Attacca

As Printed on a Score

Printed at the end of a movement, beside the final barline: “attacca”, “attacca subito”, “Attacca subito il seguente”, sometimes naming what follows (“attacca subito l’Allegro”). It applies once, at that join — go on to the next movement with no break. A fermata on the last note still lets it sound before the attack.

How Composers Use It

Attacca creates dramatic continuity between movements. Use it when the emotional or musical flow demands no break — a turbulent scherzo erupting directly into a triumphant finale, or a slow movement dissolving into a fast one. It prevents applause between movements in concert performance.

Example

Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 — attacca between the third and fourth movements, the pianissimo timpani transition leading without break into the blazing C major finale.

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