Tenuto

Tenuto, notated as a horizontal line (—) above or below the note, instructs the performer to hold the note for its full written value, often with slight additional emphasis. The literal Italian meaning is ‘held’, and that is the criterion: the note must sound for its complete duration, not shortened.

Tenuto is subtler than an accent. It does not necessarily mean louder; it means held. In contexts where the ambient articulation is staccato or where notes naturally tend to clip short, tenuto restores the full duration. In legato contexts it adds a slight emphasis without disrupting the line.

The marking is sometimes confused with the staccato dot in old or unclear scores. Tenuto is a horizontal dash; staccato is a round dot. Some composers and editors combine them: a tenuto dash with a staccato dot indicates portato — held but slightly separated.

Italian, past participle of tenere (‘to hold’), from Latin tenere.

Hold the note exactly to its written value — no shorter, no longer. Add a slight tonal emphasis if context supports it, but the key feature is duration, not volume.