “Allegro,” which means a brisk, lively tempo and “Andante,” which means “walking speed.”
You can play a musical note in multiple ways. This variety is reflected in the range of classical terms that appear on contemporary manuscripts. “Pizzicato” means “plucked” strings. “Staccato” denotes a series of short, muted notes. “Glissando” instructs the player to smoothly “glide” from one note to the next. “Legato” means “tied together” and denotes the need to join two notes together.
Although referred to as “Classical” terminology, many common musical terms were around prior to the classical period that lasted from approximately 1750 to 1830. “A Capella,” which roughly translates as “In the chapel,” refers to a vocal without accompaniment. “Symphony” refers to four movements of music written for orchestra. Perhaps the most commonly used piece of classical terminology is “Tempo” which is Italian for “time.”