Animé

As Printed on a Score

Printed above the staff as a heading or mid-movement — Animé, Assez animé, Plus animé, Très modérément animé — where it usually quickens the tempo as well as the mood. It lasts until the next tempo word or Au mouvement; Animez and En animant ask instead for a progressive change.

Also spelled: anime

How Composers Use It

Animé in French music implies liveliness with elegance — spirited without being coarse. Debussy and Ravel use it for passages that need energy but should retain French refinement.

Example

Debussy's "La Mer," third movement (Dialogue du vent et de la mer) — the animé sections depict the restless energy of wind and waves.

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