Nicht zu geschwind

As Printed on a Score

Printed as a heading above the first bar — in older German editions especially — sometimes with a second clause (Nicht zu geschwind, doch kräftig); it holds until the next tempo word. Geschwind marks it as a quick tempo held in check.

How Composers Use It

Schubert’s heading of choice for a quick song that must stay articulate: “Gretchen am Spinnrade” and several Winterreise songs carry it. It asks for a pace the singer can enunciate and the pianist can keep even. Beethoven used it too, in Op. 90. Today nicht zu schnell says the same thing; geschwind adds an early-nineteenth-century flavour.

Example

Schubert, Gretchen am Spinnrade, Op. 2, D. 118, voice, m. 1: “Nicht zu geschwind” heads the song.

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