Caloroso

As Printed on a Score

Printed above the voice or instrument at the phrase it colours, usually at a soft or moderate dynamic; it lasts for that phrase or passage, until a new character word. In bilingual editions it may stand beside a German equivalent.

How Composers Use It

Warmth means a full, rich tone with some vibrato and a slightly broadened phrase — not necessarily louder. The adjective is close to con calore, which is the more common form on scores. Use it to mark the emotional centre of a phrase within a quiet dynamic, where players might otherwise play thin.

Example

Mahler, Kindertotenlieder, “Oft denk’ ich, sie sind nur ausgegangen”, voice, m. 19: “caloroso” beside the German “warm” — the edition prints its directions in both German and Italian.

Related Terms