Aber

As Printed on a Score

Follows the main word of a direction and qualifies it: “Sehr mässig bewegt, aber nie schleppend”, “Schlicht, aber warm”, “zart, aber ausdrucksvoll”. Both halves belong to the same heading and last as long as it does; the aber clause is sometimes printed in parentheses or on a second line.

How Composers Use It

Use aber to head off the misreading your first word invites: a moderate tempo that might sag, a simple style that might turn cold, a soft dynamic that might lose its expression. It is the German ma, and the pairing works best when the second word corrects a likely exaggeration of the first rather than introducing something unrelated.

Example

Wagner, Wesendonck-Lieder, No. 5, “Träume”, voice, m. 1: “Sehr mässig bewegt, aber nie schleppend” — a moderate pace with its likely fault named in advance.

Related Terms