Geschwind

As Printed on a Score

Printed as a heading above the first bar or at a new section, alone or in compounds (Etwas geschwind, Geschwind und feurig); it holds until the next tempo word. It is the older of the German words for “quick”, common in early nineteenth-century editions.

How Composers Use It

Schubert’s everyday word for a quick tempo, with a sense of nimbleness rather than force. Later composers mostly prefer schnell or rasch, so geschwind gives a score a Biedermeier tone. On its own it means a genuinely fast pace; temper it (Etwas geschwind, Mäßig geschwind) when the text must stay clear.

Example

Schubert, Die schöne Müllerin, D. 795, No. 14, “Der Jäger”, voice, m. 1: “Geschwind” heads the song.

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