Come

As Printed on a Score

Appears inside phrases that refer the player to another passage or manner (“come prima”, “come sopra”, “come al principio”). Come prima and come sopra are printed where an earlier tempo or treatment returns, and last until the next new direction.

How Composers Use It

Come (as, like) lets a direction point elsewhere: come prima restores an earlier tempo or character, come sopra repeats a treatment already marked. These save space but depend on an unambiguous reference; come prima after several tempo changes leaves players guessing which “before” is meant, so Tempo I or a fresh tempo word is safer. Come can also make a comparison, as in come un’eco (like an echo).

Example

Tchaikovsky, Symphony No. 6 in B minor (“Pathétique”), first movement, piccolo, m. 97: “come prima”, two bars after a “ritenuto”.

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