Poco marcato

As Printed on a Score

Printed above or below the staff as poco marcato or poco marc., often at a soft entry of a melody or bass line. It holds until another articulation word or new material.

Abbreviations: poco marc.

Also spelled: Un poco marcato

How Composers Use It

A light emphasis — enough definition to let a line be followed, not enough to make it heavy. It is useful for an inner voice or bass that must be heard at a soft dynamic, or for a theme that should be shaped but not pressed. Un poco marcato says the same thing; pick one form for a whole score.

Example

Elgar, “The Poet’s Life”, piano, m. 27: “poco marcato” at pp, between an “a tempo” and a “poco rit.”

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