Forte

As Printed on a Score

Printed below the staff as f in bold italic (above it in vocal parts); the word forte is written out mainly in Baroque sources and in phrases such as il più forte possibile or forte possibile. It lasts until the next dynamic. Qualifiers attach directly — f espress., sempre f, più f — while fp, sf and fz are separate accent signs, not forte levels.

Abbreviations: f

How Composers Use It

Forte should feel assertive but not strained. In orchestration, forte is where brass instruments fully enter the texture. Be aware that some instruments (flute, clarinet) in certain registers cannot truly play forte against full brass — rebalance or simplify textures at f.

Example

Beethoven's Symphony No. 3 ("Eroica"), first movement opening — two forte E-flat major chords announce the work with commanding authority.

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