♪MusicTheory Academy

Musical Terms Dictionary

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Grave

GRAH-veh

Very slow and solemn

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Largo

LAR-go

Broadly, very slow

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Larghetto

lar-GET-toh

Somewhat broadly, not as slow as Largo

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Adagio

ah-DAH-jee-oh

Slowly, leisurely

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Adagietto

ah-dah-jee-ET-toh

Slightly faster than Adagio

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Andante

an-DAHN-teh

Walking pace, moderately slow

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Andantino

an-dan-TEE-noh

Slightly faster than Andante

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Moderato

moh-deh-RAH-toh

Moderate tempo

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Allegretto

al-leh-GRET-toh

Moderately fast, lighter than Allegro

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Allegro

ah-LEH-groh

Fast, lively, cheerful

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Vivace

vee-VAH-cheh

Lively, vivacious

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Presto

PRES-toh

Very fast

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Prestissimo

pres-TEES-see-moh

As fast as possible

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Accelerando

ah-chel-leh-RAHN-doh

Gradually getting faster

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Ritardando

ree-tar-DAHN-doh

Gradually getting slower

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Rallentando

ral-len-TAHN-doh

Gradually slowing down

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Rubato

roo-BAH-toh

Flexible tempo, robbed time

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A tempo

ah TEM-poh

Return to original tempo

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Tempo primo

TEM-poh PREE-moh

Return to the first tempo

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Fermata

fer-MAH-tah

Hold or pause

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Pianissimo (pp)

pee-ah-NEES-see-moh

Very soft

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Piano (p)

pee-AH-noh

Soft

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Mezzo piano (mp)

MET-zoh pee-AH-noh

Moderately soft

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Mezzo forte (mf)

MET-zoh FOR-teh

Moderately loud

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Forte (f)

FOR-teh

Loud

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Fortissimo (ff)

for-TEES-see-moh

Very loud

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Crescendo

kreh-SHEN-doh

Gradually getting louder

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Decrescendo

deh-kreh-SHEN-doh

Gradually getting softer

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Diminuendo

dee-mee-noo-EN-doh

Gradually getting softer (same as decrescendo)

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Sforzando (sfz)

sfor-TSAHN-doh

Sudden strong accent

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Fortepiano (fp)

FOR-teh-pee-AH-noh

Loud then immediately soft

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Staccato

stah-KAH-toh

Detached, separated

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Legato

leh-GAH-toh

Smooth, connected

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Tenuto

teh-NOO-toh

Held, sustained

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Marcato

mar-KAH-toh

Marked, emphasized

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Portato

por-TAH-toh

Carried, slightly detached

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Pizzicato

peet-see-KAH-toh

Plucked (for strings)

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Arco

AR-koh

With the bow (return to bowing)

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Glissando

glee-SAHN-doh

Sliding from one pitch to another

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Tremolo

TREH-moh-loh

Rapid repetition of a note

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Dolce

DOHL-cheh

Sweetly, softly

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Cantabile

kan-TAH-bee-leh

In a singing style

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Espressivo

es-pres-SEE-voh

Expressively

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Maestoso

mah-es-TOH-soh

Majestically

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Giocoso

joh-KOH-soh

Playfully, humorously

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Appassionato

ah-pas-see-oh-NAH-toh

With passion

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Agitato

ah-jee-TAH-toh

Agitated, restless

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Tranquillo

trahn-KWEE-loh

Calmly, peacefully

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Brillante

bree-LAHN-teh

Brilliantly, sparkling

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Con brio

kohn BREE-oh

With vigor and spirit

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Con fuoco

kohn foo-OH-koh

With fire

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Con moto

kohn MOH-toh

With motion

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Grazioso

grah-tsee-OH-soh

Gracefully

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Leggiero

leh-JEH-roh

Lightly, nimbly

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Pesante

peh-ZAHN-teh

Heavily, ponderous

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Risoluto

ree-soh-LOO-toh

Resolutely, boldly

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Scherzando

sker-TSAHN-doh

Playfully, jokingly

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Sostenuto

sos-teh-NOO-toh

Sustained

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Amoroso

ah-moh-ROH-soh

Lovingly, tenderly

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Furioso

foo-ree-OH-soh

Furiously

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Da capo (D.C.)

dah KAH-poh

From the beginning

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Dal segno (D.S.)

dahl SEHN-yoh

From the sign

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Fine

FEE-neh

The end

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Coda

KOH-dah

Tail, ending section

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Segue

SEH-gway

Continue without pause

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Attacca

ah-TAH-kah

Attack immediately, no pause

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Cadenza

kah-DEN-tsah

Elaborate solo passage

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Ossia

oh-SEE-ah

Or, alternative passage

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Volta

VOHL-tah

Time (as in first time, second time)

