Molto vibrato

As Printed on a Score

Printed above the part (molto vib.) at the note or phrase that needs an intensified vibrato; it lasts for that phrase or until ordinario or senza vibrato. It often appears at the far end of a gradual transition from non vib.

Abbreviations: molto vib.

How Composers Use It

A wider, faster vibrato adds heat and urgency to a sustained note — a string melody at its peak, a swelling held note in a solo wind. Because vibrato is normal anyway, the marking matters most as contrast, after a passage senza vibrato. Wind traditions differ (classical clarinettists use little vibrato), so expect the effect to vary between instruments.

Related Terms