rubato
Tempo with elasticity
Rubato is a musical technique where the performer slightly speeds up or slows down the tempo for expressive effect, then compensates to maintain the overall pace.
The word comes from Italian for "stolen"—time taken from one note is given back to another.
Rubato is essential to Romantic piano music: She played the Chopin nocturne with tasteful rubato.
Gradual tempo increase
- ritardandoGradual tempo decrease
- tempoRate of musical performance
- rallentandoGradual tempo reduction
- fermataSustained note symbol
tenuto · push-and-pull · breath · pause · timing · pacing · flexibility · elasticity
Unbroken musical phrasing
- portamentoSeamless pitch transition
- articulationClear vocal expression
- vibratoOscillating pitch effect
- pedalingTurning bike cranks
touch · voicing · shaping · melodic line · ornamentation
accelerando
Gradual tempo increase
- ritardandoGradual tempo decrease
- tempoRate of musical performance
- rallentandoGradual tempo reduction
fermata · tenuto · push-and-pull · breath · pause · timing · pacing · flexibility · elasticity · freedom
legato
Unbroken musical phrasing
- portamentoSeamless pitch transition
- articulationClear vocal expression
- vibratoOscillating pitch effect
pedaling · touch · voicing · shaping · melodic line · ornamentation
phrasing
Manner of expressing something
expressiveness · poignancy · tenderness · yearning · wistful · soulful · heartfelt · emotive · sentiment · passion
interpretation
Assigned meaning
- ChopinPolish Romantic pianist-composer
- LisztHungarian Romantic-era pianist-composer
- pianisticRelating to piano technique
bel canto · vocalist · soloist · accompanist · recital · nocturne · ballade · aria · cadenza · improvisation
- musicmusic, song, songs, singing, singer
- musicianshipsinging, playing, performing, practicing, harmonizing
- rhythmsbeat, rhythm, syncopation, offbeat, cadence
- music notationtreble clef, bass clef, clef, clefs, staff
- musical termsadagio, andante, allegro, lento, largo
- operaopera, aria, arias, soprano, tenor
rubatoin tempo
At correct speed
a tempo · metronomic · steady beat · quantized · inflexible
rubatostraight
Not curved or crooked
square · literal · uninflected · unexpressive · robotic
rubatoinexpressive
Lacking outward emotional display
rigid · stiff · unyielding · restrained · controlled