Delicatissimo

As Printed on a Score

Printed beside a very soft dynamic, often as the second step after delicato; the adverb delicatissimamente appears in running instructions, most famously at the head of the “Moonlight” Sonata. In a heading it governs the whole movement; otherwise it holds until the next character direction.

Also spelled: delicatissimamente

How Composers Use It

The superlative asks for the utmost lightness and refinement: a barely touched sound, every edge softened. It works best as the end of a gradation (delicato, then delicatissimo) or as a governing instruction for a whole piece, as in Beethoven’s heading for the first movement of the “Moonlight” Sonata, where the adverb delicatissimamente is joined to senza sordini — the dampers raised throughout. Use it sparingly; if every soft passage is delicatissimo, the word loses its extremity.

Example

Beethoven, Piano Sonata No. 14 in C-sharp minor, Op. 27 No. 2 (“Moonlight”), first movement, m. 1: “Si deve suonare tutto questo pezzo delicatissimamente e senza sordini” — the whole movement as delicately as possible, without dampers.

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