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
Leggiero 在音乐中是什么意思？
Lightly — playing with light touch, light tone, and airy character.
Leggiero 这个词从哪里来？
Italian, ‘light’, from Late Latin leviarius, from levis (‘light’).
Leggiero 在实际演奏中怎么处理？
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 常见的缩写有哪些？
Leggiero 通常缩写为 legg.。
有哪些音乐术语与 Leggiero 相关？
相关术语包括：Staccato, Spiccato, Delicato, Grazioso。
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