Piangendo

As Printed on a Score

Printed above the staff or over an instrumental part as a character word for a phrase, often combined with another direction (“piangendo e molto espr.”). It lasts for the phrase it heads or until the next character word; it implies tone and phrasing, not loudness, so look for the dynamic printed beside it.

How Composers Use It

Piangendo, “weeping”, is a present participle: it asks the player to weep through the notes, with drooping slurred pairs, a tone with a catch in it, sometimes a slight portamento in strings or voice. It is more active than lacrimoso (tearful) and far more pictorial than mesto. It suits a solo line or a sighing section melody; use it sparingly, since its force depends on rarity.

Example

Mahler, Symphony No. 5, first movement (Trauermarsch), cellos, m. 50: “piangendo”, with “dim.” and pp in the next bar.

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