Leicht bewegt

As Printed on a Score

A heading, printed above the first bar of a song or section and often paired with an articulation word (“immer staccato”). It sets pace and character together and stays in force until a new tempo word, such as Bedeutend langsamer or Ruhiger, takes over.

How Composers Use It

Bewegt gives a flowing, moving pulse; leicht keeps that motion unweighted, so the phrase suits light accompaniment figures and airy textures more than a broad melody. It sits between Mäßig bewegt and Lebhaft. In Lieder it fits songs whose momentum should feel easy rather than urgent; add a metronome mark if the speed must be exact, since bewegt covers a wide band of tempos.

Example

Wolf, Mörike-Lieder, “Auf einer Wanderung”, m. 1: “Leicht bewegt” heads the song with “immer staccato” beside it; at m. 64 the song turns “bedeutend langsamer”.

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