Page:A Dictionary of Music and Musicians vol 4.djvu/99

TEMPO. and having learnt the meaning of the terms in general use, are able to understand the directions given, without any further knowledge of the language. Nevertheless, some composers, other than Italians, have preferred to use their own native language for the purpose, at least in part. Thus Schumann employed German terms in by far the greater number of his compositions, not alone as tempo-indications but also for directions as to expression, and Beethoven took a fancy at one time for using German, though he afterwards returned to Italian. [See vol. i. p. 193.]

The expressions used to denote degrees of speed may be divided into two classes, those which refer directly to the rate of movement, as Lento—slow; Adagio—gently, slowly; Moderato—moderately; Presto—quick, etc.; and those (the more numerous) which rather indicate a certain character or quality by which the rate of speed is influenced, such as Allegro—gay, cheerful; Vivace—lively; Animato—animated; Maestoso—majestically; Grave—with gravity; Largo—broad; etc. To these last may be added expressions which allude to some well-known form of composition, the general character of which governs the speed, such as Tempo di Minuetto—in the time of a Minuet; Alla Marcia, Alla Polacca—in the style of a march, polonaise, and so on. Most of these words may be qualified by the addition of the terminations etto and ino, which diminish, or issimo, which increases, the effect of a word. Thus Allegretto, derived from Allegro, signifies moderately lively, Prestissimo—extremely quick, and so on. The same varieties may also be produced by the use of the words molto—much; assai—very; più—more; meno—less; un poco (sometimes un pochettino )—a little; non troppo—not too much, etc.

The employment, as indications of speed, of words which in their strict sense refer merely to style and character (and therefore only indirectly to tempo), has caused a certain conventional meaning to attach to them, especially when used by other than Italian composers. Thus in most vocabularies of musical terms we find Allegro rendered as 'quick,' Largo as 'slow,' etc., although these are not the literal translations of the words. In the case of at least one word this general acceptance of a conventional meaning has brought about a misunderstanding which is of considerable importance. The word is Andante, the literal meaning of which is 'going,' but as compositions to which it is applied are usually of a quiet and tranquil character, it has gradually come to be understood as synonymous with 'rather slow.' In consequence of this, the direction più andante, which really means 'going more' i.e. faster, has frequently been erroneously understood to mean slower, while the diminution of andante, andantino, literally 'going a little,' together with meno andante—'going less'—both of which should indicate a slower tempo than andante—have been held to denote the reverse. This view, though certainly incorrect, is found to be maintained by various authorities, including even Koch's 'Musikalisches Lexicon,' where più andante is distinctly stated to be slower, and andantino quicker, than andante. In a recent edition of Schumann's 'Kreisleriana' we find the composer's own indication for the middle movement of No. 3, 'Etwas langsamer,' incorrectly translated by the editor poco più andante, which coming immediately after animato has a very odd effect. Schubert also appears to prefer the conventional use of the word, since he marks the first movement of his Fantasia for Piano and Violin, op. 159, Andante molto. But it seems clear that, with the exception just noted, the great composers generally intended the words to bear their literal interpretation. Beethoven, for instance, places his intentions on the subject beyond a doubt, for the 4th variation in the Finale of the Sonata op. 109 is inscribed in Italian Un poco meno andante, cio è, un poco più adagio come il tema —a little less andante, that is, a little more slowly like (than?) the theme,' and also in German Etwas langsamer als das Thema—somewhat slower than the theme. Instances of the use of più andante occur in Var. 5 of Beethoven's Trio op. 1, no. 3, in Brahms's Violin Sonata op. 78, where it follows (of course with the object of quickening) the tempo of Adagio, etc. Handel, in the air 'Revenge, Timotheus cries!' and in the choruses 'For unto us' and 'The Lord gave the word,' gives the direction Andante allegro, which may be translated 'going along merrily.'

When in the course of a composition the tempo alters, but still bears a definite relation to the original speed, the proportion in which the new tempo stands to the other may be expressed in various ways. When the speed of notes of the same species is to be exactly doubled, the words doppio movimento are used to denote the change, thus the quick portion of Ex. 1 would be played precisely as though it were written as in Ex. 2.

Another way of expressing proportional tempi is by the arithmetical sign for equality (=), placed between two notes of different values. Thus =  would mean that a crochet in the one movement must have the same duration as a