Rallentando

Rallentando, abbreviated rall., calls for a gradual reduction in tempo. In practice it overlaps heavily with ritardando, and many editors and composers use the two interchangeably. A loose convention treats rallentando as a slightly broader, more sustained slowing — affecting a longer span of music — while ritardando narrows toward an immediate event such as a cadence.

Rallentando is common at the end of phrases, sections, or whole movements, where the music ‘settles in’ rather than coming to a sharp halt. You will see it in 19th-century orchestral writing (Mahler, Tchaikovsky) and throughout the salon repertoire. Some composers, particularly in opera, use rallentando to widen a melodic line for the singer, giving room for breath, vibrato, or a held high note.

Like ritardando, the marking usually ends with a tempo to restore the original pulse. Performers should treat the rallentando as a planned arc, not a reaction — decide where it begins, how much tempo is lost, and where it lands.

Italian present participle of rallentare (‘to slow down’), from Latin re- + lentus (‘slow’). Common in scores from the early 18th century onward.

Plan the curve. A rallentando that loses too much tempo too quickly turns the music into syrup; one that arrives too late feels mechanical. In ensemble work, the conductor or section leader sets the rate. On solo instruments, listen to your own breathing and bow length — these are reliable internal metronomes.