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Expressively — play with emotional intensity and rubato.
Espressivo (abbreviated espr.) gives the performer license to shape the phrase with extra feeling — slight rubato, dynamic shading, vibrato variation. Use it to highlight particularly emotional melodic lines. It is an invitation to bring personal expression to the written notes.
Brahms marks espressivo on cello melodies throughout his chamber music — the Third Piano Quartet's slow movement cello solo is a prime example.
Espressivo is one of 228 terms in the Gradus musical dictionary, where every definition is written around how composers actually use the word.
Browse the full dictionary →