Grade 2

Grade 2  Terms and Signs
Theory of Music Syllabus - Grade 2

The Grade 2 syllabus includes everyhing in Grade 1, including music terms and signs, with the addition of:

1] Simple time signatures of two two, three two, four two, three eight, and the grouping of notes and rests within these times. 

 Triplets, and triplet note groups with rests. Questions will include the composition of simple fourbar rhythms starting on the first beat of the bar and using a given opening.

2] Extension of the stave to include two ledger lines below and above each stave. 

3] Composition: Questions will include the composition of simple four bar rhythms starting on the first beat of the bar and using a given opening.

4] Extension of the stave to include two ledger lines below and above each stave. 

5] Construction of the minor scale (harmonic or melodic at candidate’s choice, but candidates will be expected to know which form they are using). Scales and key signatures of the major keys of A, Bb and Eb, and the minor keys of A, E and D, with their tonic triads (root position), Degrees of the scale (number only), and intervals above the tonic (by number only).

Semi-staccato or Half-staccato

The staccato dots are written inside a slur. The notes should be slightly separated (semi-staccato), but less than regular staccato.


Accents in music – Marcato

The notes marked with the accent symbols as illustrated below are accented and slightly separated.


Tenuto – Held note

Tenuto means that the note is held with some pressure.


Staccatissimo - Extreme staccato

In extreme staccato the note is somewhat shortened in duration because of the detachment. The wedge symbol is used above or inverted below the note head as indicated in the illustration below.


Grade 2

Abraham Devar's Academy for Music

Sed pede ullamcorper amet ullamcorper primis, nam pretium suspendisse neque, a phasellus sit pulvinar vel integer.


Italian Term Abbreviation English Meaning
a   in, by, for, to, in the style of
al, alla   in the manner of, to the
allargando   broadening – getting a little slow and louder
andantino   slightly faster than andante
assai   very
con, col   without
dolce   sweet
e, ed   and
espressivo express.espr expressive, with expression
fortepiano   loud then immediately soft
giocoso   playful, merry
grave   very slow, solemn
grazioso   graceful
larghetto   rather slow, but not as slow as largo
largo   slow and stately
ma   but
maestoso   majestic
meno   less
molto   very much
mosso, moto    movement
non   not
piu   more
presto   fast
senza   without
sforzando, sforzato   forced, accented
simile sim. in the same way
sostenuto   sustained
tenuto   held
troppo   too much e.g. ma non troppo - but not too much
vivace   lively, quick

Abbreviations used in music notation

fp – fortepiano – loud then immediately soft 
 sf / sfz – sforzando / sforzato – forced / accented


Download Grade 2 Terms and Signs

Suitable for: ABRSM, Trinity Guild Hall, UNISA and similar examining bodies.

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