Allargando
Definition. Broadening — slower and slightly louder, with a sense of weight and dignity.
Detailed Explanation
Allargando, abbreviated allarg., calls for a broadening of the music: slower in tempo and usually fuller in tone. The literal Italian meaning is ‘widening’ or ‘making broader’, and the result should feel exactly that — the phrase opens out, the texture deepens, and the listener senses arrival.
The distinction from rallentando is mostly emotional. Rallentando merely slows down. Allargando does so while gaining weight and grandeur, usually with an implied crescendo. Composers use it at structural arrivals: the return of a principal theme, the recapitulation of a sonata, the final cadence of a symphony.
Elgar, Sibelius, and Strauss use allargando frequently in their broad late-Romantic perorations. Film composers borrow the gesture for end-credit cadences. Performed correctly, allargando feels inevitable — like a great ship coming to dock.
Etymology
Italian gerund of allargare (‘to broaden, widen’), from al- + largo (‘broad, wide’). Common in scores from the late 19th century.
In Practice
Don’t confuse allargando with ritardando. The tempo broadens, but volume should swell, not fade. In ensembles, lengthen the bow, support the breath, deepen the bow contact — match the breadth of the slowing with breadth of sound.
Notable Examples
- Elgar — Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1 (allargando into the famous trio reprise)
- Sibelius — Symphony No. 2 (the finale’s closing pages)
Related Terms
Opposite Of
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Allargando mean in music?
Broadening — slower and slightly louder, with a sense of weight and dignity.
Where does the word Allargando come from?
Italian gerund of allargare (‘to broaden, widen’), from al- + largo (‘broad, wide’). Common in scores from the late 19th century.
How is Allargando performed in practice?
Don’t confuse allargando with ritardando. The tempo broadens, but volume should swell, not fade. In ensembles, lengthen the bow, support the breath, deepen the bow contact — match the breadth of the slowing with breadth of sound.
What are common abbreviations for Allargando?
Allargando is commonly abbreviated as allarg..
What musical terms are related to Allargando?
Related terms include: Rallentando, Ritardando, Maestoso, Pesante.
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