Innig

As Printed on a Score

Printed above the staff as a heading or alone — Innig, Sehr innig, Innig, bewegt, Feierlich, innig — and in Schumann often together with a tempo word. It names character, not speed, and lasts for the piece or section. Beethoven’s superlative is mit der innigsten Empfindung.

How Composers Use It

Innig is a uniquely German expression marking that has no exact Italian equivalent. It suggests music played from the deepest part of the soul — private, tender, profoundly personal. Schumann uses it frequently.

Example

Schumann, Frauenliebe und -leben, Op. 42, No. 4 “Du Ring an meinem Finger”, voice: “Innig” heads the song, at p.

Related Terms