Assez lent

As Printed on a Score

Usually a tempo heading at the head of a song or movement, sometimes extended (Assez lent et bien mesuré, Assez lent et assez libre). It lasts until the next tempo word; later changes are measured against it (moins lent, un peu plus lent).

How Composers Use It

A fairly slow tempo — slower than modéré, not as slow as lent — and a heading Lili Boulanger returns to again and again; Debussy uses it for La Chevelure. Remember that assez is “rather”, not the Italian assai (“very”). The heading leaves room for the text and the harmony to set the pace, so add a second word for the character you want (bien mesuré for steadiness, libre for flexibility) or a metronome mark if the exact speed matters.

Example

Lili Boulanger, Clairières dans le ciel, “Par ce que j’ai souffert”, voice, m. 1: “Assez lent”, with “avec une douceur émue” printed beside it.

Related Terms