Portamento

As Printed on a Score

Printed as the word “portamento” over the two notes to be joined, sometimes with a line between them; it governs that connection only, and string editions can also imply it through fingering. In piano music, where no slide is possible, older scores use the word for a carried, half-detached touch — portato — shown by dots under a slur, as in Brahms’s songs.

How Composers Use It

Portamento is the voice or string sliding audibly between two notes — not a discrete jump but a continuous connection. In early 20th-century performance practice, it was standard; today it is used more sparingly. Write it when you want an explicitly connected, almost sighing quality between notes.

Example

In early recordings of Brahms's Violin Concerto, soloists use extensive portamento, connecting notes with audible slides that add emotional warmth.

Related Terms