Which of these dynamic markings means to play the most quietly?

1. mp
2. p
3. ff
4. mf

1 answer

The dynamic marking that means to play the most quietly is 2. p, which stands for "piano" and indicates a soft volume. The other markings are as follows: mp (mezzo piano) means moderately soft, mf (mezzo forte) means moderately loud, and ff (fortissimo) means very loud.