Crescendo ed accelerando

As Printed on a Score

Printed below or between the staves as cresc. ed accel., cresc. e accel. or accel. e cresc., usually followed by dashes. Both processes continue together until a new tempo word (a tempo, rit.) and a new dynamic end them, often at different points.

Abbreviations: cresc. ed accel., cresc. e accel., accel. e cresc.

How Composers Use It

Rising energy in two dimensions at once — the natural shape of excitement and the default instinct of most players, which is why it pays to write it only where you want it. Mark separately where the tempo should return. If loudness and speed should end at different points, write them as separate directions rather than a joint one.

Example

Chopin, Études, Op. 25, No. 10 in B minor, m. 43: “cresc. ed accel.”, checked by a “rit.” two bars later and followed by “a tempo”.

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