Leggiero
Definition. Lightly — playing with light touch, light tone, and airy character.
Detailed Explanation
Leggiero, abbreviated legg., is Italian for ‘lightly’. As a performance direction it instructs the performer to play with a light touch — soft attack, light tone, airy character, often staccato or non-legato. The marking is essentially the opposite of pesante (heavily).
The character is airy, sparkling, almost weightless. On piano, leggiero implies a light finger touch, often with delicate wrist work. On strings, light bow contact, fast bow speed, perhaps spiccato. On winds, thin tone, light articulation.
Leggiero is common in fast passages, scherzos, and any music where a feeling of lightness is desired. The marking can apply to passages of any volume — a leggiero forte is possible (loud but light) — though it most often combines with softer dynamics. Chopin, Mendelssohn, and Liszt use it extensively in their virtuoso showpieces.
Etymology
Italian, ‘light’, from Late Latin leviarius, from levis (‘light’).
In Practice
Lift the music. Attacks should feel airy; tone should sparkle; the whole texture should seem to float. Avoid weight, ground, or any sense of heaviness.
Notable Examples
- Mendelssohn — Midsummer Night's Dream Scherzo (iconic leggiero writing)
- Chopin — Various Études (frequent leggiero passages)
Related Terms
Opposite Of
Frequently Asked Questions
Was bedeutet Leggiero in der Musik?
Lightly — playing with light touch, light tone, and airy character.
Woher kommt das Wort Leggiero?
Italian, ‘light’, from Late Latin leviarius, from levis (‘light’).
Wie wird Leggiero in der Praxis ausgeführt?
Lift the music. Attacks should feel airy; tone should sparkle; the whole texture should seem to float. Avoid weight, ground, or any sense of heaviness.
Welche Abkürzungen sind für Leggiero üblich?
Leggiero wird üblicherweise als legg. abgekürzt.
Welche Musikbegriffe hängen mit Leggiero zusammen?
Verwandte Begriffe: Staccato, Spiccato, Delicato, Grazioso.
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