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Simile

SEE-mee-leh

Similarly, in the same manner

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Fortississimo (fff)

for-tee-SEES-see-moh

Extremely loud

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Pianississimo (ppp)

pee-ah-nee-SEES-see-moh

Extremely soft

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Subito

SOO-bee-toh

Suddenly, immediately

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Sempre

SEM-preh

Always, continuously

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Molto

MOHL-toh

Very, much

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Poco

POH-koh

Little, slightly

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Più

pew

More

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Meno

MEH-noh

Less

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Assai

ah-SAH-ee

Very, quite

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Ma non troppo

mah nohn TROHP-poh

But not too much

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Allargando

al-lar-GAHN-doh

Broadening, slowing and getting louder

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Animato

ah-nee-MAH-toh

Animated, lively

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Calando

kah-LAHN-doh

Decreasing in tempo and volume

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Comodo

KOH-moh-doh

Comfortable, at a convenient pace

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Grave assai

GRAH-veh ah-SAH-ee

Very slow and solemn

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Lento

LEN-toh

Slowly

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Morendo

moh-REN-doh

Dying away

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Mosso

MOHS-soh

Movement, motion

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Smorzando

smor-TSAHN-doh

Dying away, extinguishing

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Stringendo

strin-JEN-doh

Pressing forward, accelerating

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Affettuoso

ah-fet-too-OH-soh

With affection, tenderly

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Amabile

ah-MAH-bee-leh

Amiable, pleasant

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Con anima

kohn AH-nee-mah

With soul, with feeling

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Con dolore

kohn doh-LOH-reh

With sadness

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Con grazia

kohn GRAH-tsee-ah

With grace

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Con spirito

kohn SPEE-ree-toh

With spirit

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Delicato

deh-lee-KAH-toh

Delicately

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Dolente

doh-LEN-teh

Sorrowful, mournful

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Energico

eh-NER-jee-koh

Energetically

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Feroce

feh-ROH-cheh

Ferocious, fierce

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Giocondo

joh-KOHN-doh

Joyous, merry

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Grandioso

grahn-dee-OH-soh

Grandly, majestically

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Lacrimoso

lah-kree-MOH-soh

Tearful, sad

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Lugubre

loo-GOO-breh

Mournful, dismal

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Marziale

mar-tsee-AH-leh

In a march style

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Nobilmente

noh-beel-MEN-teh

Nobly

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Pastorale

pas-toh-RAH-leh

In a pastoral style

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Pomposo

pohm-POH-soh

Pompously, ceremoniously

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Religioso

reh-lee-jee-OH-soh

Religiously, devoutly

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Semplice

SEM-plee-cheh

Simply, plainly

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Soave

soh-AH-veh

Sweetly, gently

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Sonore

soh-NOH-reh

Sonorous, with full tone

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Teneramente

teh-neh-rah-MEN-teh

Tenderly

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Trionfante

tree-ohn-FAHN-teh

Triumphantly

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Vigoroso

vee-goh-ROH-soh

Vigorously

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Col legno

kohl LEHN-yoh

With the wood (of the bow)

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Con sordino

kohn sor-DEE-noh

With mute

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Divisi

dee-VEE-zee

Divided (section splits into parts)

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Portamento

por-tah-MEN-toh

Smooth glide between pitches

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Senza sordino

SEN-tsah sor-DEE-noh

Without mute

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Sforzato

sfor-TSAH-toh

Forced, strongly accented

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Sul ponticello

sool pon-tee-CHEL-loh

On the bridge (strings)

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Sul tasto

sool TAHS-toh

On the fingerboard (strings)

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Trillo

TREE-loh

Trill

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Uniti

oo-NEE-tee

United (after divisi)

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Al fine

ahl FEE-neh

To the end (at the Fine marking)

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Bis

bees

Twice, repeat

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Encore

ahn-KOR

Again (French)

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Intermezzo

in-ter-MET-soh

Interlude, middle piece

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Pausa

POW-sah

Rest, pause

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Primo

PREE-moh

First

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Reprise

reh-PREEZ

Repeat, return of theme

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Ritornello

ree-tor-NEL-loh

Little return, recurring passage

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Secondo

seh-KOHN-doh

Second

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Senza replica

SEN-tsah REH-plee-kah

Without repeat

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Al niente

ahl nee-EN-teh

To nothing, fade to silence

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Calando

kah-LAHN-doh

Lowering (volume and tempo)

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Manc ando

mahn-KAHN-doh

Lacking, fading

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Perdendosi

per-DEN-doh-see

Losing oneself, dying away

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Rinforzando (rfz)

reen-for-TSAHN-doh

Reinforcing, sudden emphasis

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Ad libitum (ad lib)

ahd LIB-ih-toom

At liberty, freely

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A piacere

ah pee-ah-CHEH-reh

At pleasure, freely

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Alla breve

AH-lah BREH-veh

Cut time (2/2)

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Andante maestoso

an-DAHN-teh mah-es-TOH-soh

Walking pace, majestically

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Ben marcato

ben mar-KAH-toh

Well marked, clearly accented

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Col canto

kohl KAHN-toh

With the singer/melody

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L'istesso tempo

lee-STES-soh TEM-poh

The same tempo

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Non tanto

nohn TAHN-toh

Not so much

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Quasi

KWAH-zee

As if, almost

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Recitativo

reh-chee-tah-TEE-voh

In the manner of a recitative

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Ritenuto

ree-teh-NOO-toh

Held back, immediately slower

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Tempo giusto

TEM-poh JOO-stoh

In strict time

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Vivo

VEE-voh

Lively, vivacious

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Volante

voh-LAHN-teh

Flying, light and fast

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Zart

tsart

Tender, delicate (German)

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