Breiter

As Printed on a Score

Printed above the staff where the music begins to broaden, often prepared by poco a poco or a crescendo, and leading to breit or a climax; it holds until the next tempo word.

How Composers Use It

Broader: slower and weightier than what came before — the German allargando. It is relative, so it suits a build toward a climax. Pair it with bowing words (viel Bogen) in strings, and mark the return to tempo clearly.

Example

Mahler, Symphony No. 5, fourth movement (Adagietto), first violins, m. 93: “breiter”, after “poco a poco”, with f and ff following.

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