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
音楽で Leggiero はどういう意味ですか？
Lightly — playing with light touch, light tone, and airy character.
Leggiero という言葉はどこから来ていますか？
Italian, ‘light’, from Late Latin leviarius, from levis (‘light’).
Leggiero は実際にどう演奏しますか？
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.
Leggiero のよくある略記は？
Leggiero は一般に legg. と略されます。
Leggiero に関連する音楽用語は？
関連する用語：Staccato, Spiccato, Delicato, Grazioso。
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