Accarezzevole

As Printed on a Score

Printed above the staff at the start of a phrase, usually beside dolce and a soft dynamic; it lasts for the passage it introduces.

How Composers Use It

A caressing touch: soft attack, close legato, a little rubato, tone shaded rather than projected. Scriabin, who favoured such sensuous words, uses it in his late piano music. It overlaps with dolce and lusingando; choose it when you want physical tenderness of touch rather than sweetness of sound, and avoid stacking it with several near-synonyms.

Example

Scriabin, Piano Sonata No. 5, Op. 53, m. 34: “Accarezzevole”, with “dolce” in the same bar, after the “dim. smorz.” of the bar before.

Related Terms